432 



Alaska — a number of new species from which region he hoped soon to describe. The 

 communication was discussed by Messrs. Kiley, Banks, Fox, Schwarz, Fernow, Theo- 

 dore Gill, and others. 



Mr. Marlatt presented a note on the study of the ovipositor of Hymenoptera, in 

 which he described, with the aid of figures, the character of the attachment of this 

 organ to the abdomen in this order of insects, and pointed out certain inaccuracies 

 in the previous writings on this subject. A close similarity of even minute details of 

 structure was shown to exist in such widely separated families as the Tehthredinidae, 

 Chalcididse, and Ichneumonidae. The paper was discussed by Messrs. Riley and 

 Howard. 



Mr. Ashmead read a paper on " The Insect Collection of the Royal Museum at Ber- 

 lin," in which he gave a full description of this justly celebrated insect collection, 

 together with notes on certain interesting species contained in it. He described also 

 the working force in entomology and presented some interesting comparisons of the 

 nature of the work on insects in this museum as contrasted with similar work in this 

 country. The paper was discussed at length by Messrs Riley, Schwarz, Fernow, 

 Howard, and others. 



Professor Riley, under the head of "Miscellaneous notes," read short papers as 

 follows: (1) Insects affecting the Agave, in connection with which he exhibited an 

 interesting series of insects received from a correspondent in Texas, all of which had 

 been collected from the flower stamens of the Agave or Century Plant (A. dasyly- 

 rium). (2) The parasite of Eleodes, in which he described a peculiar Braconid par- 

 asite, a large number of the larvje of which had issued from the abdomen of Eleodes 

 suturalis and spun minute cocoons resembling those of Apanteles. These cocoons 

 were arranged with remarkable regularity in straight rows along the angles of 

 the box iu which the beetle was confined. (3) Remarks on the Ox Bots, in which 

 he presented facts showing that the species heretofore commonly referred to Hypo- 

 derma iovis was really S. lineata. He stated that all the specimens in the National 

 Museum, representing nearly every section of the Union, had proved to be lineata, 

 and this was also true in the case of the larvae, of which a large series has been col- 

 lected, all of which renders it doubtful whether hovis really occurs in this country 

 at all, or, if it is found here, indicates that it is a comparatively rare insect. Spec- 

 imens of Hypoderma lineata in different stages, together with figures, were exhibited. 

 (4) A further note on the plant on which the Jumping Bean occurs. In this note 

 Professor Riley referred to a letter just received from Prof. Sereno Watson, of Cam- 

 bridge, accompanying specimens of seed pods of Sebastiania Mlocularis and the moth 

 bred therefrom. This moth Professor Riley found to be much smaller than Carpo- 

 capsasaltitans, and, in fact, to belong to another genus (^Grapholitha), and stated that 

 he would shortly describe it as Grapholitha sebastianiw. He was of the opinion that 

 one of the moths contained in a recent sending of the Jumping Beans, but which 

 was somewhat injured and had been lost, was, without much doubt, the same spe- 

 cies as the insect bred by Professor Watson. He also pointed out an interesting fact 

 regarding the restricted locality in which, according to Professor Watson, the Jump- 

 ing Beans are fouad, and stated that they are collected and sold by boys, and find a 

 ready market. 



C. L. Marlatt, 



Recording Secretary. 



