— 106 — 



Various suggestions were made b} the gentlemen present bul none 

 cared to make positive identifications.* 



Prof! Claypole explained the use of Gasoline for collecting purposes. 

 Me finds that it acts more rapidly than Cyanide and is mure certain of 

 effect than chloroform. For Museum pests there is nothing superior. 

 It does not hurt the insects in any way and he has no hesitation in sub- 

 merging his choicest species in it. To rid a badly infested case he sub- 

 merges it entirely in Gasoline for a few minutes A lew drops will kill a 

 Cecropia instantly. He also exhibited an insect case used by him which 

 he claims superior to any equally cheap contrivance. It consists ol i 

 box frame into which a glass lop is permanently fixed. The bottom is 

 corked, or not as desired ; is idled with insects, and then screwed to 

 the frame. 



Prof. Cook said he has tried Gasoline and found it much less rapid 

 and certain than Cyanide well prepared. He does not believe m it at all. 



Mr. Smith objected to Prof. Clavpole's case that it was too incon- 

 venient to use as to get at an insect meant unscrewing the bottom and 

 replacing it. A collection so preserved was useless except for the most 

 superficial comparisons. 



Prof. Comstock explained a contrivance to watch the early stages of 

 Hymenoptera nesting in stems. He took a number of* slender glass 

 tubes covering them with an outer sheet of a dark paper, and hung them 

 on bushes frequented by such bees. He exhibited several of these tubes 

 in which bees had nested, containing larva.- in various stages of develop- 

 ment. The whole life history can thus be watched with very little 

 trouble. 



Mr. Smith read a paper on the specific characters in the genus 

 \Arciia. ** 



The date of the first meeting for next year was then discussed, ex- 

 perience having shown that the first meeting as now held, on the day pre- 

 ceding the general meeting of the Ass'n, was generally poorly attended, 

 and the Presidents' address read to empty benches. 



After some discussion is was resolved to have the first meeting of the 

 Club in future at 9 A. M. of the first day of the meeting of the Ass'n. 



* The specimens were handed me at Prof. Riley's request for comparison and 

 determination. Mr. Schwarz kindly took the work off my hands, and makes the 

 specimens : Anthrenus varius (one broken specimen); Conpretes sp. (two broken wing- 

 ; Gibbium scotias (several specimens); Lasioderma serritorne (one- specimen 

 [but this was the form most numerous in the wrappings] 1; Alphitobins sp. ? (one 

 broken wing-case); Tribolium ferruginum (1 specimen); ? Cafcarsp. (one winy-case). 



** Published in full in Ent. Am. Vol. Ill, p. 109-112. 



