1915.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 93 



March 16. 

 Mr. Charles Morris in the Chair. 



Forty-seven persons present. 



The Publication Committee reported the reception of papers 

 under the following titles : 



"Fixation of single type (Lectotypic) specimens of species of 

 American Orthoptera. Division III." By Albert P. Morse and 

 Morgan Hebard (February 27). 



"Notes on hematognathus fishes." By Henry W. Fowler 

 (March 1). 



"Cold-blooded vertebrates from Florida, the West Indies, Costa 

 Rica, and Eastern Brazil." By Henry W. Fowler (March 1). 



The deaths of Thomas Biddle, M.D., a member, February 19, 

 1915, and of James Geikie, a correspondent, March 2, 1915, were 

 announced. 



Dr. Clarence E. McClung made a communication on parallel 

 differences in germ cell organization and characters of the body, 

 illustrated by representatives of groups or families of Orthoptera. 



The Recording Secretary read the following communication from 

 Adele M. Fielde: 



A new hypothesis concerning butterflies. — It is known that a virgin 

 female moth or butterfly of the Great Peacock, the Oak Egger, and 

 some other species attracts males of her kind from afar. 



No naturalist has written of this matter more charmingly than 

 has Jean Henri Fabre.^ Having sequestered such a female under a 

 wire-gauze cover, scores of males came from woodsy distances to 

 seek her. Putting her in an air-tight cell, whether of paper, wood, 

 glass, metal or cotton batting prevented the escape of her effluvium 

 and therefore prevented the arrival of her suitors. If placed under 

 a bell glass, where' she was plainly visible to the oncoming swarm 

 of males, they ignored her and settled upon a twig, a chair-bottom, 

 a bit of flannel, or a few dry leaves where she had reposed and affixed 

 her subtile aroma. Even smooth, clean surfaces retained her 

 emanation after contact with her and lured the male in her absence. 



Neither strong stenches made by napthaline, tobacco, or sul- 



1 Social Life in the Insect World, 1912, pp. 179-216. 



