514 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, 



received from Mr. J. Alston Moffat, of London, Ontario, who 

 is well acquainted with these ' ' inflated cocoons, ' ' and has sug- 

 gested that they may be spun only bj^ parasitized larvae, since 

 he had never known an imago to emerge from one. Several 

 persons dissented from this view, stating that they had hatched 

 female moths from ' ' inflated ' ' cocoons. All who took part 

 in the discussion were agreed on these points : ( i ) That 

 the ' ' inflated ' ' cocoons belong to a distinct and rare 

 type, alwaj^s found in bushes near the ground, and never 

 disclosing male imagos ; (2) That the cocoons of the 

 female type described by Dr. Skinner also occur near the 

 ground but are smaller and more uniform in shape ; (3) 

 That cocoons of the "male type," found among the upper 

 branches of trees and shrubs, occasionally shelter female pupae. 



Early insects already seen on the wing were reported by 

 various members. Brephos infans seems unusually common 

 this year. Mr. A. P. Hall caught a female Gastropacha ameri- 

 cana at the electric light on April 10. Mr. Newcomb mentioned 

 the fact that all the hibernated specimens of Vanessa a?itiopa 

 he had taken this spring were females. 



A general discu.ssion of the different forms of lamps used 

 in collecting at sugar brought out the fact that bicyle lamps 

 possess many advantages over ordinary bull's-eye lanterns. 

 Portable electric lamps, so arranged in front of the collector 

 as to leave both hands free, are very useful. 



Mr. W. D. Denton spoke of seeing an albino male Colias 

 philodice in the collection of Mrs. Richardson, of Brook- 

 lyn, N. Y. 



W. L. W. Field, Secretary. 



A meeting of the American Entomological Society was 

 held April 26th, with Dr. P. P. Calvert, president, in the 

 chair. Fifteen persons were present. Mr. Laurent presented 

 eight .si)ecimens of Coleoptera and stated that his neighbor, 

 Mr, Rod, had taken in his wine cellar Orthopcrus atomarius, 

 which, according to Mr. H. C. Fall, is an introduced species. 

 Mr Henry Wenzel exhibited a large collection of P.sclaphidae, 

 made at Angle.sea, New Jersey, representing the .saline fauna. 



