288 



the Elasminfe in which he described minutely, with the aid of blackboard drawings, 

 the peculiar arrangement of the spines on the hind tibi.-e and tarsi of the Chakidids 

 of this subfamily. These spines, which are very minute, are so arranged as to make 

 curious, but very regular figures which are of great value in the separation of species. 

 Discussion followed by Messrs. Stiles, Ashmead, Schwarz, and others. Mr. Schwarz 

 presented a paper entitled " A parasitic Scolytid," in which he described the gal- 

 leries of an uudescribed species of Crypturgus, which uses the galleries of another 

 Scolytid as a starting point for its own galleries. The species will be described as 

 C. alutaceus. The paper was illustrated by specimens and figures. Mr. Schwarz also 

 exhibited a few northwestern Coleoptera, which have hitherto remained unidentified 

 by American coleopterists. Mr. Stiles reported a case of spurious parasitism in a 

 human subject. Before adjournment the Society was invited by Mr. Schwarz to ex- 

 amine three collections of Coleoptera of considerable local interest. These were 

 made by Mr. Hubbard, at Lake Tahoe, Cal., in the Yellowstone National Park, and 

 in the Bear Paw Mountains in northern Montana, and also by Mr. Schwarz and Mr. 

 Hubbard in northern United States and Canada. 



March 9, ISQS.—Mt. Frank Benton presented a paper entitled "Curious defense* 

 constructed by Melipona> and Trigome," which was discussed at considerable length 

 by various members. Mr. Riley presented by title, a descriptive paper on the genus 

 Deridrotettii, with descriptions of D. longipennis and D. quercus. Mr. Schwarz pre- 

 sented a paper on the ovipositor in certain species of the Chrysomelid genus Don- 

 acia, illustrating his remarks by sketches and exhibition of specimens. The outer 

 sheaths of this ovipositor were shown to be admirably adapted for the cutting or 

 sawing of plant tissues, leaving little doubt that in the species provided with such, 

 ovipositor the eggs are inserted into the stems of aquatic plants. Mr. Schwarz ex- 

 hibited samples of white and black insect pins made by Schliiter, of Baden, Ger- 

 many, now on sale in this country, which he said were in his short experience a 

 very superior article. 



C. L. Marlatt, 



Recording Secretary. 



April 6, 1893. — Dr. George Marx read a paper entitled, "On Degeneration by Dis- 

 use of Certain Organs in Spiders," confining himself to a consideration of the disuse 

 of two or four pairs of spinnerets in certain of the Drassid spiders which do not spin 

 webs, and wliich need but two spinnerets for use in making the egg cocoon. Dis- 

 cussed by Messrs. Gill, Ashmead and Schwarz. 



Mr. Ashmead presented a synopsis of the Spalangiinse of North America, defining 

 the sub-family and its component genera, remarking upon the distribution of species 

 and host habit, and presenting in synoptical form the species which have hitherto 

 been found in this country, together with a number of new forms. Discussed by 

 Messrs. Howard and Smith. 



Dr. J. B. Smith spoke informally concerning the Rabbit Flea, making some pre- 

 liminary remarks upon an investigation which he had been conducting on the 

 mouth-parts and male genitalia. His conclusions supported the view that the fieas 

 do not form a family of the Diptera, but that the order Siphouaptera is justified. 

 Discussed by Messrs. Stiles, Marx, Howard and Gill, the latter strongly supporting 

 the conclusions of the speaker. Short notes and exhibition of specimens were intro- 

 duced by Messrs. Stiles and Schwarz. 



L. O. Howard, 



Secretary pro tern. 



o 



