OF WASHINGTON. 249 



UNMOTHERLY APHIDS. 



On October 26th the members mentioned noticed the ovi 

 parous females of Siphonophora tilite descending the trunk of a 

 large Tulip tree in the grounds of the Department of Agriculture 

 in considerable numbers. High up on the trunk of the tree 

 a cast skin of Cicada pruinosa was noticed upon which the 

 plant-lice were observed to be crawling in considerable num 

 bers. Upon removing the pupa-skin from the tree it was 

 found to be stocked with the eggs of the Siphonophora. The legs 

 were fairly lined with rows of the eggs. The conclusion 

 drawn was that through the faulty instinct of the mother 

 Aphids these eggs, or at least the young hatching from them, 

 would probably perish through the pupa-shell being dislodged 

 during the winter. 



In the discussion of this paper Mr. Schwarz said that he 

 dissented entirely from the conclusions arrived at by the 

 authors of the paper, and remarked that it is a well known fact 

 that by far the largest portion of the winter eggs of Aphids laid 

 on the trunks or branches of trees are washed off and destroyed 

 during winter and early spring by the rains or water from 

 melting snow running down the bark. It appeared to him 

 that the eggs laid on the dry pupa-skin of Cicadas are pro 

 tected from these accidents, and since the Cicada skins so far 

 as they do not drop soon after the hatching of the Cicadas 

 usually remain attached to a tree for a year or longer, it would 

 seem that these Aphid eggs had a greater chance to survive 

 than those laid on the bark. 



Mr. Banks read the following paper : 



A NEW GENUS OF PHALANGIID^. 



BY NATHAN BANKS. 



While collecting in some woods near the seashore on Long 

 Island, N. Y., in July, 1890, I found under several rotten logs 

 a very curious Phalangid. It was exceedingly difficult to cap 

 ture, as it ran with amazing swiftness when the log was over 

 turned. I succeeded in capturing several specimens ; in nearly 

 all cases, however, the legs dropped off. 



The principal peculiarity of the animal is the enormous size 

 of the eyes and eye-tubercle. I know of no genus of Phalan- 

 gidia that has such large eyes. It is a true Phalangid, and be- 



