1890.] natural sciences of philadelphia. 63 



March 4. 

 The President, Dr. Joseph Leidy, in the chair. 

 Seventeen persons present. 

 The death of Jacob Ennis, a member, was announced. 



Hypoderas in the Little Bhie Heron : — Prof. Leidy stated that Dr. 

 B. H. Warren had submitted to his examination some pieces of the 

 flesh with areolar tissue and fat, from two individuals of the Little 

 Blue Heron, Florida ccerulea, through which were scattered a num- 

 ber of little egg-like bodies. These on examination proved to be a 

 Mite of the genus Hypoderas, of Nitsch, of which a dozen species, 

 found as subcutaneous parasites, in different birds, have been de- 

 scribed by Giebel (Zeitschrift gesam. Naturwis. 1861, 438). The 

 bodies in the Little Blue Heron were enclosed in connective tissue 

 on the surface of the portions of muscles and elsewhere. They are 

 white, elliptical, from 1'25 to 1'5 mm. long by 0'375 mm. broad, and 

 are provided with four pairs of short, brown, bristly limbs. In other 

 specimens, submitted by Dr. AVarreu, consisting of the carcass and 

 portions of the flesh of four individuals of the Blue-bird, Sialia siali.<i, 

 similar egg-like bodies were found. They appeared to be embedded 

 in the flesh among the muscular fibers. In the carcass they were 

 scattered, especially on the back of the trunk, the neck and the out- 

 side of the upper part of the thighs. They are white, elongated el- 

 liptical bodies from 1 to 2 mm. long, but without any external ap- 

 pendages. No distinct internal structure was observed. Though 

 resembling to the naked eye the Hypoderas Elites, they are prob- 

 ably of a different nature, and perhaps may be psorosperms. 



Notice of an Ichneumon Fly. — Dr. Leidy exhibited a specimen 

 submitted to him by Dr. J. T. Rothrock, who received it from Mr. 

 John A. Webb, of Osprey, Florida. It is a caterpillar, attached to 

 a twig of Red Mangrove, enveloped in a mass of small white cocoons 

 of an ichneumon fly. The mass, nearly two inches long and near- 

 ly an inch thick, contains 275 cocoons, from which were hatched as 

 manv ichneumon flies. 



March IL 

 Mr. Thomas Meehan, Vice-President, in the chair. 

 Sixty-three persons present. 

 The death of William Bucknell, a member, was announced. 



On a nerv Bulimidiis: — ]Mr. H. A. Pilsbry exhibited specimens of 

 a new Buliimdus from Texas, with examples of the already known 



