58 Journal New York Entomological Society. [Vol. xvi. 



instincts shown by the workers, and that the workers inherit their peculiar instincts 

 from the queen. 



The question of ants protecting plants was discussed by several members as was 

 also that of the nesting habits of several species. 



A few boxes containing some of the species of Formica were exhibited. 



Mr. Schaeffer next spoke on Histerida; and told of some interesting studies he had 

 been making in this group. As a rule, he said, not much attention had been paid to 

 this family. In considering the species the early authors had used the elytral stripe 

 for specific separation. These he had found quite constant although in Saprimus 

 fimbriatus and an allied form he had found some variation. The humeral striee, 

 however, vary to a considerable extent and if based upon these characters two of our 

 species would have to be omitted from the list because they were found to be synony- 

 mous with others. Casey, in his studies, has laid some stress upon the punctuation of 

 the pygidium, but Mr. Schaeffer found this to vary considerably in some instances and 

 not to be altogether reliable. Notes were given concerning several of the species of 

 the genus Hololepta. Altogether Mr. Schaeffer had found that when carefully studied 

 these beetles exhibited some good specific characters and were not so difficult to deter- 

 mine as at first appeared. When questioned in regard to the habits of the insects Mr. 

 Schaeffer said that they were carnivorous and that the character of the mandibles 

 showed this to be the case. As a rule they were found in excrement or decaying 

 matter but apparently they were not feeding on these substances but upon the larva? 

 of various kinds found in them. In the west he had taken Hololepta yuccataa in the 

 stems of the Yucca and H. cacti in decaying Opuntia between the dead and living 

 tissue where dipterous and other larva? were also found. 



Mr. Davis stated that so far as he knew there were only three records in this 

 country of HisteriJtz having been observed feeding upon caterpillars. Mr. Joutel 

 said that at Fort Lee he had observed a species doing this. 



A box containing a number of Histeridse was exhibited. 



Mr. Dickerson made a few brief remarks on root maggots. He said there were 

 several species of flies of the family Anthomyidas, the larva; of which were known as 

 root maggots because of their habit of feeding upon the roots of plants. Several 

 species have been found injurious both in Europe and America and two of these — 

 the onion maggot feeding on the roots of onions and the cabbage maggot feeding on 

 the roots of cabbage and several other cruciferous plants — had been particularly 

 troublesome in New Jersey and several other states during the past few years. He 

 told something of their habits and life history and said that owing to the fact that they 

 lived under ground they were difficult to reach with insecticides of any sort. Two 

 classes of remedies have been recommended. The one known as preventives, con- 

 sists of placing something around the plant, such as a tarred paper disk, to prevent 

 the eggs from being laid about the stem or if laid to prevent the maggots from getting 

 to the roots. The other remedies might be termed destructive and consist of spraying 

 or pouring such chemicals as carbolic acid emulsion around the plants in the effort to 

 kill the maggots. But any remedies that are used must be timely and thorough. 

 Further experiments against these pests are being carried on at the present time but 

 so far none had been found which are altogether satisfactory. Phials containing 

 maggots and puparia and pinned specimens of the adult flies were exhibited. 



Mr. Davis showed several examples of the pellets formed by the "barred" owl. 



