Dr. Engelmann, it is probably but the transition state of some 

 other fungus. 



Mr. Riley likewise submitted the following 



ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES. 



Mexican Jumping Seeds.— He exhibited the moths (Carpocapsa salti- 

 tans) which he had recently reared from the Jumping Seeds brought before 

 the notice of the Academy at its meeting of Dec. 6, and by their side the 

 moth of the common Apple-worm {Carpocapsa pomonella) to show the 

 close generic resemblance of the two. 



Periodical Cicada.— He also exhibited specimens of this curious insect 

 in the pupa and perfect states, recently received from Mr. Chas. McCorkle, 

 of Lexington, Va. This insect is commonly called the " 17-year locust," 

 but the latter term properly applies to the ravenous Orthopterous insects 

 •which occasionally devastate our Western country. Eight years ago Mr. 

 Riley had shown that there were 13 as well as 17 year races of this Period- 

 ical Cicada, and in a chronological history of the species had at that time 

 predicted that "in the year 1876, and at intervals of 17 years thereafter, 

 they "will in all probability appear from Raleigh, North Carolina, to near 

 Petersburg, Virginia; in Rowan, Davie, Cabarras and Iredell counties in 

 N. C; in the valley of Virginia as far as the Blue Ridge on the east, the 

 Potomac River on the north, the Tennessee and North Carolina lines on 

 the south, and for several counties west; in the south part of St. Mary's 

 County, Maryland, dividing the county about midway east and west; in 

 Illinois, about Alton; and in Sullivan and Knox counties, Indiana." 



The specimens from Mr. McCorkle were proof of the correctness of the 

 prediction. While this insect requires 13 or 17 years, according to the race, 

 for its underground development, the actual development had never been 

 watched from the egg to the mature insect. In 1868 he had collected to- 

 gether in a particular spot near this city a large number of the hatching 

 eggs of a 13-year brood which will appear here again in 18S1. and he had 

 been able to obtain and note the development of the larvae every year since. 

 They are now about two-thirds grown. 



Only the male Cicada sings, and the Rhodian bard. Xenarchus, notes 



this peculiarity when he says, 



" Happy the Cicada lives, 



Since they all have voiceless wives." 



Silkworms on Osage Orange.— -He also exhibited cocoons and spinning 

 worms of the common Mulberry Silkworm (Sericaria morf) reared on 

 Osage Orange. The worms were a cross between the best French and 

 Japanese races, and he had reared them for five years on Osage Orange 

 with no reduction in quantity or quality of silk, and with great increase of 

 vigor and healthfulness. There is no reason why our ladies might not be 

 dressed with silk from our own native hedges. 



Transformation of a Butte} fly. —We also exhibited a large denuded 

 branch of the Black Willow (Salix nigra) with about 40 chrysalides, and 



