174 'ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



the past year was possibly explained by the fact of the occur 

 rence of a wet season, which was inimical to the increase of 

 parasites. 



Mr. Schwarz said that Mr. Fernow deserved the thanks of 

 the Society for calling attention to a very valuable, and by 

 Americans seldom consulted, source of entomological informa 

 tion, viz., the forestry journals of Europe, and particularly of 

 Germany and Austria. 



Mr. Howard said in regard to the work in Kurope against 

 insects, that in the matter of insecticide machinery France took 

 the lead, and that in means of controlling plant lice and Coccids 

 Italy ranked first. 



Mr. Schwarz called attention to the concerted action against 

 insects in Kurope by means of which many very simple meas 

 ures are successful which, in this country, for lack of general 

 application and combined action, are a failure. 



APRIL 2, 1891. 



Vice-President C. V. Riley in the chair. Kleven members 

 and two visitors present. 



The Publication Committee " reported the issuance on this 

 date of No. i of Vol. II of the Proceedings, and\ presented a 

 number of copies for the inspection of the Society. A copy was 

 ordered sent to each of the scientific societies of Washington. 



The President announced the sudden death of the recently 

 elected member, Mr. K. R. Tyler, and appropriate action was 

 taken by the Society. 



Mr. Banks presented the following paper : 



MIMICRY IN SPIDERS. 



BY NATHAN BANKS. 



The cases of mimicry in the spiders of the United States may 

 be arranged in two groups, and, in fact, are so grouped natur 

 ally. One group comprises the mimicking Drassidae ; the other, 

 the mimicking Attidae. While the latter group stands at the 

 head of the spiders, the former is near to the bottom of the 



