THE CANADIAN KNTOMOLOGIST. l8n 



in such numbers that they had caused alarm ; persons finding them sup- 

 posed that they were the parents of the pest. 



Mr. Underwood inquired whether this insect was not also found gen- 

 erally on elm. INIr. Rathvon had published an article on the subject, and 

 had referred to its feeding on elm as a rarity. It had been observed also 

 on grape and Ampelopsis. 



Mr. Saunders had not observed it on elm in Canada. 



Dr. Horn made some observations on secondary sexual characters of 

 Coleoptera. He had been interested in Mr. Smith's studies on the 

 external anatomy of Lepidoptera, and especially in the remarks on 

 secondary sexual characters. Somewhat similar antennal structures were 

 sometimes found in Coleoptera, but their uses in this order seemed better 

 known. In Collops was a structure closely resembling that of Renia. 

 Here there was the same excavated curved joint, at the base of which 

 was an articulated slender spine-like appendage, and the upper part of the 

 antennae was capable of being folded backward. The use of this was in 

 copulation ; the % antennae were grasped in this curve, the articulated 

 spine closed the curve by being directed forward, while the anterior part 

 of the antennae was folded backward, thus tightly holding the % antennae. 

 The form in Meloe is similar to that of Herminia, and without the articu- 

 late spine still serves the same purpose. In Sphalera and Tomoxia there 

 is a double jointed appendix to the last joint of the maxillary palpi which 

 probably served the same purpose. These structures are explainable. 

 Others are more obscure and not yet explained. For instance, Lebia has 

 a notch on the inside, near the end of the middle tibia in the ^ . A 

 species of Aphodius has a very curiously hooked first tarsal joint to the 

 hind leg. Another species has a peculiar club-shaped appendage to the 

 inner side of the fore tibiae. What use these served was not yet satisfac- 

 torily ascertained. 



Mr. Cresson said that except in the parasitic forms, there were no 

 such characters in the Hymenoptera, and that group he had not studied. 



Mr. Osborn stated that very interesting characters occurred in the 

 Mallophagidae, and especially one in Lipetiris, which much resembled 

 that of Tomoxia. 



Mr. Smith moved the appointment of a committee of three to arrange 

 a programme and secure papers for the next meeting ; seconded and car- 

 ried. The committee appointed consisted of Mr. J. B. Smith, chairman ; 



