March, 1914] PrOCEEDIXGS OF THE SOCIETY. 87 



postal difficulties ; Dr. Lutz pointed out that where the green coloring is due to 

 chlorophyll, alcohol cannot be used, and mentioned that cotton can be advan- 

 tageously used to fill up bottles. 



Mr. Nicolay read a paper on " The MordeUidcc of New York State " in 

 which he reviewed individually the fifty-one species known to occur in the 

 state and pointed out the preponderance of species in the more mountainous 

 regions. 



His paper was discussed by Messrs. Dow, Schaeffer and Leng and will be 

 later printed in full. 



Dr. Lutz read a paper " Biological Notes on Drosophila " in which, after 

 stating that about 70 variations from normal type have been observed, he 

 pointed out the results that have been obtained in two of them, viz. : the wing 

 variation and the eye-color variation. In captivity it has been possible to fix 

 these variations in a comparatively small number of generations, so that they 

 breed practically true, and become in a sense, new species : but if exposed 

 to competition with normal forms in captivity, as they presumably would be in 

 a wild state, they quickly return to normal form. In Drosophila, these varia- 

 tions are disadvantageous to the species, that is the shortened wings artificially 

 produced detract from flying power and the pale eyes from seeing power ; and 

 therefore the females choose a normal mate in preference to an abnormal one, 

 resulting in the abnormal features being quickly extinguished in the offspring. 

 The observed variations ha;ve all been natural mutants originally, and as 

 liable to occur in a wild state as in captivity ; but not liable to be perpetuated 

 in a wild state. Should the variation, however, be advantageous to the species, 

 as appeared to be the case in some of Dr. Tower's experiments with Leptino- 

 tarsa, the preference of the female might be reserved and the variation become 

 perpetuated in the offspring. 



Dr. Lutz pointed out the immense number of new species capable of 

 resulting from the possible combinations of 70 different variations, any one of 

 which, though not likely to be perpetuated, might easily arise in nature and 

 even survive for a few generations; and if caught, pinned and subjected to 

 the usual taxonomic treatment, almost certain to become a type ; and in view 

 of the facts now made plain by experimental work, he said one may well pause 

 to entertain the suspicion that many of the obscure species recently described 

 are perhaps merely examples of such variations occurring in nature. 



Dr. Lutz exhibited tables derived from 4,000 experiments, the large num- 

 ber eliminating the chance of error, covering the results stated and exempli- 

 fying also the relative duration of larval, pupal and mature life under various 

 conditions. 



His remarks were discussed by Dr. Osburn and Messrs. Davis, Schaeffer, 

 Angell and Leng, the latter recalling that the phrase " taxonomic unit " is now 

 used by some authors to indicate an aggregate of individuals of doubtful 

 standing. 



Mr. Comstock exhibited two boxes of Lycccnidcc and referring to the light 

 thrown upon certain puzzling species by the figures recently published of 



