162 



THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. 



November 1, 1888. — Mr. Schwarz read aud comniented upon a passage in Garzilasso 

 de la Vega's account of DeSoto's expedition, relative to silk-culture in Mexico la the | 

 earlier part of the fifteenth century, and offered some remarks on the absence of any 

 reference by that old author to the various insect pests annoying man, with which 

 the Spaniards must have come in contact for the first time during DeSoto's march 

 through North America. 



Mr. Fox read some notes on the spiders collected by him in Tennessee during the 

 past summer. He especially commented on the habitat of a species of Bolomedes taken 

 by him, and upon the tube of Lycosa nidifex, which is different from that described by 

 Dr. Marx in his description of the species. Dr. Marx made some remarks on the 

 paper, and gave the burrowing habits of Lycosa nidifex as observed by him near the 

 seashore. He also suggested that this is a good time to collect gossamer spiders, which 

 are now very abundant. 



Mr. Howard suggested the collection of spider egg masses for the purpose of trying 

 to get parasites. 



Professor Riley suggested that the larva of Manlispa can be obtained in the same 

 way. He also made some remarks on the habits of a species of Agalena common on 

 his grounds. He further made some remarks on the habits of Atypus. 



Mr. Smith made some remarks on the habits of Siomoxys as observed by him at his 

 residence. He says neither he nor any member of his family have been bitten by them, 

 although they have now entirely replaced the Musca domestica. They are not attacked 

 by the fungus which is rapidly killing the few remaining specimens of M. domestica. 



A discussion of the habits of Stomoxi/s was participated in by Messrs. Mann, Smith, 

 Riley, Schwarz, Howard, and Al wood. 



Mr. Schwarz made a series of shorter communications on the following insects, of 



which specimens were exhibited : On Dendroctonus simplex attacking Larix Americana, 



and on the other Scolytids atttacking the Tamarack; on the secondary characters in 



the male of Pissodes affinis ; on a new Herbarium pest from Californii {Trigonogeniiia 



sp.), on the hitherto unknown female of Phoiinus coUusirans ; on a specimen of Sin- 



oxylon lyasilare with two-jointed antennal club, and on the occurrence of Sinoxylon 



texannm near Washington. A discussion arose between Messrs. Riley, Howard, 



Schwarz, aud Smith on the constancy of the number of antennal joints in insects and 



their value in classification. 



John B. Smith, 



Becording Secretary. 



Fic. 35. ChakU jlaripes. 



