2(;o 



study its life-history and to trace the developiueiit of its \ciia- 

 tion. ■ 



Tliynnidae. — lie exhibited a box of Australian I'lii/niiidae 

 collected in the Moreton Bay district of Queensland and near* 

 Sydney. 



EophaloinuiiUa claricontis. — A Mutillid, so deternuned by 

 J)r. L. Peringuey of the South African ^Luseuni, was taken 

 while visiting glands on the foliage of a nialvaceotis weed at 

 Oloke ]Meji, Nigeria. The male carries the female in copula 

 much as do the nude Thyniiidac. 



Syiuujris cormita. — A pair of this large Enmenid wasp and 

 three of its mud nests were exhibited. 



Cliitinlzation. — Mr. Bridwell made some remarks on the 

 chitinization of bees and flies, to the effect that it does not 

 take place fnlly in many cases until tlie recently emerged adult 

 has fed. In many other cases chitinizati<)n is completed 

 without feeding. 



Cliiiiese Tlinish. — Prof. Bryan announced the death of the 

 Chinese thrush Avhich he had had in a cage since last May, 

 experimenting on its food habits, it having been captured in a 

 rat tra]). It wonid not eat papaia or figs, nor oranges exce])t 

 when they were cut open. It ate any kind of insect which was 

 offered it, also centipedes and scorpions, but Avould not eat 

 wooddice. It was fond of the common garden snail, Imt did 

 not eat the native snail from the mountains even when broken 

 open for it. As a regulation ration it took a preparation made 

 by mixing raw eggs with puffed rice and drying it. These 

 feeding experiments indicate that the bird is insectivorous and 

 therefore to be considered as beneficial. 



Ccphalonomui sp. — Mr. Swezey reported finding this Be- 

 thylid. Jan. 4tli, in a ]iackage of seiMlcd Muscatel raisins, where 

 it was breeding on t\\o larvae of Silraiiui< surinamensis. A male 

 and female were found, and 2o cocoons on the surface of the 

 raisins where tlie liost h'.rvac bad been feeding. Two larvae were 

 also found on tbcii- I'espectix-e host larvae. The cocoons were 

 I'etained to obtain a further su])]dy of sjx'cimens of the para- 

 site. A I'elated insect, Ncosclcrodci-UKi { A Iclcopfenis) ftirsfiJis 

 Ashm., was I'ejxn'ted by Asbmead similarly breeding on the 

 same host in I'aisins. 



