32 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '05 



lying between high, forest-clad mountains, these in turn being 

 surrounded by low-lying plains. 



He found it a veritable zoological oasis, various species of 

 Lepidoptera, etc., being taken, which had not been recorded 

 farther north than Honduras. Mr. Tower's subject was " In- 

 sects in Tropical Forests," and he paid particular attention to 

 the habits of the butterflies including Morphos, Papilios, Heli- 

 conidae, Pieridse, etc. Coleoptera were few and occurred 

 principally at the edge of the forest. Here also, numerous 

 mosquitoes congregated, especially near the river which skirted 

 the base of the mountains. Stegomyia predominated in the 

 morning and during the day, its place being taken by Culex, 

 Anopheles and others at night. The Morphos and Papilios 

 were found to roost low down in the dense forest between the 

 buttresses of the trees, and upon awakening, at first fly low, 

 gradually mounting higher as the day advanced. Bj' ten or 

 eleven o'clock they were high up, flitting about the flowers 

 of the vines which formed a veritable carpet over the tree 

 tops. This he was able to observe only from a projecting 

 ledge, which overlooked a portion of the forest. He described 

 the scene as extremely beautiful with hundreds of brilliant 

 Morphos and Papilios to be seen within a comparatively limited 

 area. 



Mr. Tower also spoke of the difficulties to be met with on a 

 trip to such a locality. Disease, including yellow-fever and 

 malaria; vermin, wire- worms, bot-flies, chigres, etc., and fre- 

 quent and unexpected electrical storms were discouraging 

 features. He stated also that, although species and specimens 

 were often numerous, they were by no means easily caught, as 

 they were usuallj^ either inaccessible or of swift and deceitful 

 flight. 



He made several trips to this locality, but considered the 

 beginning of the rainy season Ma)' ist to July ist as the best 

 for collecting. 



Those present expressed themselves as greatly pleased with 

 the entertaining talk of Mr. Tower, The meeting adjourned 

 at 9.50 P. M. 



A. KwiAT, Recorder. 



