32 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 
libraries, there is no need of it for limited or private collections 
of books. 
Mr. Smith read a translation of a paper by Dr. Gerstaecker on 
the position of the genus Pleocoma LeConte, in the Lamellicorn 
series, from the Stettiner Entomologische Zeitung* 1883, Dr. 
Gerstaecker maintaining that Pleocoma has to be removed from 
the Scarabceidce laparosticti and to be placed among the Melo- 
lonthidas of the group Scarabceidce pleurosticti^ and further that 
the larva described by Osten Sacken as that of Pleocoma cannot 
possibly belong to that genus nor -to any genus allied to Geo- 
trypes, and that it is undoubtedly that of a Lucanid. 
In discussing the paper Mr. Schwarz said that Dr. Gerstaecker 
was no doubt correct in his views regarding the position of 
Pleocoma, but that he did not sufficiently emphasize the fact that 
Dr. LeConte had at his disposal for his first two papers only a 
single mutilated specimen without abdomen, and that in his sub- 
sequent publications on the subject Dr. LeConte had relied on the 
characters drawn from that broken specimen. The most inter- 
esting question, however, is : what is the larva described by 
Osten Sacken as that of Pleocoma, since there is no Lucanid 
known to occur in California which is of the size indicated by 
the larva. 
Mr. Howard called attention to the fact that the Thoracantha 
floridana, described by Mr. Ashmead in the July (1885) num- 
ber of the Entomologica Americana as new to the United 
States, is the same insect as that exhibited by him to the Society 
in the fall of 1884, and which was collected by Mr. Schwarz at 
Haw Creek, Florida, in July, 1883. 
DECEMBER 3, 1885. 
Eleven persons present. President Riley in the chair. 
Mr. Lugger presented to the Society a Persimmon cane which 
was carved in a remarkable and at the same time beautiful man- 
ner by the uncovered larval galleries of Dicer ca obscura. 
The cane was accepted with thanks to the donor, and the 
Society decided to turn it over to the National Museum. 
In this connection some remarks were made by Prof. Rilev, 
