1891.] MICROSCOPICAL JOIJIINAL. 167 



body is built up of a number of hollow, jointed rings composed chiefly 

 of a peculiar substance termed '' chitine," having the chemical formula 

 Ci7 Hh NO],. The rings composing the body are grouped into 

 three general divisions, termed, respectively, the head, thorax, and ab- 

 domen. The thorax is furnished with six legs, invariablv-, and some- 

 times with two or four wings. Mr. Grier threw on the screen a view 

 of a dissected cricket, and described the general topography of the in- 

 sect. After this he exhibited views of the anatomy, in detail, of the 

 cricket and locust, which insects he selected as being good types of the 

 order in general. After showing the typically formed organs and ap- 

 pendages, he showed the principal variation in form in the more spe- 

 cialized insects v/hich fitted them for their different modes of life. In 

 concluding, the lecturer expressed his thanks to Messrs. F. A. Bates, 

 Wm. Tower, and E. J. Smith, for their assistance in collecting insects 

 for dissection, etc. The paper was fully illustrated with about thirty- 

 six lantern views from Mr. Grier's original dissections. He was assisted 

 by Messrs. Storer and Wilson, who managed the lantern. 



April 28^ i8gi . — Mr. F. A. Bates read an entertaining essay on 

 " The development and habits of insects (including comments on the 

 gypsy moth, and fur and carpet pests), illustrated with the lantern. 

 After a short description of the development of insects, Mr. Bates told 

 about the gypsy moth which has overrun southeastern New England. 

 After discussing the various remedies of spraying the trees with paris- 

 green, etc., he said that the only way to exterminate the pest was to 

 distribute good, colored cuts of the moth among the farmers ; this could be 

 done at a comparatively small cost, and by enabling the farmers to recog- 

 nize and destroy the adult insect before it has time to lay its eggs 

 would more than pay for the trouble and expense. Spraying the trees 

 and otherwise attempting to kill the larvae and eggs is '•'■ locking the 

 stable door after the horse is stolen," as although it is the larvae that 

 actually does the damage, it is the adult which lays its innumerable 

 eggs, each of which will hatch out and produce more larvEe with in- 

 satiable appetites for fresh leaves. So by killing the adult we attack 

 the trouble at the root. These moths have already cost the State of 

 Massachusetts many thousands of dollars in the effort to stay their rava- 

 ges Mr. Bates described the ''buffalo bug" and other household 

 pests, and the remedies and preventives: camphor, naphtha, etc., etc. 

 He exhibited a series of these troublesome insects mounted on cards, 

 which were passed around thi-ough the audience. After Mr. Bates 

 had concluded, an informal discussion of the subject by the secretary 

 and others took place. Mr. Bates was tendered a vote of thanks by 

 the Society for his excellent paper. 



NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



Six Centuries of Work and Wages. A history of English labor. 

 By J. E. Thorold Rogers, M. P. Price 25 cents. The Humboldt 

 Publishing Co., New York. 



This is the first number of the Social Science Library., which puts 

 at the disposition of the public a record that is invaluable. It is the 



