entomological section. xxi 



September 12, 1879. 

 Director Dr. LeConte in the chair. 



The Publication Committee reported favorably the following papers 

 for publication in the Transactions of the American Entomological 

 Society : — 



" Descriptions of new species of North American Hymenoptera," 

 by E. T. Cresson. 



" Catalogue of North American Tenthredinidae and Uroceridae," 

 by E. T. Cresson. 



Dr. Horn gave the members the result of a study of the Eucnemidae 

 with especial reference to Cf^rophi/tum and Pei-ofhops, which are con- 

 sidered aberrant members of that family, the latter being excluded 

 entirely by Bonvouloir. An examination of the labrum in both 

 genera shows it to be prominent, transverse, entirely corneous and 

 connate with the front in a manner very much like the Cebrionidae. 

 These genera should be excluded from the Eucnemidae each to repre- 

 sent a sub-type of the greater Elateride complex including with the 

 families above mentioned the Throscidae and Elateridae proper. 



Dr. Horn gave in brief a review of the Dascyllidae, a synopsis of 

 which was presented for publication. He stated that the arrangement 

 of the tribes and genera did not differ from that already proposed by 

 Dr. Leconte, which was the best yet given, except in some details of 

 secondary importance. After passing in review the several tribes and 

 genera, special attention was directed to certain hitherto unnoticed 

 characters in the genera allied to Euhria^ of which three occur in 

 our fauna, Dicranopsehjphus, Ectoprla and Acneus n. g. 



In Ectopria (Eurea), a dissimilarity is found in the tarsal claws in 

 the two sexes. In the male both claws are bifid at tip for nearly a 

 third of their length, at the base of the claw is a large tooth rect- 

 angular in front. In the female the tooth exists but the tip of the 

 claw is entire. 



Dicranopsehqjhus has similar claws in the male, the female remain- 

 ing unknown. Our species of this genus has not the two spiniform 

 appendages at the end of the palpi, but the last joint is simple as in 

 Ectopria. This character ceases to have generic value and Dicranop- 

 selaphus must be separated from Ectopria by the slightly dilated tarsi 

 with the joints 2 — 3 — 4 somewhat emarginate and the fourth also 

 slightly lobed. 



Acneus is founded on a female only and the characters are rather 

 negative. The claws are simple at tip and there is merely a feeble 



MONTHLY PROC. ENT. SEC. A. N. S. (4) SEPTEMBER, 1879. 



