15 



to be borne — which was, in fact, more than they could bear, atid tended to discourage 

 many and deter others from entering on the study of Entomology. He urged that it was 

 from among the ranks of these beginners that some of the future leaders of Entomologi- 

 cal science would be drawn, and it was well to consider what effect these discouraging 

 circumstances would have on the present and future progress of the study. 



After some further discussion, the resolutions were referred back to the Committee 

 to report on to-morrow. Meanwliile, they were ordered to be printed for the members, 

 so that discussion could be had upon them. 



Evening Session. 



At 7.30 the meeting was again called to order, the President in the chair. 



Mr. Riley offered some remarks on a parasite, a mite which attacked the Colorado 

 Potato Beetle. This insect (of which mounted specimens for microscopic examination 

 were submitted) is furnished with a strange and extraordinary developmept of what he 

 supposed were the maxillae, by which it was able to attach itself to the Doryphora, and 

 at the same time extract nourishment as well. He tliought it was an organ somewhat 

 similar in character to the extensile maxiUie of the larvae of Dragon Flies. 



JVIi-. Scudder thought that since they appeared to him to be jointed, they must be a 

 palpus of some sort. 



Dr. LeConte, after further examination, was of opinion that they were not jointed. 



Mr. Scudder then read an interesting paper on " Mimicry in Butterflies explained by 

 Natural Selection,'' quoting largely from a recent contribution by Fritz Muller on this 

 subject, in which he gives the results of observations made by him on butterflies in 

 Southern Brazil. This paper will appear in Psijclie, the organ of the Cambridge Entomo- 

 logical Club. 



Mr. Riley gave the result of some observations on the eggs of Corydalis cornutus, from 

 which it would appear that the mass of eggs hitherto regarded as belonging to this species 

 are probably those of a Belostoma. He had found in one day thirty or forty patches of 

 eggs, which he believed to be those of Corydalis cornutus, on the leaves of trees whose 

 branches overhung the water. These flat patches were very strangely arranged, and con- 

 tained an immense number of eggs, often numbering between three and four thousand in 

 a patch. The eggs are at first translucent, but become darker as they approach maturity, 

 when the young larvai break through the eggs beneath. 



Dr. Morris doubted whether these really were the eggs of the C. cornutufi, and ques- 

 tioned whether the larva was aquatic at all. 



Dr. Hagen thought that there was something strange in reference to these insects. 

 Mr. Riley had kindly sent him a large number of eggs, but when hatched he had failed 

 in every attempt to keep the young larvas alive. Since they are furnished with both 

 branchia and stigmata, he thought they must be regarded as water insects. 



Mr. Lintner had found the larvaj under stones, but when they enter the chrysalis 

 state they make their way into the water, and in this condition they are often captured 

 in large numbers and used as fish bait. 



Mr. Riley said that the larvre in Missouri are frequently found in water, and he had 

 no doubt but that the eggs he had referred to wore those of Corydalis coraulu^. 



Mr. Scudder stated that Mr. Sanliorn had frequently taken large numbers of the 

 larvae in the water in the neighbourhood of Cambridge. 



Mr. Saunders hail never found them in the water, but had frequently captured them 

 buried in moist sand or under stones along the banks of rivers. 



Mr. Riley next exhibited to tlie Chib some silken ra;isses containing eggs ot Hydro- 

 philus triangularis, which were very remarkable and interesting. 



Mr. Saunders offered some remarks on a mass of pup* and escaping insects oiCalop- 

 leron reticitkdnm, which he found one morning early in summer at the roots of some long 

 grass. The mass was fully as large as a hen's egg, and must have contained some hun- 

 dreds of individuals. A large number of the freshly escaped insects were captured, with 

 a view to ascertain whether there was much variation in tlie markings, and whether the 



