February 21, 1913] 



SCIENCE 



311 



Similar tests of the eilect of temperature on 

 the rate of metabolism in Lysiphlebus trifici 

 Ashm. and of the effect of temperature and mois- 

 ture on the rate of metabolism of the chinch bug 

 (Blissus leucopterus Say) infected and uninfected 

 by the chinch-bug fungus (Sporotrichum glohu- 

 liferum Speg.) gave similar results. 

 J. T. Abbott, Washington University: The Strigil 



in Corixidw and its Proiable Function. Eead 



by title. 

 Edna Mosher, University of Illinois: The Anat- 

 omy of some Lepidopterous Pupw. (Presented 



by Mr. Alvah Peterson.) 



Figures of pupa? of three species were shown; 

 also figures of the pups with the cases dissected 

 away so as to show the parts underneath. Consid- 

 erable difficulty has been encountered in homol- 

 ogizing the pupal structures from the external 

 appearance, particularly in the case of the fixed 

 parts of the head and the appendages of the head 

 and thorax. The leg cases were shown to be a 

 frequent source of error. Instead of showing 

 externally only the cases for the tibiae and tarsi, 

 as Seudder claims is the ease in the butterflies, 

 certain forms show the femur cases and either the 

 whole or part of the coxal cases in certain pairs 

 of legs. What Packard calls the paraclypeal 

 pieces, were shown in these forms to contain fune- 

 tionless mandibles which had their distal margins 

 toothed in the case of Lymantria. 



This detailed anatomical study is to be made 

 the basis for a phylogenetic and taxonomio ar- 

 rangement of the Lepidoptera based on an exam- 

 ination of the characters of the pupas. 

 Charles K. Brain, Ohio State University: Sotne 



Anatmnical Studies of Stomoxys calcitrans Lin. 



(Introduced by Professor Herbert Osborn.) 



The external mouth-parts and digestive system 

 of both sexes of this species are identical in struc- 

 ture, and both sexes suck blood. The external 

 mouth-parts consist of maxillary palpi and pro- 

 boscis; the latter consisting of labrum, hypo- 

 pharynx and the labium. 



The digestive system consists of proboscis, 

 pharynx, oesophagus, proventriculus, intestine, rec- 

 tum and the appendages, viz., salivary glands, 

 sucking stomach and Malpighiau tubes. The two 

 Malpighian tubules of the left Malpighian tube 

 have much thickened ends, which lie dorsally. 

 Those of the right side have no such thickened 

 ends. The male reproductive organs consist of a 

 pair of spherical testes which appear orange- 

 colored in dissections, owing to their pigmented 



sacs, their ducts leading into the common vesicula 

 seminalis, the ejaculatory duct and the penis. 



The female reproductive organs consist of the 

 ovaries, oviducts, uterus and ovipesitor, with the 

 appendages, the uterine glands and the receptacula 

 seminis. 



S. W. BiLSiNG, Ohio State University: Observa- 

 tio-ns on the Food of Spiders. (Introduced by 

 Professor Herbert Osborn). 

 Spiders are known to feed upon insects, but 

 exact records of kind and quantity of food for 

 particular species are very meager. Extended 

 observations and records were made during the 

 summer and fall of 1912 and data from some of 

 these are presented. As an example of the records 

 given, grasshoppers constituted 39 per cent, of the 

 food of Miranda aurantia, 59 per cent, of the food 

 of Agalena nwvia and 22 per cent, of the food of 

 Aranea trifolium during the period under ob- 

 servation. 



Herbert Osborn, Ohio State University: Observa- 

 tions on Insects of a Lahe Beach. 

 The insect fauna of the Cedar Point Beach of 

 Lake Erie is discussed with reference to its deriva- 

 tion and adaptation for the conditions presented. 

 The insect drift, the migrant and the resident 

 members of the association are separated and 

 records of species in each group given. 

 C. H. Tyler-Townsend, Government Entomolo- 

 gist of Peru: The Species-Status and the Spe- 

 cies-Concept. Head by title. 

 C. H. Tyler-Townsend, Government Entomolo- 

 gist, Peru: A New Application of Taxonomio 

 Principles. Eead by title. 



The annual public address of the society was 

 given on Wednesday evening, January 1 in the 

 auditorium of the Normal School by: 

 Dr. Philip P. Calvert, University of Pennsyl- 

 vania: An Entomologist in Costa Rica. 

 There was briefly recounted certain physical and 

 meteorological features of that country which 

 render it very favorable for the study of the influ- 

 ence of these factors on the distribution and 

 habits of plants and animals. A few localities, 

 selected from those in which the speaker had 

 worked during the year from May, 1909, to May, 

 1910, were described and their fruitfulness illus- 

 trated by some of the discoveries made of the 

 habits and life histories of the Odonata (dragon- 

 flies) obtained therein. 



The following officers were elected for the en- 

 suing year: 



