292 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



trees killed back by the severe frost of February last. A piece 

 of wire was pushed into the burrrows as far as it would go, and 

 then cut off and left there. 



As to the nature of ambrosia, Mr. Hubbard made the conjec 

 ture that it was a ferment set up in the sap of the tree and aug 

 mented by the presence of the animals. 



This communication was discussed by Messrs. Gill, Smith, 

 Waite, Swingle, and Fernow, the discussion taking the form of 

 questions and more or less unsatisfactory suggestions as to the 

 nature of the ambrosia. 



Under the head of exhibition of specimens, Mr. Heidemann 

 exhibited specimens of Coriscus jlavomarginatus Renter, a 

 brachypterous species new to North America, which had been 

 collected at St. John's, New Brunswick, some years ago, by the 

 late Dr. Marx. 



Mr. Howard showed a female Scolia which had been sent 

 from Texas by Mr. Schwarz, and which had become, in some 

 manner, impaled upon a sharp thorn, the thorn entering the mid 

 dle of the face. It was a question whether the insect became so 

 impaled by flying violently against the thorn, or whether it had 

 been stuck there by a shrike. 



Mr. Benton showed a comb of Apis florea, the smallest 

 Apis known. The comb was collected in Ceylon some years ago 

 by Mr. Benton himself. He called attention to the fact that 

 there are 100 cells to the square inch with this species, and that 

 Apis Jlorea and A. dorsata are the only species which build in 

 the open air. These are, curiously enough, the smallest bee and 

 the largest bee known. 



