14G JOURNAL OF THE WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES VOL. 11, NO. () 



"Because of the incomplete arrangement of the collection, it is impossible 

 to definitely state the number of cases the arranged collection would occupy. 

 To give some idea I think we can justly give the number of cases which are 

 allotted to the various groups. The allotment of room does not allow for 

 any expansion and is an estimate which covers only the actual amount of 

 space needed to arrange the collection already in hand. Our unit is a double- 

 columned steel case containing 50 drawers approximately IS inches square. 

 The saw-flies occupy three cases and they are fairly well arranged. The 

 Vespoids have two cases allotted to them; the Mutilloids three-and-a-half 

 cases; the Sphecoids three cases; the Ants four cases; the Bees five cases; the 

 Braconids three cases; the Ichneumonids five; Cynipoids each two; and the 

 Chalcids five." 



Mr. E. A. ScHWARZ spoke of the Tenebrionid genus Epitragiis, the species 

 of which are commonl}^ found on living plants, where they feed on scale in- 

 sects. Mr. Barber had dissected a specimen of a Florida species, taken on 

 orange, and found scale insects in its crop. 



Mr. H. L. vSaxford announced that Brood 19 (b^-year race) of the period- 

 ical cicada had made its appearance in Alabama, Missouri, North Carolina, 

 Tennessee, Oklahoma, and possibly Texas. Mr. E. A. Schwarz stated that 

 the recording of this cicada west of the Mississippi is due to erroneous deter- 

 mination, and that there is in Texas a related species that occurs at the same 

 time as the 1.3 -year brood. 



Mr. R. A. CuSHMAN presented a note on An external egg-parasite as follows: 

 The eggs of many insects are subject to the attack of parasites, but so far 

 as I am aware all such parasites recorded live within the host agg. Certain 

 Ichneumonids of the genera Trontatobia, Gelis, and Hcuiitelcs live as larvae 

 in the egg-sacs of spiders feeding on the eggs or young spiders. But I believe 

 that no case has been recorded in which a parasite larva reached full growth 

 as an external parasite of a single insect egg. On one occasion I foimd among 

 a number of eggs of the saw-fly, Cunbex amcricana I.each, several that were 

 being fed upon by hymenopterous larvae, some of which later developed into 

 Chalcids of the genus Synipitsis. Whether this is the normal habit of this 

 particular species I do not know. Many of the species of Sympiesis are 

 parasitic on the larvae of leaf-miners, and the Cimbex egg, being placed just 

 under the epidermis of the leaf, may have attracted a parasite normally at- 

 tacking a leaf-miner. 



Mr. H. S. Barber exhibited specimens of soft-bodied insects and soft parts 

 of insects that he had prepared in such a way as to retain the natural form 

 in the dry state. 



Mr. A. B. Gahan spoke of the difficulty of distinguishing species in the 

 chalcid genus Anastatus and of the hosts of the various species. 



Mr. S. A. Rohwer told of a carpenter bee that he had observed working 

 at all hours except 5 to a.m., and stated that Aculeate Hymenoptera do not 

 ordinarily work at night. Mr. Barber stated that he had known yellow jack- 

 ets to stay away from the nest all night. 



R. A. CuSHMAN, Recording Secretary. 



