THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 81 



effect of this mixture on leaves, but' the president stated that trees had 

 received three appHcations in summer in Canada without any apparent 

 injury, while 90 per cent, of the scale was killed. 



Mr. C. P. Gillette gave an account of some observations on insects in 

 Colorado. The speaker illustrated his remarks by means of insect 

 specimens. A short-winged form of Melanopliis bivittatus was exhibited, 

 and also oi M. femur-rubrum, the latter showing great variation in colour. 

 The speaker stated that Chorizagrotis agrestis occurs in Colorado in three 

 forms, and is extremely injurious to a great variety of crops. The males 

 are uniformly darker than the females, and this fact has, in a itw cases, 

 led to errors in determination. He also described a species of 

 Chermes on pine and spruce, and gave an account of its life-history. In 

 spring the insect is found on the under side of small twigs of Abies 

 ptcngens. The eggs are deposited on the old wood near the new growth 

 in masses of 150 or more. The swelling of the needles and consequent 

 gall formations are due to the attacks of young lice, and not to the 

 punctures of the adult females in laying the eggs. In Colorado there is 

 apparently a new species of Chermes in addition to C. abietis. The 

 young of this new species also locate on the new growth, but do not form 

 galls. The insect passes the winter in a larval stage and is strictly 

 oviparous. There is some evidence of another species of Chermes on 

 Piiius ponderosa. The speaker also referred to the injury to apples from 

 the use of strong arsenical sprays and Bordeaux mixtures. 



Mr. R. A. Cooley, of Montana, also spoke on the same subject. 



The question was raised whether breeding experiments in insects 

 might reasonably be expected to lead to valuable results, and was 

 discussed by several members. During this discussion mention was made 

 of experiments whicli had been made in attempting to lengthen the 

 tongues of bees, and of experiments to determine the effect of foodstuffs 

 and other conditions of environment upon the life history of silkworms and 

 the quality and quantity of silk produced. 



Dr. E. P. Felt spoke on the subject of the exhibit of economic 

 insects to be sent to the St. Louis World's Fair, and the arrangements 

 which had been made for displaying it. 



For the next meeting of the Club,' which will be held in connection 

 with the meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Science in 

 Philadelphia, the Club elected Henry Skinner as president, and E. V. 

 Wilcox as secretary. E. V, Wilcox. 



