1 897-] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 207 



beetles had been sent here for identification in gelatin capsules; a 

 little cotton in each end of the capsule made the contained insect 

 fit snugly and they carried very well. The same speaker also 

 mentioned the method as stated by Cheshire by which flies and 

 bees are able to walk on smooth vertical surfaces. It was stated 

 that they were able to thus hold on by the aid of a sticky sub- 

 stance excreted from the pulvilli. There was much discussion 

 on this subject by the members. Dr. Calvert moved that the 

 Section express regret on the absence of Dr. Horn and the hope 

 that he may soon be able to attend its meetings; seconded and 

 carried unanimously. 



Meeting of April 25th. — Mr. C. W. Johnson stated that Mr. 

 Seiss had given him a rare and interesting fly taken in Fairmount 

 Park, Philadelphia, on July 25th. It proved to be one of the 

 bee-flies, Hyperechia atrox, described by Dr. Williston, and is 

 the only recorded specimen other than the type. 



Henry Skinner, M.D., Recorder. 



Philadelphia, Sept. 14, 1897. — A stated meeting of the Feld- 

 man Collecting Social was held at the residence of Mr. H. W. 

 Wenzel, No. 1509 S. 13th Street. Meeting called to order at 

 9 p. M., Vice president Castle presiding. 



A communication was received from President Dr. H. G. 

 Griffith expressing his sorrow at having to absent himself from 

 the meetings of the Social for a long time, owing to his departure 

 shortly for Phoenix. Ariz., for the benefit of his health. The 

 secrerary was instructed to put the communication on file and to 

 extend the doctor the sincere wishes of the Social for his speedy 

 recovery to good health, with the hope of again having the 

 pleasure of his company at the meetings in the near future. 



A communication was read from T. D. A. Cockerell dated 

 Mesilla, N. M., July 18, 1897; the same was addressed to Dr. 

 Skinner, and was accompanied by a number of specimens ot 

 Disonycha politula, which he asked the doctor to kindly present 

 to the members of the Social. The donor contributed the note 

 appended relative to the same. 



" Disonycha politula was described by Dr. Horn in 1889, the 

 type localities being vaguely given as ' New Mexico and Arizona,' 

 and nothing being known about its habits. To-day I have found 

 in Mesilla, N. M., great quantities of a species on Amaranhis 



