xlviii Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



matter. The remainder of the insect is then dropped. This is quite 

 unlike what Belt found to be the case in Polistes carnifax. 



6. Several of the small larvae died. The wasp that was acting 

 as nurse would enter the cells and attempt to feed these dead wasps. 



7. The behavior of these wasps indicated that, in finding their 

 way home, they were guided in part by associative memory. 



"Indian Miniature Axes and Celts" was the subject 

 of a talk, illustrated with lantern slides and specimens 

 by Dr. H. M. Whelpley. 



stone axes of utility range from four to six pounds and those of 

 hematite from one-half to four pounds. Ordinary axes occur not weigh- 

 ing more than three ounces. Miniature axes form a class by themselves 

 in weight below one-half ounce. The usual miniature ax weighs 

 about one hundred grains. They are similar in shape to ordinary 

 axes. The workmanship is usually very good. They are generally 

 made of granite or hematite and are found where axes of utility 

 occur. The purpose for which they were made is problematical. It 

 has been suggested that they were toys for children, ornaments, 

 amulets for medicine men or examples of expert workmanship. 

 They are usually found on village sites or picked up in the field. 

 Fraudulent miniature axes are more plentiful than genuine. They 

 are usually made from material which is readily worked and sel- 

 dom equal the genuine article in finish. 



Of four hundred stone celts in Dr. Whelpley's collection, 74 per 

 cent weigh between four ounces and two pounds. Three hundred 

 and fifty hematite celts in the same collection average about two 

 ounces each. Miniature celts, like miniature axes, are separated 

 from those of normal size by a wide line of demarcation in weight 

 and size. Scarcely any normal celts occur below three ounces or 

 hematite celts below one-half ounce in weight. Miniature celts 

 weigh about one hundred grains each. They are not faked to the 

 same extent as are miniature axes. The comments on shape, work- 

 manship, material, distribution, use and conditions of finding minia- 

 ture axes also apply to miniature celts. 



It has not been suggested that miniature axes and celts were 

 made by a race of dwarfs. Such claim has been made to explain 

 miniature flint arrows. The speaker estimated that miniature axes 

 and celts occur in about the proportion of 1 to 5000 of those of nor- 

 mal size. 



Messrs Benjamin M. Duggar and LeEoy McMaster 

 were elected to membership. 



December 2, 1912. 



President Engler in the chair; attendance 25. 



Professor Wm. H. Roever read a paper entitled "The 

 Design and Theory of a Mechanism for Illustrating Cer- 

 tain Systems of Lines of Force and Stream Lines." 



