132 The Ohio Naturalist. [Vol. XIII, No. 6, 



MEETING OF THE BIOLOGICAL CLUB. 



Orton Hall, December 2, 1912. 



The meeting was called to order by the President, W. G. Stover. 



The presentation of papers followed the reading and approval 

 of the minutes. 



Mr. C. K. Brain gave the first paper on the "Internal Anat- 

 omy of Stomoxys calcitrans." This blood-sucking fly had been 

 suggested as the agent in transmitting blood diseases in India and 

 other tropical countries, some time back. In October of the 

 present year, Rosenauer declared it to be the host of a part of the 

 life cycle of the organism causing infantile paralysis, and transmits 

 that disease. Anderson and Frost's work on monkeys in 

 November, confirmed the idea. 



Experiments by the Ohio State Board of Health point to a 

 mechanical transmission by vStomoxys. 



The digestive systems of Stomoxys and Anopheles, the malaria 

 mosquito, were compared in detail and figured. The conditions in 

 Stomoxys appear to be on the whole more complicated and elab- 

 orate than in the mosquito, though there is some reduction in 

 number of mouth parts and no distinction between sexes can be 

 made on the basis of mouth parts. 



The abdominal sucking stomach and the abdominal position 

 of the salivary glands are noticeable features in Stomoxys. 



Prof. Landacre talked on the "Production of Germinal Varia- 

 tions." He spoke particularly of the work of Dr. Tower who has 

 produced variations in the color patterns and antenna of beetles 

 by altering conditions of temperature and- moisture. This work 

 seems to give the best of the argument to the transmissionists. 



Mr. W. G. Stover exhibited some specimens of Oklahoma 

 fungi, calling attention especially to the wood forms, the grass 

 fonns, and the stink-horns. A number of these Oklahoma fungi 

 are also found in Ohio. 



The following persons were elected to membership in the Club : 

 Walter R. Wheclock, Lilhan E. Humphrey, Ralph R. Jeft'ries, 

 Po Chen, Mary Storer. 



The meeting was then adjourned. 



Marie F. McLellan, Secretary. 



Date of Publication, April 28, 1913. 



