348 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



doptera, Dr. Dyar stating that the most generalized larva is 

 tuberculate, tubercules being lost and secondary hairs being 

 developed in the process of specialization. 



Mr. Schwarz read a short note by Mr. H. G. Hubbard on 

 the luminosity of a larviform Coleopter supposed to be the female 

 of Mastinocerus opaczilus. A few specimens were observed by 

 him at Oracle, in southern Arizona, moving about quite actively 

 during night time on the gravelly ground. In general aspect 

 they greatly resemble the females of Phengodes but are more cyl 

 indrical and differ in the arrangement of the luminous parts. 

 Two very large spots on the head are very brightly luminous, 

 but the luminous areas on the abdomen are much, smaller and less 

 bright than in Phengodes. Mr. Schwarz supplemented Mr. Hub- 

 bard's note by general remarks on the females of Lampyrid 

 beetles. Discussion followed, relating especially to the question 

 as to whether luminosity in the Lampyridae is a specialized con 

 dition, Dr. Gill taking the stand that from its more or less iso 

 lated occurrence in several groups of this family it is more likely 

 to have been an original condition which has been lost perhaps 

 by a majority of species in the process of specialization, calling 

 attention to the analogy between this phenomenon in the Lam 

 pyridae and Elateridae and the phenomenon of electricity in the 

 fishes, occurring as it does here and there in several groups. Mr. 

 Schwarz stated that the relationship between the luminous Lam 

 pyridae and Elateridas was closer than perhaps has hitherto been 

 suspected, and called attention to the fact that the larviform fe 

 male of Phengodes was originally considered by Osten Sacken 

 and others as an Elaterid. Mr. Howard considered that from 

 the fact that the species which lack this physiological quality 

 correspond to the normal coleopterous type and that the larvi 

 form females possess what may be termed highly degradational 

 characteristics comparable to those acquired by a life of parasit 

 ism, for example, the luminosity should probably be considered 

 a high specialization of comparatively recent origin. 



The final paper of the evening was presented by Mr. Howard, 

 who exhibited a series of Australian insects of economic import 

 ance, and made a brief statement of the present condition of eco 

 nomic entomology in the Australian colonies. He called especial 

 attention to the fact that the introduction of agriculture on a large 



