102 Journal New York Entomological Society. [Vol. xiii 



Mr. Davis read a paper entitled " Notes on the Thread-legged Bug [Emesa lon- 

 gif>es)." He stated that while stopping at Sommerville, N. J., last August he and 

 Mr. Leng had found this insect in abundance under the roof of the piazza. In the 

 same situations were the webs of many spiders from which the Emesa probably ob- 

 tained many captured insects. Their powers of flight seemed very limited as one 

 disturbed individual flew only about four feet to the floor. Mr. Davis remarked that 

 he had kept individuals alive for a period of two or three weeks, when they fed upon 

 flies. The insect is nocturnal and during the day remains inactive. He also re- 

 marked on the odor which he said was very faint in some and in others unnoticeable. 

 In walking, the Emesa does not usually use the raptorial fore legs. He exhibited 

 several adult specimens and one egg of which he gave a description remarking that 

 according to Uhler the egg laying habits are unknown. 



Mr. Bueno, under the subject of " Notes on Hydrometra martini Kirk. ( = lineata 

 Say), gave briefly the generic and specific synonymy, and mentioned Kirkaldy's and 

 Martini's details of same. This species was taken by Mr. Davis and himself in Staten 

 Island in May of this and last year. Its manner of progression was touched upon, 

 as well as its habits of lying on the surface of the water and approaching its prey, 

 which consists of living or dead insects. He gave the period of development from 

 the egg to the adult as 25 to 35 days, allowing for from three to five broods in the 

 course of the summer. Just after reaching maturity the insect is covered with a gray- 

 ish pruinosity. It is long-lived and tenacious of life. He also referred to Say's 

 variety australis, which, from the differences it presents in the terminal abdominal 

 segments, leads him to the belief that it is a distinct species. 



Mr. C. Schaeffer presented " Some Notes on Brenthidse." On rearranging his 

 material in this family he found among the unmounted Texas material of the Dietz col- 

 lection a Brenthid which is apparently new. The species is allied to the Mexican 

 Hetei-obrent/nts distans Shop, from which it differs in the pubescence of the outer 

 antennal joints, the strong punctures at sides of each elytron and the different macu- 

 lation. The antennce being destitute of stiff hairs is one of the characters included in 

 the generic description which does not fit the new species but as all other characters 

 agree he preferred to put it in this genus. The other two species added to our list since 

 Dr. Horn's paper, are Vasseletia vasseleti from Lower California and Trachelizns 

 uncimanus from the Florida Keys, the latter only recently reported by Mr. Gustav 

 Beyer in the Journal. The separation of the females of the two species of Brenthns 

 have always caused some trouble, but besides the femoral teeth, the form of the second 

 interstice is a very good character to separate the females of the two species. Mr. 

 Schaeffer also stated that he had prepared a short synopsis of the Brenthidre to be 

 published in the Journal. In preparing the synoptic table of the genera he had 

 met with considerable difficulty as the classification of the family is very unsatisfac- 

 tory and based on the male characters alone, therefore the characters used will only 

 apply to the forms occurring in the United States. 



H. G. Baruf.k, 



Secretary. 



