224 



has a deep and wide Pleurtomoid sinus above and a rounded projecting lobe 

 in the middle below which it is again retracted. 



Entomological Section, Mr. Henry Skinner, Recorder. — 

 March;25th, 1896. — Mr. Geo. H. Horn made c communication regard- 

 ing the synonymy of the Elateridae. He specially described the prosternum 

 of Ludius. A Lower California form had the prosternum of different shape 

 from that of the other members of the genus, the meso sternum being more 

 protuberant. It will probably be referred to Probothrium. — Mr. Chas. S. 

 Welles exhibited specimens of the larva of Harrisimemna trisignata. When 

 full grown they bore into wood preparatory to changing into crysalids. — A 

 paper was read entitled »The breeding habits of Periplaneta orienialtsa, by C. 

 Few Seiss. Three females deposited twenty-five egg-cases. Each of these 

 contain sixteen eggs to that a new generation of four hundred cockroaches 

 was represented by the deposit. The first of these egg-cases were dropped 

 May 5th. and May 14th, 1895, and were hatched November 9th. In most 

 cases the deposits were dropped with no attempt at concealment although in 

 a few instances they were placed in little trenches made by the insect and 

 then covered up. The development of the capsules was described. The young 

 probably receive no maternal care or protection. — M. Lancaster Thomas 

 exhibited an improved form of insect net frame made of a continuous piece 

 of rounded aluminum wire. — M. Westcott suggested linoleum as a sub- 

 stitute for cork in the arrange ment of insects. Mr. Henry Skinner called 

 attention to a fungus, Polyporus betuUnus which might be used for the same 

 purpose with advantage, — Mr. Wm. J. Fox stated he had about ninety 

 species of Hymenoptera^ six of which were perhaps new to science, and were 

 included in the collections of insects brought by Mr. A.Donaldson Smith 

 from Western Somali Land, Africa. 



April 14, 1896. — In connection with the presentation of a collection of 

 recent and fossil Strombidae Mr. H. A. Pilsbry discussed the ancestry of 

 Strombus costatus and Melongena subcoronata , their relations to fossil species 

 being illustrated by large suites of intermediate forms. — Mr. Jos. Will- 

 cox commented on the influence of environment on the species as illustrated 

 by the specimens presented. It was apparent that those from the southern 

 coasts of Florida swept by the Gulf Stream were all of a dwarfed type. — 

 Mr. Benj. Sharp related the plentiful abundance of a Ctenophore, Mneopsis 

 Leidyi in a fresh water pond near Nantucket. The embryos had been swept 

 in by an accession of salt water and had accustomed themselves to their new 

 environment. The species did not however persist in the pond in conse- 

 quence probably of the severity of the winter. Specimens of the species 

 referred to were beautifully preserved in a two percent solution of forma- 

 line. — Mr. Pilsbry announced the finding by Mr. Chas. Johnson for 

 the first time in the eocence of Texas of a representative of the genus 

 Scalpellum. It is a new species for which the name Chamberlaini was pro- 

 posed in recognition of the services of the Rev. Mr. L. T. Chamberlain 

 to paleontological science. 



III. Personal-Notizen. 



Herr Dr. J. Pur cell befindet sich am Zoologischen Museum in Cap- 

 stadt (Cape of Good Hope). Er bittet, für ihn bestimmte Sendungen dorthin, 

 unter der Adresse: »Museum, Cape Town, South Africa« richten zu wollen. 



Druck Ton Breitkopf fc Bärtel in Leipzig. 



