Mr. O.sboni ij^ave a imlc nn llic habitat of a Cliiioni i!ii<\: he said h's 

 attention had been c-alled by Dr. I?. I). Halstead to certain larva' liviuL;- 

 in the 'vater contained in the cnps surrounchn.L,'- the stem of Silp/iiuiii 

 perfoUatiiiit. 



The principal firm thus fmnd is a species of CI)iroiiomitlx\ neai'h- 

 transparent and colorless and closely resembling the tignics of (Viinmo- 

 iiius oceanicus Packard. The larviie were (]uite abundant in a large share 

 of the cups examined, as many as f(iit\' and fiftv occuring in a single cup. 

 A number were placed in a glass of water and their transformations 

 watched. Before pupating the larvx' usually came to rest at the surface 

 of the water against the glass, enclosing themselves in a gelatinous mass. 

 Length of pupation appeared to be al)Out two da\s though iinl constant 

 in different individuals. , 



Before emergence of the imago the pupa assumes a bright silver\' a[i- 

 pearance from the separation of tlie outer membrane. The final process 

 of emergence is passed through very rapidly, the imago resting for an in- 

 stant on the surface of the water, and assuming very rajjidlv the full 

 size. The cups must become dry occasionally and it wcadd be interest- 

 ing to kn(.)\v the time recpiired for the entire development of the species. 



Prof. Riley says that most of Prof Osborn's notes would app]\- to 

 most of the species; but the developing in the cups Silp/n'utii per/o/wfum 

 is verv curious, and interesting. 



Prof. Cook then gave some notes on the functions t»f the secretion 

 of Bark lice, Leiicanmm iilicr. Fitch. 



These lice attack many species of our forest and fruit trees. Though 

 the scales on different trees vary considerably in size and form, and were 

 similarly peculiar on each species of tree, yet they were doubtless of the 

 same species of in.sect. Larvas lice from the Linden where thcv were 

 largest, transferred to butternut where they were smallest and verv con- 

 vex, developed into the peculiar t_\pe of the latter tree. These lice se- 

 creted much bitter unwholesome nectar, which attracted the bees. Harb- 

 in the spring, it was observed that the Baltimore Oriole and our two 

 most common Sparrows were feetling extensivelv on the lice. The birds 

 would take a limb and almost strip it of the lice. W'lien tlie liees and 

 wasps commenced to swarm in the trees in tjuest of the nectar, the birds 

 all left this feeding ground. Soon the fiowers luied the bees to more 

 inviting fields, when the birds again commenced to feed on the rapidh- 

 growing scales. The nectar secretion seems surelv to ser\evthe insects 

 that secrete it as it attracts the bees, which frighten awav the birds. 



Prof. Riley .says this feeding of birds upon the Bark Lice is interest- 

 ing and novel, and has never been observed before. 



Prof. Lintner says this theory of the secretion attracting bees, to 

 keep off the birds was new to him. 



