228 Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences 



of wing remaining. Pasimachus calif ornicus and a species of 

 Callosoma were quoted. In a species of Diapheromera from the 

 Dry Tortugas the two pairs of wings are clearly developed 

 although too small to be of any use. For mouth parts com- 

 parison was made between species of sphinx, in which the 

 tongue (i. c, maxillary palpi) was longer than the body, and 

 Samia cecropia whose palpi are scarcely visible. Homia minuti- 

 pennis, from Utah, a beetle parasite in the burrows of bees, 

 never emerges, hence its wings are lost and the elytra greatly 

 reduced. The females resemble the helpless bee larvae. Both 

 sexes have large abdomens but differ in their antennae. Certain 

 Diptera that live in the nests of ants have lost considerable wing 

 area. Workers with vestigial wings are not uncommon. 



Mr. Charles W. Leng suggested speculations whether or not 

 the short elytra of the Staphylinid beetles might not be 

 rudimentary. 



Dr. Smith suggested the possibility that the mouth parts of the 

 cecropia might be rudimentary, since the moths are supposed to 

 be descended from the caddis flies, whose mouth parts are not 

 well developed. 



Mr. Leng read a paper entitled Notes on Interesting Cole- 

 optera, discussing especially the species of the Scarabaeid genus 

 Diplotaxis known to occur on Staten Island (published in full 

 in this issue, p. 198). 



Mr. Charles L. Pollard exhibited and commented on certain 

 rare North American Saturnian moths, notably Copaxa lavendera 

 of Mexico, which presents not only sexual dimorphism but great 

 individual variation, especially in the males. A number of speci- 

 mens of Samia Columbia nokomis Brodie, raised from cocoons 

 received from Rev. Clement Hoyler, of Alberta, Canada, were 

 exhibited. Mr. Pollard stated that this variety was as much 

 entitled to specific rank as 5\ gloveri. 



Mr. George P. Engelhardt briefly discussed Thayer's theory of 

 obliterative coloration as applied to insects. A number of illus- 

 trative examples were cited. 



