196 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, 



quence of which was probably unknown outside of Philadelphia. His 

 keenness of observation, love of nature, and his knowledge of field work 

 placed him among the first rank of collectors, whose work is really the 

 basis of deeper research. He was always willing to impart to others the 

 secrets of mother nature that his sharp sense of discernment may have 

 imcovered. In his early life Lepidoptera was his favorite study, but in 

 later years he became more interested in Coleoptera, of which order he 

 became the possessor of a very large collection, which he finally, after 

 the death of his wife, disposed of. His love for nature was not confined 

 to entomology as a glance at the garden attached to his residence would 

 have shown, and in later years when his business af^fairs permitted not of 

 excursions to the country, many were the beetles, butterflies, and wasps 

 taken by him on the flowers planted and nursed by him, and which col- 

 lection he used to take pleasure in dubing " my back yard collections." 



At the time of his death he was connected with several German societies, 

 and took an active part in the meetings of the Feldman Collecting Social, 

 of which society he was formerly vice-president, and at which his jovial 

 nature and witticisms were a pleasing adjunct, in fact, his failure to attend 

 a meeting was always cansidered a matter of regret by his fellow-members. 

 His death was a matter of much regret, and he died as he lived — beloved 

 by all who knew him. 



Dr. Skinner exhibited a box of butterflies {Atiihocharis genutia) collected 

 by Mr. Gerhard and himself on May 5th at Areola, on the Perkiomen Creek. 

 His object, he stated was firstly toshow how Lepidoptera should be caught; 

 secondly how mounted and thirdly how and what data should go on the pin. 

 Prof. Smith remarked, that the weather in the early part of May had 

 proven very unfavorable for the pollination of fruit blossoms by bees; he 

 stated also that he had noticed acre upon acre of one variety of pear, 

 planted throughout Burlington County, N. J., and there was no evidence 

 of bee culture for miles to further pollination; he further stated that what 

 pollination was done, was not done by the honeybee, but by a very small 

 species. Prof. Smith also stated that in the early part of this month he 

 had found a number of infested Kiefer pear trees, and on breaking a 

 number of twigs he found them to contain Agriliis sinuatus in the pupa 

 state, it being the introduced European species which he mentioned 

 before as attacking the pear in New Jersey. He had cut quite a number 

 of these twigs, which contained larvae of the aforesaid species. Mr. Fox 

 exhibited two species of Vespidae belonging to the genera Chartergus 

 and Polybia respectively, which showed a remarkable superficial resem- 

 blance ; both were from Tepic, Mex., and the Polybia is a new species. 

 Mr. Wenzel remarked that on May loth he had noticed the first large 

 flight of Lachnasierfia—micans, hirticula and arcuata; he also exhibited 

 specimens of Calasoma frigidum and Panagcsus fasciatus irom the low 

 lands below Philadelphia, remarking that they were the first taken by 

 him in this locality. Of Buprestis ultramarina he found several speci- 



