I50 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [November, 



Doings of Societies. 



A regular meeting of the Entomological Section of the Academy of 

 Natural Sciences was held at the Hall September 25th. Meeting called to 

 order at 8.20 P. M. In the absence of the Director, Dr. Horn, Mr. Mar- 

 tindale occupied the chair. Members present: Messrs. Ridings, Laurent 

 and Skinner. Associates: Welles, Calvert, Westcott, Liebeck, Castle, 

 Seeber and Fo.x. A number of specimens were presented to the cabinet, 

 among them being .^r^. monlinusand. C. mandan from Mr. S. H. Scudder. 

 Mr. Calvert presented determinations of the species of Odonata brought 

 home by the expedition sent to Mexico by the Academy. Mr. Laurent 

 reported the capture of C. serena and Apatela funeralis at the electric 

 light. Mr. Martindale spoke of the great scarcity of species of Catocala 

 this Summer, and reported finding P. ajax and the larvae of Phobetron 

 pitheciutn and Tolype velleda. He had had success in capturing moths 

 by rubbing rotting bananas on trees to attract them. Mr. Welles reported 

 the capture of Vanessa /-album and Cat. unijuga from Elu^-n, Delaware 

 County, Pa. He had seen Feniseca tarquiniiis greatly attracted to a per- 

 spiring individual. Mr. C. W. Johnson, of the Wagner Institute, was 

 elected an associate. Henry Skinner, 



Recorder. 



The Entomological Society of Washington, Sept. 4, 1890. — Under 

 the head "short communications and exhibition of specimens," Mr. Heide- 

 mann spoke of the occurrence of Cylapus tenuicomis (Capsidae) near 

 Washington, D. C, and Mr. Schwarz exhibited specimens of Choragus 

 nitens (Anthribidae) lately found in the District, also a branch of Carpinus 

 infested in a peculiar way by the larvae oi AcQptus suturalis (Curculionidae) 

 and a specimen of Hyniejiarcys nervosa with deformed antennas, and he 

 also called attention to the reported discovery- of the stylopized Gryllo- 

 talpas in eastern Africa. Dr. Marx reported having found specimens of 

 Latrodectus under a board, devouring carabids — the webs of the spider 

 being garnished with fragments of the beetles. As possibly throwing 

 light on the subject. Prof. Riley mentioned having been greatly surprised 

 this Summer at the large number of insects, Lachnosierna, Xylocopa, 

 Bombus, etc., that he found about his ground^ at Sunburj-, with large per- 

 forations and apparently killed by birds, and probably the house wren. 

 Mr. Fox thought that spiders were largely responsible for this work. Prof. 

 Riley described his recent investigations into the life-history^ and habits of 

 Sphecius speciosus, exhibiting specimens of the egg in situ on Cicadas, 

 and of the young and full-grown larvae and cocoons. Careful drawings 

 were shown illustrating the different stages and habits of Sphecius. 



Mr. Schwarz queried, in view of the earlier appearance of the C. sep- 

 tendecim, whether Sphecius ever preyed on that species. Prof. Riley 

 showed that the period of Septendecint and Sphecius overlapped, and that 

 the general belief that Sphecius attacked the seventeen-year locust, while 

 not based, so far as he recalled, on observation, was probably well founded. 



