Vol. xxiii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 433 



exercises on these subjects are arranged for, following which are two 

 chapters on Methods of collecting insects, and Methods of preserv- 

 ing and studying insects. For exercises 59-67 on classification, a com- 

 pact series of keys to the orders and many families of insects is pro- 

 vided (pp. 303-329)- 



A list of books for the reference library, pp. 360-361, is decidedly 

 one-sided, as no other order than the Lepidoptera is represented. As 

 indicated above, there are many figures; they are both old and new; 

 figure 53 would seem to be that of a male, rather than of a female, 

 mosquito. P. P. C. 



Doings of Societies. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL CLUB, LOS ANGELES, CAL. 



At an informal meeting- and banquet held on Thursday even- 

 ing, May 2, 1912, at Christopher's Broadway Cafe, the follow- 

 ing thirteen men were present : A. Davidson, J. R. Haskin, H. 

 H. Newcomb, R. L. Beardsley, H. B. Dixon, C. O. Esterly, V. 

 W. Owen, John Comstock, C. A. Whiting, F. C. Clark, E. 

 Nichols, G. C. Davis and F. Grinnell, Jr. 



Prof. C. O. Esterly, of Occidental College, gave a talk, illus- 

 trated with living specimens, and drawings, of the Oil Fly. 

 Psilopa petrolei Coq., the larvae of which live in "Teat numbers 

 in the pools of crude petroleum near Los Angeles. Dr. David- 

 son told of the first discoverv of this insect about 180$ : (~V>- 

 nuillett described it in 1800, but its full biolo^v had not been 

 studied till this year. The larvse have a special interest for the 

 student of animal behavior, reactions to external stimuli, etc., 

 which were esneciallv touched on by Prof. Esterly. 



Mr. H. FT. Newcomb ""\ve a short i-~cotint of tbp nroV>1ptn<; 



presented in the eenus Llmenitis, of which he has made a sne- 

 cial studv: he exhibited enlarged photogranhs of the snecies. 



Mr. Grinnell exhibited a box of specimens of the interesting 

 Noctuid eenus Tnrnchc. which is extensively renresented in 

 the Southwest. Also snecimens of Ehhvdm t:irsntn from 

 Owen's Lake, adults, larv?e and pupa 3 : and Ephydra sn. from a 

 salt pool near Santa Monica, and specimens of species of 



