96 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [xxxii, '21 



around the kill on the table, where it was spread preparatory to pack- 

 ing-, was disregarded by these pests, so one had to be constantly on 

 the watch that specimens were not carried off. 



DIPTERA. Mr. Hornig spoke about the noticeable absence of mos- 

 quitoes this season, especially during the early part, and thought it 

 was due to the long cool winter and spring. He also stated that ha 

 has secured live larvae by putting the dirt from the holes and crotches 

 of trees, in water. He believes that the egg-masses may be able to 

 over-winter, or, at least, lie dormant for some time in such situations. 



ODONATA. Dr. Calvert gave an interesting communication, illus- 

 trated by drawings, on the methods by which the males of certain 

 dragon flies (Epigomphus) grasp the females during copulation. He 

 showed the presence of especially developed processes and impres- 

 sions on the heads of the females which, he considered, were for the 

 accommodation of the male claspers.* 



Meeting of November 18, 1920. Director Philip Laurent presiding. 



ORTHOPTERA. -Mr. Rehn exhibited the exotic collections of Der- 

 maptera belonging to the Academy and Mr. Hebard, contained in six 

 large boxes. He made mention of the other large comparative collec- 

 tions, especially those of Burr, Dohrn and the Paris Museum, stating 

 that the present combined collection is the largest as regards the 

 number of representative species, and possesses many rare ones. He 

 called attention to several of the species as having peculiar habits, 

 among which is that found, and supposed to be parasitic, on a kind of 

 rat occurring in Africa. Another species is found in a pouch of a 

 hairless bat of the East Indies. The speaker also drew attention to 

 the various forms of the forceps and to their probable functions. Mr. 

 Hebard augmented Mr. Rehn's remarks by giving an account of their 

 experiences in collecting members of this order in South America the 

 past summer. He dwelt on the scarcity of these insects, and said 

 that most of the places in which they are found, under bark, in the 

 dead leaves and wood soil, are probably their day-time resting and 

 hiding places and not their normal habitat, but being nocturnal, prob- 

 ably spend their normal active life in other ways. He stated also 

 that the collection exhibited contains twenty species not represented 

 in any other. 



LEPIDOPTERA.- Mr. Laurent made some remarks regarding a habit 

 of Scoparia basalts, a small moth belonging to the Pyralidae. When 

 disturbed from its resting place, which is generally a rough-barked 

 tree, instead of flying off to any great distance, would fly to about 

 four feet, immediately turn and come back to the tree again. 



DIPTERA. Mr. Hornig said that he has been trying to rear some 

 Cutercbra larvae, but the present indications are not encouraging. 

 E. T. CRESSON, JR., Recorder. 



* Cf. Transactions, Amer. Ent. Soc. xlvi, pp. 323-354. 



