Sept.-Dec, 1918.] Proceedings of the Society. 231 



in the semi-arid regions about Coquimbo and in the nitrate deserts he had 

 found it hard to gather about 2.500 specimens. The best opportunities for 

 collecting were around the small rivers and in the scattered cases, but some 

 insects were also found on cactus blossoms, at the arc light and in the tarantula 

 holes, though the latter were seldom perfect. 



He also spoke of the efforts made since his return to dispose of the 

 Sleight Collection in connection with the establishment of a public museum 

 in Paterson, and present prospects of their success. 



Mr. Carnochan, being invited to speak by the president, said that he had 

 been able to do little in entomology since August, when he entered the Army, 

 but he was glad to report receipt of a letter from Prof. Wheeler, detailing 

 the success of the students at the Bussey Institution. 



Mr. Bischoff placed on record the capture by Mr. Barber, at Vienna, Va., 

 August II, 1916, of a specimen of Neoclytus jouteli. This longhorn was de- 

 scribed by Mr. Davis from LakeJiurst, N. J., and has since been known mainly 

 from specimens beaten from post oak in New Jersey and by Mr. Bischoff. 



Mr. Davis exhibited Cimex vicarius, a hairy bed bug from the nests of 

 cliff swallows at Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, collected at his request by Mr. Har- 

 rison F. Lewis on July 29, accompanied by other species for comparison. 



Mr. Dow exhibited insects from under stones and beetles recently col- 

 lected which he placed at the disposal of his fellow members. 



Mr. Comstock exhibited Monthly Bulletin of the California Development 

 Board for March, 1918, containing a report on " Harvesting a Most Unusual 

 Crop," viz. : 60 to 75 billion lady bugs, which are packed in quarts = 33,000 

 lady bugs, stored until summer, and then shipped to growers of cantaloupes 

 and other vegetables to feed on the injurious aphis. 



Meeting of May 7. 



A regular meeting of the New York Entomological Society was held at 

 8:00 P.M., on May 7, iqtB, in the American Museum of Natural History, 

 President Lewis B. Woodruff in the chair, with 19 members and three visitors 

 present. 



Mr. Davis read a paper, " Collecting Notes from Virginia," and exhibited 

 several boxes of the insects referred to therein. The larva and cocoon of 

 Dynastes tiiyus from roots of black oak showed how varied was its food, 

 for it has also been found by Manee in pine roots and by others in ash. A 

 large number of beetle elytra, etc., from toad excrement showed that Cychrus, 

 Dicwlus, Geotrupes, Elater, Chccridium, Allorhina, Meracantha, Hippodamia, 

 Pterostichus were among the genera contributing to the toad's food. A great 

 series of the genus Calopteron, all bred from one bunch of larva?, will be the 

 basis of a later article on the confused varietal names. 



Among other interesting beetles were Coptodera errata. Pyrota Uneata, 

 Lndhis attenuatus, all uncommon in local collections, and Arthromacra robin- 

 soni, named in honor of Col. Wirt Robinson, who was Mr. Davis' host and 

 companion in Virginia. 



