133 



In discussiug these two papers, Mr. Eiley thought the peculiar differ- 

 ence in habit in this species at the two phices mentioned coukl be 

 easily explained by heredity. Acquired beneficial characters have 

 fixed themselves upon the species, and this explains why its habits 

 differ so markedly in the two localities. He thought that if specimens 

 were sent to New Brunswick from Washington they would be double 

 brooded there, while specimens from New Brunswick would remain 

 single brooded at Washington, irrespective of climate. He would- 

 expect, however, some deviation from the normal habit in both cases. 



In a paper entitled " The Inhabitants a of Fungus," Mr. H. G. Hub- 

 bard spoke of the various insects, Coleoptera, Hemiittera, and Lepi- 

 doptera, and their larvne, as observed by him to live in a peculiar fun- 

 gus, Cryptoporus obvolntus Peck, which grows on burned pine logs in 

 British Columbia. Some of these insects are merely predaceous, while 

 others feed on all parts of the fungus and are of no special interest. 

 More interest is attached to those species which develop within the 

 natural cavity of the fungus. From the peculiar structure of the lat- 

 ter Mr. Hubbard concluded that mainly, if not entirely, by the aid of 

 these insects {more especially IJpurwa monogmna) the spores of the 

 fungus are transported from place to place. To the agency of another 

 Coleopter, Platydema ore(jonens<\ Mr. Hubbard is inclined to ascribe 

 the production of the peculiar filaments which form within the veil of 

 the fungus. 



In his paper on the American Bean Weevil, Prof. C Y. Piley dis- 

 cussed the nomenclature of this insect, and concluded that on the 

 strict law of priority it must be known as Bruchiis ohtectus Say, until 

 some hitherto unrecognized and unpublished name can be proved to 

 refer to it. He treated the oviposition of Bruchus in the field, and 

 showed that the parent insect oviposits within the pod, either using 

 her jaws to make a hole in the pod thr<mgh which to insert the eggs, 

 or waiting until the beans are sufficiently ripe to cause a partial open- 

 ing of the pod and then thrusting the eggs into the slit in masses. 



Mr. Webster introduced Dr. EdAvard Murphy, of New Harmony, Ind., 

 who was personally acquainted with Thomas Say for eight years 

 before the death of the latter in 1834. Dr. Murphy gave the club an 

 interesting account of Mr. Say, his life, peculiarities, and habits. 



Mr. H. G. Hubbard's paper on Xenos gave a vivid picture of the 

 life history and habits of this parasitic beetle from specimens obtained 

 from colonies of Polistes kept in confinement. 



The male Xenos uniforndy issued from the puparia very early in tlie 

 morning. They are extremely short-lived and delicate insects, being- 

 unable to stand the full light of the sun. They are further incapable 

 of resting on account of the rudimentary development of the legs and 

 during the few minutes of their life fly about with such swiftness that 

 the eye of the observer would he unable to perceive their presence in 

 the breeding cage but for the jieculiar attitude assumed by the wasi^s. 



