OF WASHINGTON. 109 



scribed as Torymus dm p arum Boh. from specimens reared 

 from the mountain ash (Sorbus scandica). It has been re- 

 ported from Sweden, Germany, Crimea, and New York State. 



The Megastigmus specimens were reared on May i, 1908, 

 from seeds of Rosa sp. sent from Peking, China, by Mr. F. N. 

 Meyer, agricultural explorer for the Bureau of Plant In- 

 dustry. The infested seeds were easily selected by their 

 brownish color. The species was originally described by 

 Boheman as presumably parasitic on Trypeta continua Meig. 

 in rose fruits from Saxony. 



Mr. Sanders also exhibited specimens of the coccid 

 Capulinia sallei Sign., on Eugenia tuberculata, from Santiago 

 de las Vegas, Cuba. These were collected by Mr. Wm. T. 

 Home and are particularly interesting because of the cob-web- 

 like waxy exudations. A very minute coccinellid, which was 

 determined by Mr. Schwarz as a new species of Scymnillus, 

 was reared from a large lot of specimens but no hymenopterous 

 parasites were obtained. 



Doctor Hopkins called attention to the record of the de- 

 struction of Douglas spruce seeds by Megastigmus pinus Par- 

 fitt and referred to his observations on Bruchophagus funebris 

 How., where a supposed hymenopterous parasite was discov- 

 ered to be an enemy of clover seed and not of a Bruchus or 

 any other insect living in the seed. 



In answer to a question by Professor Quaintance about the 

 sorghum seed crop, Professor Piper said that the cecidomyiid 

 Diplosis sorghicola Coq. destroyed the entire seed crop of 

 sorghum south of a certain definite line in Texas. This was 

 proved by bagging the heads at an early stage. When the 

 insects were eliminated in this manner, full heads of seed were 

 grown. 



The question by Mr. Willis as to what determines the 

 habitat of a species led to a spirited discussion. Mr. Willis 

 said the commonly accepted idea was that the temperature at 

 breeding time was the determining factor. Mr. Schwarz said 

 he doubted this and he did not believe that the cause or causes 

 that determine the range of species were known. Temperature 

 is probably only one of the many factors. Doctor Hopkins 



