Sept., 1908.1 Proceedings of the Society. 43 



Mr. Barber spoke of his collecting experience in the Adirondack Mountains. 

 Mr. Harris, Mr. Dickerson, Mr. Schaefter spoke briefly of their summer's work. 

 Dr. Younglove, of Elizabeth, N. J., spoke for a few minutes chiefly concerning 

 instinct in insects. 



Society adjourned. 



Meeting of October 20, 1908. 



Held at the American Museum of Natural History, President C. W. Leng in 

 the chair, with fifteen members present. 



The minutes of the two preceding meetings were read and approved. 



The librarian reported the receipt of the following exchanges : 



Deutsche Ent. Zeitg., 1908, No. 6. 



Tijdschrift voor Entomologie, I908, No. 2. 



Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc, XLVH, No. 189. 



Mr. John W. Angell, 235 West 76th St., was proposed as an active member of 

 the society by Mr. G. VV. Angell. 



On motion of Dr. Zabriskie the by-laws were suspended and the secretary in- 

 structed to cast a single ballot for the election of Mr. Angell. 



The president spoke of Professor Smith's fiftieth birthday and announced that at 

 its celebration it was the intention of entomological friends to present a loving cup and 

 requested that all so inclined contribute to raise the necessary funds. 



Mr. G. W. Angell moved that the president appoint a committee of one to re- 

 ceive the contributions. Carried. The president appointed Mr. Dow. 



On motion of Mr. Schaeffer a hearty vote of thanks was tendered to Mr. Miner 

 for his efforts in securing to the society a suitable meeting room in the Museum 

 building. 



Mr. J. R. de la Torre Bueno spoke concerning the life histories of some of the 

 aquatic Hemiptera. He spoke briefly concerning the egg-laying habits and develop- 

 ment of the following forms : Belostonia Jiuminea, Ranatra 4-dentata, Microvelia 

 borealis, Gerris remiges, G. niarginatus, G. canicularis, Tropobates pidus, Mesovelia 

 bisignata, Hydrovtetra Hneata. All of these species, with most of their develop- 

 mental stages, were exhibited. 



Rev. J. L. Zabriskie spoke concerning the gall-making dipteron Euros/a sohda- 

 ginis Fitch. He called attention to the definition of "ptilinum" in Williston's 

 "North American Diptera," 3ded.,p. 22, which is as follows: "In the Cyclor- 

 rhapha an inflatable organ capable of being thrust out through the frontal suture just 

 above the root of the antennre, and which is used by the imago in springing off the 

 cap to the puparium when about to extricate itself." Words to the same eff"ect are 

 found in Dr. Smith's " Glossary of Entomology." Professor David Sharp gives a more 

 extended explanation in the Cambridge Natural History, Vol. VI, p. 422. Early in 

 the year 1878 Dr. Zabriskie was rearing some flies of this species from their galls on 

 Solidago canadensis L., and had the opportunity of observing several imagines in the 

 act of issuing, each from its own gall. Doubtless, as is usually the case, the larva 

 when full-fed had bored a tunnel from its central cell straight to the outer surface of 

 the gall leaving only the thin cuticle undisturbed to act as a sealed door over its 

 refuge, and then returned to the cell for its long rest in its forming puparium. In the 

 house during the early spring, the imagines began to issue. They had evidently 



