212 proceedings: biological society 



simple type of Apoica to the more complex type of Poli/bia, illustrating 

 nests of the polygamic forms, were shown. Eleven slides showing the 

 nests of the monogamic forms were exhibited. These slides showed the 

 differences between the single comb made by species of Po'istes and 

 the more complex nest made by the Vespae. Attention was called to 

 the three different types of location used for the nest by the different 

 species of Vespa. 



Mr. Rohwer's communication was discussed by A. S. Hitchcock, 

 L. 0. Howard, R. W. Shufeldt, and M. W. Lyon. In the discussion 

 the author called attention to the desirability of collecting the smaller 

 types of nests of social wasps and pointed out how they may be col- 

 lected with safety. 



R. W. Shufeldt: Biological ahnormalities as exemplified by the col- 

 lection in the Army Medical Museum. Major Shufeldt illustrated his 

 communication by lantern slides, presenting various forms of so-called 

 "monsters" and other teratologic types, selected from the different 

 branches of the vertebrata including man. All of the specimens shown 

 were chosen from the collection in the Army Medical Museum. 



Attention was invited to the occurrence of such deformities in plants, 

 moUusks, insects, crustaceans, and other forms. Various theories were 

 touched upon as to the causes of these departures from the normal 

 animal or plant. Interesting cases, too, of polydactylism, hermaph- 

 roditism, diplogenesis, hydrocephalus, Cyclops, spiana bifida, terata 

 katydidyma, and numerous other teratologic types were introduced 

 and explained. A somewhat full account was given of the Siamese 

 ■ twins and the lives they led, and other famous united twins were 

 * described, and the propriety of the surgical operation to separate them 

 briefly discussed. This interesting field of research was more or less 

 fully entered upon, and a series of illustrated cases, conditions, and the 

 medico-legal questions involved were passed in review. 



The 580th regular meeting of the Society was held in the Assembly 

 Hall of the Cosmos Club, Saturday, February 23, 1918; called to order 

 at 8 p.m. by President Rose; 48 persons present. 



Miss M. T. Cooke, Biological Survey, and Edmund D. Gibson, 

 Bureau of Entomology, were elected to membership. 



The following informal communications were presented: 



Vernon Bailey exhibited and described some newly born examples 

 of the common opossum, and commented on the comparative sizes of 

 newborn and their parents in various mammals. 



R. W. Shuffeldt exhibited and described a young box tortoise 

 with two heads. The individual had lived for a period of nine months 

 in captivity. 



C. D. Marsh called attention to the recently issued Fresh-Water 

 Biology by Ward and Whipple. 



The regular program comprised two communications: 



0. W. Barrett: A promising new source of sugar. Mr. Barrett said 

 that the Kaong, or sugar palm (Arenga saccharifera) of the Far East, 

 has been used for centuries as a source of syrup and moist sugar, as 



