190 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [August, 



century may hear from the lips of his charmer that her organism is 

 deficient in the bacilhis of love, and consequently she cannot return 

 his affection. 



Dr. G. M. Sternberg, U. S. A., spoke entertainingly to the toast, 

 " Our Honorary Members," and " Kindred vSocieties" was responded 

 to by E. M. Ehrhorn, President of the California State Entomological 

 Society. A. H. Breckenfeld responded for '• Our Absent Friends," 

 and Professor Searby spoke to the sentiment of '• Auld Lang Syne," 

 with his tribute to the society and its work. His remarks were well 

 received. The programme was further enlivened by some choice vocal 

 selections given by Alfred Wilkie. 



Those present were : E. J. Wickson, C. Mason Kinne, William E. 

 Loy, Dr. S. M. Mouser, William Norris, A. R. Breckenfeld, Charles 

 C. Riedy, E. W. Runyon, Henry Kahn, B. Noyes, E. F. Glasher, P. 

 S. Barbour, Dr. George K. Frink, R. H. Freund, Dr. I. Rivas, Dr. 

 M. C. O'Toole, Hon. T. H. Rearden, W. F. Myers, T. C. Coxhead, 

 Alex. Craw, E. M. Ehrhorn, E. L. Hawley, Dr. Nathan Rogers, Dr. 

 E. S. Clark, Dr. C. H. Eigenmann, Dr. J. M. Selfridge, Dr. G. W. 

 Davis, Charles Ulrich, J. J. B. Argenti, John H. Gray, T. A. Rot- 

 tanzi, B. M. Lelong, M. W. Ward, Emmet Rixford, Dr. Kaspar 

 Pischl, Leo Newmark, S. E. Taylor, T. C. Pinckney, Dr. J. H. 

 Wythe, Dr. George M. Sternberg, George T. Folsom, W. M. Searby. 

 David W. Loring, L. M. King. S. P. Smiley, Alfred Wilkie, George 

 W. Colby, H. K. Goddard, A. S. Brackett, J. G. Clark, A. H. Smith, 

 Dr. Douglas A. Montgomery, and William Payzant. 



June //, i8gi. — Vice-President Selfridge in the chair. After the 

 reading of the minutes four applications for membership were received 

 and other routine business was transacted. 



The secretary announced the receipt of the usual periodicals for the 

 Society's reading-table, and a copy of Johnston's British Zoophytes by 

 donation. 



The cabinet was enriched by a quantity of diatomaceous earth, very 

 rich in fossil diatoms, found near Lompoc, Santa Barbara county, pre- 

 sented by Henry G. Hanks. Henry C. Hyde presented a caterpillar 

 from New Zealand, with a curious fungus grown from the head. The 

 catei'pillar is known by the common name of the " bulrush caterpillar," 

 and to science as Sphceria Robertsia. The natives, however, call it 

 "aweto." The plant, or fungus, in every case fills the body of the 

 caterpillar, which in well-grown specimens reaches a length of three 

 and a half inches. The fungus rises from the head and attains a length 

 of six to ten inches. When found, the body of the caterpillar is burietl 

 beneath the surface of the soil or leaf-mold, and the greater portion of 

 the stalk as well. The apex of the plant, v/hen in fructification, re- 

 sembles the club-headed bulrush. There is every probability that the 

 seeds or spores of the plant find a lodgment in the folds of the cater- 

 pillar's skin, where the temperature and moisture soon cause them to 

 germinate, and the growth soon causes the death of the animal, its tis- 

 sues supplying food for the plant. 



William Norris presented to the Society two photographs of diatoms, 

 made by B. W. Thomas, of Chicago, one a species of JE?inotia hoin 

 Ellensburgh, Washington, and the other a species of Jisterolainpra 

 from Fisherman's Cove, California. This latter, Mr. Thomas writes, 



