20 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [January, 



Hoyer, E. Wenzel, A. Hoyer, Johnson, Fox and Schmitz, 

 Honorary members : Drs. Henry Skinner and John B. Smith. 

 Visitors : Messrs. A. Klages and Lancaster Thomas. Meeting 

 called to order at 8.50 p.m., Vice-president Castle presiding. 



Prof. Smith stated that about a year ago he had found Coc- 

 cinellidae, Pentilia misella very abundant at Riverton, N. J., and 

 that recently he had been notified by the farmers of Monmouth 

 County, New Jersey, that fruit trees in their orchards were infested 

 by a small black beetle. On visiting the district from whence this 

 complaint came, a few days ago, he found the trees swarming 

 with these insects, a number of which he exhibited, feeding upon 

 the San Jos6 scale ; the speaker remarked that this was an exam- 

 ple of how nature takes care of itself, as wherever the trees are 

 infested by this scale you will be sure to find the insects in great 

 numbers. 



Referring to the above Mr. H. W. Wenzel stated that he had 

 taken several of the same species on the oak at Anglesea, N. J. 



Prof Smith also exhibited a piece of Yucca whipplei of about 

 one foot in length and three inches in diameter, which came from 

 the desert of California. These trees, which bear a white flower, 

 grow to a height of about twenty feet and a diameter of one 

 foot, are quite numerous in the desert regions; the entomologists 

 of California cut and dry this, using it for mounting specimens 

 upon, for which purpose it seems very suitable it being of a pithy, 

 nature and quite dense, it must, however, be thoroughly dried 

 first, otherwise it is apt to corrode the pins. 



Dr. Skinner supplemented that it was also coming in use among 

 surgeons, who use it for splints and other purposes. 



Mr. Johnson exhibited a number of Diptera. among which he 

 mentioned a male and female of the genus Dialysis, a new species, 

 which Mr. Wenzel had captured at Cranberry, in the mountains 

 of North Carolina. 



No further business being presented the meeting adjourned to 

 the annex at 10.30 p.m. Theo. H. Schmitz, Secretary. 



Newark Entomological Society. — At a meeting held 

 October 25th the general character of the season just passed was 

 discussed, and particularly the occurrence of certain of the rarer 

 species. 



Among others, Mr. H. H. Brehme mentioned that the collect- 

 ing started earlier in. 1896 than at any other period for nine years. 

 The first eggs of Sphinx luscitiosa were found May 19th, earlier 

 than ever before; that is, eggs were found on that day; and on the 

 20th 250 eggs and between 30 and 40 young larvae at least three 

 days' old were discovered. As the eggs are laid about ten days 

 before the larvae hatch, the first adult must have been flying not 

 later than May 7th, which is unusually early for any Sphinx. 

 Eggs were found until June 29th, so it is certain that not all the 



