July, '09] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 333 



that it took a hundred and twenty-nine authors to describe 

 them. 



Mr. J. G. Grundel repored a recent trip to the Tahiti Isl- 

 ands. He took a few Coleoptera and Lepidoptera. Among 

 the Coccinelidae brought back were a number of specimens 

 of Coccinclla abdominalis. He reported a small ant as very 

 destructive to other insects ; while 550 species of native plants 

 constituted the native flora, there are now over 2,000 species ; 

 the cocoanut weevil is very injurious there, scales (Coccidae} 

 very abundant on plants around the settlements, especially on 

 the imported plants. In the dense forests very little was 

 found, an occasional moth or Satyrusf 



Mr. L. R. Reynolds stated that exhaustive collecting was a 

 good idea as the native fauna of most islands was rapidly be- 

 ing destroyed or obscured by the introduction of other species. 



Dr. Carroll Fox stated that species of Sarcopsyllidae were 

 parasitic on the fleas. That he found six of these mite-like 

 organisms upon one flea; they are so microscopic that 20 or 

 30 could easily get on a single individual. 



Dr. Van Dyke stated that the early stages were found in 

 rats' nests, that they run over the ground in the larva stage and 

 finally get on their hosts. 



Dr. F. E. Blaisdell reported that his monograph on the 

 Eleodiini of the United States would soon be issued as Bulle- 

 tin No. 63 of the U. S. National Museum. It is a work of 519 

 pages, 13 plates and 8 text figures, and had been eight years in 

 preparation. Many exhibits were examined and discussed. 



F. E. BLAISDELL, SR., Secretary. 



A meeting of the Rhode Island Entomological Society was 

 held in the offices of the Providence Forestry Company Mon- 

 day, February 22nd, at 8 o'clock, nine members being present. 

 After the minutes had been read and approved, a check-list of 

 the Lepidoptera of Rhode Island was started and earliest and 

 latest data taken. It was voted that the list be kept in card 

 catalogue form and a catalogue cabinet was ordered. 



