— 179— 



Carolina) leaf.) On good chemical authority it is placed as high as 

 .1436 per cent or 7 grains of hydrocyanic acid in 100 gr. of bark, or 8 

 drops of acid. The bark fluctuates some in strength, in the Seasons. 

 I think Rev. J. C. Wood, (in Insects at Home), overrates the laurel bot- 

 tle, in stating the largest and fiercest beetle laid, quivering in one second. 

 In treating o^ Blaps sulcata he shows the ineffectiveness of it, and advises 

 hot water. A beetle d6es not ''take off'' in a second, in the strongest 

 cyanide. A large Pterostlhiis of the Peryphiis section requires 2\^ 

 mmutes ! Chauliognathiis americanus Yz rn., Pterostichiis stygicus 6 

 minutes ! Megilla maculata i minute; Chrysochus auratus 4 minutes; 

 Anomoglossus emarginaius ih minutes; Pieris rapae \ minure; House 

 fly 25 seconds; Sirachio histrionica \ minute. These are given as few 

 examples of comparison. Very often the bark seems to overcome to the 

 last quiver of trophi and tarsi as quick as cyanide; but usually it takes 

 double the time: thus with a larger locust Calopienus femur -rubrum. 

 Cyanide took 2\ minutes, and bark 5 minutes. This bark mav merit 

 trial as a practical insecticide for garden and farm. It is useless to kill flies 

 caught in traps. It is here presented as preferable to Cyanide, for special 

 uses. Cyanide potassa, or its acid, is the swiftest of all poisons, operative 

 against vegetable, as well as all animated life, except the equine quadri 

 peds perhaps. 



The Secretary called attention to the number of ''Gordius" he had 

 observed yesterday at the waters edge at the Falconwood Club grounds. 



Prof Forbes stated that e similar hairworm, Mtrmis, had undoubt- 

 edly lessened the numbers of grasshoppers in Illinois. 



Mr. Ph. Fischer of Buffalo, exhibited a fresh specimen of Catocala 

 obscura he had just taken, and observed it was the first record of its cap- 

 ture at Buffalo. 



The President called attention to the unusual number of aphides in 

 the State of New York, the present season, which had been more abun- 

 dant than ever before observed by him ; he had observed them on the 

 Apple, black currant, tomato and potato, the latter more especially in 

 the Eastern States; he had not hitherto noticed them on the tomato or 

 potato. The Hop crop was almost a complete failure in New York 

 State from the attacks of these peste. 



Rev. C. J. S. Bethune, reported their prevalence in great numbers 

 on the North Shore of Lake Ontario. 



Prof. Forbes stated that his section of country was rather free from 

 these pests. 



Mr. Bethune asked if there was any affinity between the Aphis of 

 the wild cherry and that of the hop. 



The President stated that the European Entomologists had come to 



