OF WASHINGTON. 293 



Mr. Schwarz presented the manuscript of Dike's list of the 

 Coleoptera of the District of Columbia. On motion, the matter 

 of publishing this list was referred to the Executive Committee 

 with power to act. 



Under the head of " Exhibition of Specimens," Mr. Ashmead 

 showed a male and female of Hypota pectinicornis Latr., a 

 species occurring in South Europe and Algiers, of which the 

 male has flabellate antennas. This is the only Chalcidine genus, 

 except Hybothorax, which has such antennae. 



Mr. Schwarz exhibited specimens of the cocoons of Cacto- 

 phagus validus Lee., taken from the trunk of the giant cactus at 

 Tucson, Ariz., by Mr. Hubbard. In each of these cocoons col 

 lected in winter time are to be found from 30 to 80 dead and 

 mutilated specimens of a Colydiid beetle an undescribed species 

 of the genus Bothrideres. This is a curious case of symbiosis, 

 since it seems that none of the Bothrideres which have developed 

 in the cocoons can escape therefrom. The Bothrideres larvas are 

 evidently parasitic on that of Cactophagus ; another species is 

 known to develop within the larvaa of the Cerambycid Lago- 

 chirus araneiformis in the West Indies. 



Mr. Pratt exhibited a specimen of Lachnosterna inversa 

 from Keokuk, Iowa, collected by Dr. Shaffer, which carried on 

 its thorax two parasitic eggs like those found by Mr. Howard in 

 the Catskill Mountains and exhibited at a previous meeting of 

 the Society. Dr. Smith stated that he had never seen such eggs 

 during his extensive studies of the species of Lachnosterna, in 

 the course of which many hundreds of specimens were examined. 



Mr. Fairchild exhibited a Phyllium from Java which closely 

 resembles the guava leaf. He also showed a striking photograph 

 of a mantid which mimics the coffee flower. Some -discussion 

 ensued as to the attitudes of the leaf insects and tropical mantids 

 when disturbed. Mr. Fairchild said that the leaf insects move 

 very slow T ly, and, when touched, throw the legs out at an angle 

 to the body. Mr. Cook said that in Liberia the young mantids 

 carry their abdomen erect or bent over to the thorax. One form, 

 with reduced wings, and colored like a lichen-colored tree, in 

 stead of menacing with its front legs when alarmed, flattens out 

 close to the bark in an effort to escape observation. Another 

 species, colored like a flower, drops to the ground with a circular 

 motion, closely resembling a flower when falling. 



