264 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



commenced to form a small " snake" by crawling all around the 

 jar. On the following day they were beginning to transform to 

 pupa, becoming so contracted that they were scarcely more than 

 half the length of the full-grown larva. The first perfectly de 

 veloped pupae were observed August 5, the adults issuing on the 

 morning of August 7 ; thus making the pupal period two clays. 

 The flies that issued were probably females, their swollen abdo 

 mens, which were about four-fifths the entire length of the insect, 

 seeming so heavy as to prevent flight. 



The gregarious habits of the larvae of the genus Sciara are well 

 known, and have received notice in Insect Life and elsewhere, 

 and have been the subject of special mention by Baron C. R. von 

 Osten Sacken (see Proc. Entom. Soc. Phila., vol. I, 1862, pp. 

 163-165.) The species, of which the habits are known, are, with 

 few exceptions, scavengers. One species, however, Sciara mali 

 Fitch, is said to feed on ripe apples, and is hence of slight eco 

 nomic importance. The shortness of my visit did not permit of 

 obtaining any knowledge of the food-habits of the species under 

 observation. The bred material was referred to Mr. D. VV. Co-' 

 quillett, who identified the species as Sciara fraterna Say. 



Mr. Schwarz said that these worm snakes are apparently much 

 rarer in the United States than in Germany, where they are fre 

 quently observed and where many notes have been published 

 about them. He had never seen one in the United States. The 

 habit of the larvae in congregating in snake-like masses is very 

 difficult to explain. Possibly it only occurs when the larvae are 

 about ready for pupation, as suggested by Mr. Pratt. 



Mr. Johnson said that he had heard of two such occurrences in 

 Maryland during the past summer. He also said that he had re 

 ceived a well-substantiated account of such a worm snake in Ohio, 

 which was said to be six feet in length. 



The next order of business was the annual address of the 

 President, Mr. Marlatt, which was entitled 4; An Investigation of 

 Applied Entomology in the Old World." 



