306 Journal New York Entomological Society. ["^'o'- ^^• 



Mr. Comstock said that among the West Indian Islands there were cases 

 of each locality having a named local race, though in fact all were one species. 



Dr. Osburn referred to his own experiences on the Tortugas when during 

 severe storms it was usual to find Cuban species blown across the intervening 

 90 miles of water. Dragon flies for instance would be found though there was 

 no standing water in which they could possibly have bred. Similarly in our 

 Western States, much accidental distribution is undoubtedly effected by 

 cyclones. 



Mr. Schaeffer said it was doubtful if such accidents could be considered in 

 the case of Coleoptera, which are usually not sufficiently strong fliers. 



Mr. Davis referred to the accidents by which certain shells have been 

 recently remarkably distributed on the Atlantic coast, and suggested that in 

 the fullness of geologic time such accidents might account for much apparently 

 erratic distribution. 



Dr. Lutz and Dr. Osburn pointed out that in the case of alligators and 

 lung fishes, the evidence of fossils made refuge in accident unnecessary. 



Dr. Osburn also instanced the remarkable distribution of the dragonfly, 

 Argia vivida, common in New Mexico and Old Mexico and occurring again in 

 a very limited way at certain hot springs in Montana and Alberta. It does 

 not fly readily, but hides in the reeds. If not formerly more widely distributed 

 it is difficult to account for its persistence about these hot springs. 



Dr. Lutz asked if it might possibly be a case of polyphyletic origin, but Dr. 

 Osburn thought not. 



Mr. Wintersteiner stated that Dr. Sharp in his revision of the species 

 included in the genus Tropisternus found it impossible to separate our liinbalis 

 Lee. specifically from dorsalis Brulle, occurring in North and South America ; 

 the latter name should therefore be used. Also that our nimbatiis Say is to be 

 regarded as a synonym of lateralis Fab. 



Mr. Wintersteiner also spoke of one of the specimens collected by Mr. 

 Davis in Florida as probably representing an undescribed species, allied to 

 striolatus, in which the upper surface of the hind tibiae is destitute of ciliae or 

 swimming hairs. 



