176 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Synoptic work has a higher purpose than a mere aid to a recognition of 

 species. 



Prof. Femald was interested in Dr. Horn's view of the case ; he had 

 been interested in the view that nature had no genera, but species only. 

 For his part he thought he would be satisfied if he had a good definition 

 of a species. 



Dr. Maclosky said that birds sometimes offer remarkable differences 

 in sex, and species can be distinguished only by a reference to both. The 

 flickers, for instance, of the two sides of the continent were very distinct, 

 but in some intermediate localities the species approached so closely that 

 it was difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish the females, while the 

 males were separable. There was no anatomical difference between the 

 species, but he thought there must be physiological characters not yet 

 discovered which separated them. 



Dr. Morris thought it a curious classification that would place male 

 and female in different genera if separately considered. 



Mr. Osborn read a paper on Mallophaga and Fediculidce of N. A., 

 illustrated by drawings of specimens and slides containing specimens 

 mounted for microscopic examination. (This paper will appear separately 

 in the C. E.) 



Miss Cora H. Clarke exhibited a specimen of the work of some 

 Caddis Fly larvae (Hydropsyche), consisting of an aggregation of mud 

 cells on a small stone, beyond which were the nets spread by the larvae. 

 They were always found in running water, and always had an opening 

 toward the current, probably to enable the larva to catch the food coming 

 down the current. In reply to a question from Dr. Morris, Miss Clarke 

 said the nets were often solitary, but not unfrequently aggregations were 

 found. Another species, of Pledrocnemia, builds a vertical tube of mud, 

 sometimes with a number of branches ; a specimen was exhibited. Dr. 

 Hagen thinks it an undescribed form. Reference was made to figures in 

 a paper entitled " Description of two interesting houses made by Caddis 

 Fly Larvae, by Cora H. Clarke." The larvae living in running water were 

 difficult to raise. 



Mr. Mann remarked that ap7'opos of raising larvae living in running 

 water. Prof. Barnard, of the Dept. of Agriculture, had contrived an 

 arrangement with which he had great success with larvae of that kind. It 

 consists of a glass tube, the bottom closed by a porous cloth, the other 



