78 Journal New York Entomological Society. [Vol. xxi. 



respect of the bearing of the percentage of salt in the water. Dr. Osburn was 

 satisfied that the relation was physiological and not a matter of food supply. 

 Mr. Davis mentioned frogs as numerous in brackish water in Shinnecock 

 Bay, jumping about in sea lettuce. Mr. Davis also spoke of having noticed 

 a species of Lestes laying eggs out of water, depending apparently upon the 

 larvae falling in when hatched. Dr. Osburn said they were also laid in wet 

 wood. 



Mr. Davis spoke of Hydrophilus triangularis larvae nearly full grown in 

 a fountain where water lilies were grown, unable to get out. He had taken 

 several and raised them in damp earth, learning incidentally by personal expe- 

 rience that they are capable of biting. 



Meeting of November 19, 1912. 



A regular meeting of the New York Entomological Society was held No- 

 vember 19, 1912, at 8.15 P. M., in the American Museum of Natural History, 

 President Dr. Raymond C. Osburn in the chair and sixteen members and two 

 visitors, Mr. Smith, of Ottawa, and R. E. Snodgrass, present. 



Mr. Lewis B. Woodruff, of No. 24 Broad St., New York City, was elected 

 a member of the Society. 



The President announced the death of Frederick Blanchard. 



Mr. Sherman read an obituary notice which will be printed in the Journal. 



The President opened the Symposium on Insects of Moist Terrestrial 

 Environment. 



Dr. Lutz read the first paper, defining the environment, and illustrated his 

 meaning by lantern slides. He said that the land through growth and decay 

 of vegetation was continually making inroads upon the water or the water by 

 erosion upon the land, and the scene of the conflict was the environment 

 involved in the evening's discussion. The margins of ponds and streams, 

 swamps, moist meadows, bottoms of deep ravines, any place where it would 

 be difficult to collect without at least damp feet would be included, and it would 

 be possible perhaps to find isolated spots of equivalent humidity even at some 

 distance from distinct bodies of water. 



Mr. Grossbeck read a paper on the " Lepidoptera of Moist Terrestrial En- 

 vironment," pointing out that the selection of the species was rendered more 

 difficult by many being general feeders, and others being at times found upon 

 the upland relatives of the swamp plants on which the species usually fed. 

 The list comprises less than fifty species, out of the total of about two thousand 

 species of Lepidoptera found in this vicinity, but is liable to be ultimately 

 increased, as only about half the species have recorded food plants. 



Dr. Forbes, in speaking of the " Lepidoptera of both Moist Terrestrial and 

 Aquatic Environment," said that the first departure from normal terrestrial 

 structures might be traced in the greasy hairs of the salt marsh caterpillar, 

 liable to be floated off flooded lands, and enabled thereby to endure temporary 

 immersion. From this point the development of the aquatic habit may be fol- 

 lowed in the Nymphulinae, through four groups, the first living normally above 



