46 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19 



Comparatively little is known concerning the food habits of our Epi- 

 dosarise. Asynapta saliciperda, Felt, has been reared from old, dried Rhah- 

 dophaga batatas, Walsh, g'alls, while Winnertzia prnicorticis, Felt, was bred 

 from under the bark of Finns inops. This ^roup presents great structural 

 variations and it is to be expected that further investigations will disclose 

 considerable variation in habits. 



The Cecidomyiidae show some exceedingly interesting preferences in 

 the selection of food plants. For example, 39 species have been reared from 

 solidago, 15 of these belonging- to the genus Rhopalomyia ; 28 species have 

 been bred from.Salix, 16 from aster and 10 from grape. Lasioptera exhibits 

 a marked partiality for aster and solidago. The latter is also a prime 

 favorite with Rhopalomyia. The genus Rhabdophaga occurs mostly in 

 Salix and a number of species of Mayetiola also live upon this plant. The 

 species of Asphondylia, probably because of their inhabiting buds, do not 

 display a marked preference for any food plant. The Asphondylid genus 

 Cindticornia is found largely in leaf galls on Quercus, while the smaller 

 forms of Hormomyia are equally partial to various hickory leaf galls. The 

 statistics just given are based upon rearings of over 300 species. The data 

 presented can not be regarded as conclusive because most of the rearings 

 have naturally been made from plants most easily secured or from which 

 insects were most readily bred. Some idea of the extent and complexity of 

 this work may be gained when it is remembered that we now know some 

 700 North American species, representing about 50 genera. 



After some remarks upon the paper by the Chairman, a discussion arose 

 respecting the nomenclature of galls and the insects that produce them, 

 which was participated in by Messrs. Jarvis and Nash and Drs. Felt and 

 Bethune. The conclusion arrived at was that names employed to designate 

 botanical structure alone should not necessarily be attached to zoological 

 species, that is to say that a name given to a gall with a description of the 

 gall only and perhaps also of the larva found in it should not hold in 

 entomology; that the only specific names to be recognized should be based 

 upon the description of the adult perfect insect. Otherwise it was felt that 

 great confusion must sooner or later arise. 



Mr. W. R. Thompson, of the Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph, 

 gave an interesting account of the work now being carried on in Massa- 

 chusetts for the rearing of native and imported parasites of the Gypsy and 

 Brown-tail Moths. He was engaged during the summer months as an 

 assistant to Mr. C. H. T. Townsend, who is in charge of the parasitic 

 work, especially as regards the Dipterous family Tachinidse. Mr. Thompson 

 described fully and clearly the various operations carried on in connection 

 with the importation of nests of Brown-tail Moth caterpillars, predaceous 

 beetles, etc. ; and the methods employed in rearing the larvae and obtaining 

 the parasites on their emergence from the host caterpillars. He also 

 explained some of the apparatus used by means of drawings on the black- 

 board. His narration was listened to with much attention and gave those 

 present an excellent idea of this? notable experiment in economic Ento- 

 mology. As Dr. Howard, who is in charge of the whole work, sent a paper on 

 this subject, which was read at the evening session, Mr. Thompson preferred 

 that his descriptions should not be published. 



