281 
logical societies of New York, Brooklyn, Newark, Philadelphia, and 
Washington, and had published a number of interesting articles on his 
favorite topic in Hntomologica Americana and other periodicals. He 
was widely known as an enthusiastic collector, and in the earlier work 
of Dvs. LeConte and Horn, and inthe later work of Capt. Casey, con- 
tributed much assistance in the donation and loan of material for 
description and study. 
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. 
December 7, 1893.—Mr, G. B. Sudworth was elected an active member. Mr. R. H. 
Wolcott, Grand Rapids, Mich., was elected a corresponding member. The election of 
officers for 1894 resulted as follow: President, William H. Ashmead; vice-presidents, 
Theodore Gill and C, L. Marlatt; recording secretary, L. O. Howard; corresponding 
secretary, F. H. Chittenden; treasurer, E. A. Schwarz; additional members execu- 
tive committee, George Marx, B. E. Fernow, and C. V. Riley. 
Mr. Marlatt read a paper entitled ‘‘ Revision of the genus Pontania, Costa, with 
Descriptions of New Species.” This genus is an off-shoot of the old genus Nema- 
tus, containing the small species of gallmaking habits. Seventeen species belong- 
ing to the North American fauna were described. Discussed by Prof. Riley. 
Mr. Chittenden presented by title a paper on the habits of some Coleoptera, which 
was referred to the publication committee. 
Mr. Howard presented a ‘‘ Note on the mouth-parts of Stenopelmatus,” describing 
the trophi of this genus and calling attention to an abnormal asymmetry in the 
galee. 
Mr. Fernow spoke in regard to ‘‘antinonnin,” a new insecticide recently intro- 
duced into this country. Discussed by Messrs. Riley, Waite, and Swingle. 
Two short notes by Mr. A. D. Hopkins were read by the Secretary, the first describ- 
ing anew Scolytid—Corthylus columbianus which affects oak timber. The second 
note was on the food-habits of C. punctatissimus, which was found to breed in small 
bushes of Dogwood, Hazel, Sassafras, Water Beech, Sugar Maple, and Ironwood. 
Mr. Heidemann exhibited a series of Capsids allied to Lygeus turcicus, all of which. 
he considered as varieties although several of them have received specific names. 
Mr. Ashmead exhibited a Chalcidid which he considered as identical with Fabri- 
cius’s Chaleis cyaneus, and stated that the species belongs to Chryseida Spinola. He 
also stated that this genus belongs to the Eurytominez instead of to the Perilam- 
pine, in which it is placed by Westwood. 
C. L. MARLATT, 
Recording Secretary. 
January 11, 1894.—A letter from Mr. A. D. Hopkins, of Morgantown, W. Va., was. 
read by the Secretary, announcing the discovery of a Tulip tree more than 400 years 
of age, in which the work of Corthylus columbianus Hopkins mss., dating back to 
pre-Columbian times, has been found. 
The resignation of Mr, F. H. Chittenden as corresponding secretary was accepted 
and Frank Benton was elected to fill the vacancy. 
The annual address of the retiring president, Prof. C. V. Riley, was then delivered. 
The title was ‘‘ Natural Selection as applied to Longevity in Insects.” The treat- 
ment of the subject comprised an extensive review of the length of life of the dif- 
ferent stages of insects of all orders, including an elaborate history of the larval 
life of Cicada septendecim, introducing many new facts, and describing in detail the 
larval stages. He felt that Weismann had made a mistake in considering only the 
longevity of the adult in insects and showed that it was very generally true that 
