OF WASHINGTON. 77 



development and emerged thirty days earlier than those under 

 moist conditions. Professor Quaintance said that the same 

 thing. holds true for the peach borer (Sanninoidea exitiosa 

 Say), the larvae from nearly dead trees transforming before 

 those from trees which are living and more or less vigorous. 

 He then described the method of birth and the prolificacy of 

 the black peach aphis (Aphis persicce-niger Er. Sm.) no males 

 or eggs of which, as is also the case with the cabbage aphis 

 (Aphis brassicce L.) and the cotton or melon aphis (Aphis 

 gossypii Glov.), have ever been found. Mr. Titus stated that 

 some specimens of the melon aphis had been known to repro 

 duce agamically for two years. During all this time they were 

 under observation and it was known that no eggs were laid. 



Mr. Banks made some remarks on the classification of the 

 Perlidae and on the characters which he had found to be most 

 valuable in the separation of the various groups. Doctor Hop 

 kins asked him whether there were good sexual characters in 

 the Perlidae, and Mr. Banks replied that there are characters 

 in the anal plate. Doctor Ashmead said that there are charac 

 ters in the anal veins of saw-flies, but that these disappear in 

 the higher Hymenoptera. 



Mr. Knab made some remarks on the habits of South 

 American passalid beetles. Among other things he stated that 

 they seem to be monogamous. The larvae are cared for by the 

 adults, and this care is evidently necessary to the larvae. 



Doctor Ashmead reported the taking of a ponerid ant, 

 Leptogenys falcigera Rog., in the Philippines. It had pre 

 viously been recorded from Ceyloii and Madagascar. 



Mr. Banks presented the following paper: 



A REVISION OF THE NEARCTIC CONIOPTERYGID^E. 



By NATHAN BANKS. 

 (PLATES VI, VII.) 



The Coniopterygidae are a small and peculiar family of the 

 true Neuroptera. One of the most characteristic marks of 

 the family is the mealy exudation upon the wings and some 

 parts of the body. More vital structures, however, distinguish 

 the group from its allies. The antennae are short, moniliform, 



