1897-] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 91 



Mr. Seiss mentioned having received a large spider of the 

 family Lycosidse, from Brazil, which had been observed by the 

 collector to capture a small fish. 



Dr. Skinner referred to recent literature on the transmission 

 of disease by insects. The common house fly and the mosquito 

 were transmitters of disease, malaria in particular being trans- 

 mitted by the mosquito. 



Prof. Smith added that the mosquito becomes infested in its 

 larval stage with the malarial germ. It is well known that pro- 

 tection against mosquitoes is a safeguard against malaria in trop- 

 ical countries. Further discussed by Drs. Skinner and Smith. 



The habits of the common flea were discussed by Messrs. 

 Smith, Johnson, Boerner and Skinner. Mr. H. Wenzel asked 

 regarding the flea infesting field-mice. Some mice nests collected 

 by him contained hundred of fleas which had escaped in his 

 house, but they did not prove troublesome as is the case with the 

 common flea. 



Prof. Smith stated that they represented another species with 

 different habits for which reasons they did not attack man. 



Mr. Wenzel exhibited some Californian Coccinellidae recently 

 received. All the introduced species which had established them- 

 selves in the country were represented in the lot. 



No further business being presented the Social adjourned to 

 the annex at 10.30 P.M. 



WILLIAM J. Fox, Secretary, pro tcm. 



Tne Entomological Section 



ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA. 



PROCEEDINGS OF MEETINGS. 



The following papers were read and accepted by the Committee for 

 publication in ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS : 



THERIDIUM INCONSTANS : A new spider. 

 By JOHN L. CURTIS. 



[The following description of a new spider from the Pacific 

 coast I have extracted from the notes made by the late Mr. John 

 Curtis, of Oakland, Cal., whose enthusiasm and persistent 

 enabled him, despite fearful physical misfortune and suffering, to 



