J 26 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



ual is not. In his opinion, we have not enough facts as yet to 

 generalize to the best advantage. 



Mr. Schwarz, in speaking of the longevity of insects, men 

 tioned the fact that entomologists, in general, live in the tem 

 perate zones, where circumstances are unfavorable to a regular 

 development. In tropical regions no marked irregularities in 

 climate and moisture interrupt the steady and regular life devel 

 opment. Our ideas would undoubtedly be changed if lengthy 

 observations were made in the tropics. 



Prof. Riley asked whether any one knew of any cases of more 

 extended longevity in insects than in the i^-year Cicada and the 

 13-year Ant mentioned by Lubbock that is, aside from the re 

 tarded beetles mentioned in the address. No such instances were 

 cited by members. 



Mr. Ashmead mentioned the fact that last summer he found 

 in a nest of PelopaBus which was two or three years old a number 

 of puparia of a small Dipterous insect. The puparia were dry 

 and hard. He put them first in water and then into a box, and 

 in two or three weeks found that nearly all had hatched. All of 

 the adults, however, had aborted wings. He thought that the 

 same puparia might have remained in this condition for several 

 years, until finally the wasp cells would fall to pieces, when the 

 puparia might reach some moist spot favorable to the issuing of 

 the adult. 



Mr. Schwarz stated that it is probable that other species of 

 Cicada will be found to have long lives in the larval state. He 

 stated that careful collecting of the rarer species, labelling with 

 annual date, and continued for a term of 20 years or more, will 

 probably show that this is the case. 



Prof. Riley stated that he thought this quite possible, but, in 

 his opinion, it would not be remarkable if no other species were 

 found to approach this long life. His main interest in the ques 

 tion arises from the study of Weismann's views. In plant life 

 we may have an indefinite continuation of what is ordinarily 

 called the individual, but, properly speaking, the plant is not 

 an individual. Without complexity and death we should not 

 have had progress, but an infinite multitude of unicellular organ 

 isms would have existed for all time, according to Weismann. 



