90 Journal New York Entomological Society. tVoi. xxv. 



Meeting of January 2. 



The annual meeting of the New York Entomological Society was held 

 January 2, 1917, at 8:15 P. M., in the American Museum of Natural History, 

 President Harry G. Barber in the chair, with 18 members and several visitors 

 present. 



The report of the Nominating Committee recommending the reelection 

 of all the officers was read. On motion the nominations were closed and the 

 Secretary cast an affirmative ballot, thereby reelecting the present officers. 



The Entertainment Committee reported the acceptance by 53 visitors of 

 the supper invitation, December 2-j, and a total attendance of 92 at that 

 function. 



The resignation of Herman Hug was read and accepted with regret. 



The death of Dr. J. B. Knapp was announced and a minute expressing 

 the regret of his fellow members is herewith entered. 



Letters were read from W. Hague Harrington in reference to non-receipt 

 of Journal, which was referred to the Librarian, and from R. P. Dow, in 

 reference to Green Brook and Alpine, N. J., and their preservation. The 

 Secretary was instructed re the latter to write the chairman of the Palisades 

 Park Commission, protesting in the name of the Society against further 

 spoliation of natural scenery. 



Dr. Bequaert exhibited a case of African wasps with maps illustrating 

 their distribution and read a paper entitled " Color Varieties of Eumenes 

 maxillosus and their Distribution " in which he said that the general conclu- 

 sions derived from the study of African wasps received from the Lang and 

 Chapin Expedition and other sources, might be useful in the study of 

 American wasps. The color, though in some exceptional cases remarkably 

 constant, was usually of less value than structure and sculpture as an index 

 of specific identity ; in many places the same coloration occurred in two dis- 

 tinct species and in one region the same arrangement of colors occurred in 

 six different genera. The varieties of Eumenes maxillosus were discussed in 

 detail, ten forms being included, though it was admitted that the single 

 Australian form was more distinct than most. 



Dr. Forbes, in discussing the paper, spoke of cases of similar coloration 

 of Lepidoptera, usually attributed to mimicry. 



Mr. Davis after mentioning a remarkable case of similar coloration in 

 Cicadas of different genera, received from John Woodgate, cited the variable 

 structure of the cerci of Aptenopedes, a character always regarded as indi- 

 cative of species, as an instance of structure being, at least sometimes, as 

 subject to variation as color. 



Mr. Schaeffer gave instances of similar variation in sculpture, saying 

 that considerable experience was necessary to detect the variable characters 

 for each group. 



Mr. Leng referring to similarity of coloration in different species being at 

 times climatic, mentioned the tiger beetles of the Atlantic region, many species 

 of which become more strongly maculate with white in the northern part of 

 their range. 



