Vol. XXlii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 



Dr. Calvert read a note by Prof. Dr. Rudow in Societas 

 Entomologica, Vol. XIII, p. 83, for September i, 1898, con- 

 taining a statement of Frau Schreiner, of Weimar, who de- 

 clared she had caught a living Mecistogaster, a tropical Amer- 

 ican Odonate, at Driesen on the river Netze, east of Berlin, 

 Germany, in which he questions the possibility of such an 

 occurrence. The speaker said that it had occurred to him 

 that, since we now know that the larva of at least one species 

 of Mecistogaster lives in the water enclosed between the bases 

 of Bromeliad leaves (see ENT. NEWS, Vol. xxii, p. 402), it 

 might be possible for such a larva to have been carried in an 

 importation of such plants to Germany and to have trans- 

 formed there. 



Mr. Harbeck spoke of keeping dragonflies alive for a time 

 with a view of preserving their colors. 



Dr. Calvert said it was his usual practice to keep them alive 

 in papers for a time, so that they may empty the alimentary 

 canal and thus better preserve their colors. 



The Librarian reported the purchase of a number of desi- 

 derata in books. 



Meeting of October 24, 1912. Dr. P. P. Calvert, President, 

 occupied the chair. Nine persons present. 



Mr. Laurent stated that, although P\rameis atalanta was a 

 common butterfly on Five Mile Beach, New Jersey, yet he 

 had never seen them in such numbers as they were on the 

 third of October of the present year. The butterflies gathered 

 together in large numbers on certain bushes, while other bushes 

 nearby were entirely ignored. Hundreds of specimens could 

 have been captured if one was so inclined. As the species is 

 one of our hibernating butterflies, the speaker thought it 

 might be possible that the butterflies gathered together pre- 

 vious to hibernating, as Danais plc.rlf>f>us does previous to 

 migrating to the south. Nearly all the specimens were in 

 perfect condition, which indicates a fall b'-ood. Mr. Laurent 

 stated that it was the general opinion tha 1 the caterpillars of 

 this butterfly left the food plant and foirid another place -n 

 which to pupate. However, his experience; had been different 



