June, 1908.] Proceedings of the Society. 123 



number of the galls have been studied and determined. Dr. Felt presented some of 

 the difficulties which he had met in solving the problem of nomenclature in this 

 group and asked for suggestions in solving the problem. They had reached a point 

 in their work where to advance meant an answer to the question, what constitutes 

 a description of a species. Mr. Southwick suggested that where the name of a cer- 

 tain insect had originally been given to the gall, and later to the insect itself, the 

 former should be dropped. "Professor Smith had little patience with this advice and 

 stated that wherever the work of the insect had first received the name, and it could 

 be determined as such, its name should be attached to the insect. He resented any 

 implication that the descriptions of the older entomological workers were not satis- 

 factory for their needs, and suggested that twenty years hence our descriptions of 

 species would be found insufficient for the new conditions which might arise. Every 

 worker who took up a group encountered the same trouble. 



Professor Wheeler said that after all, the work of the insect was the most im- 

 portant consideration, and if the identity of the adult insects could not be determined, 

 numbers might be employed to indicate them, as it made little difference what par- 

 ticular symbols were employed or whether the insect itself or the gall received the 

 name. The important thing was to connect the proper insect with the proper gall. 



Society adjourned. 



Meeting of Decemher 17, 1907. 



Held at the American Museum of Natural History. President C. W. Leng in 

 the chair, with eleven members present and three visitors. 



The proceedings of December 3 were read and approved. 



The librarian, Mr. Schaeffer, reported the receipt of the following papers : 



" Origin of Slavery among Ants," by Professor Wm. M. Wheeler. 



" On Certain Modified Hairs Peculiar to the Ants of Arid Regions," by Professor 

 Wm. M. Wheeler. 



Mr. J. H. Cook, of Albany, was elected an active member on motion of the 

 secretary. 



Mr. Beutenmiiller proposed Mr. Andrew J. Mutchler, and Mr. Barber proposed 

 Mr. Raymond C. Osburn as active members of the society. Elected by amending 

 by-laws. 



The secretary read a letter from the curator of entomology of the American 

 Museum of Natural History, Mr. W. Beutenmuller, in which he invited the members 

 to examine the entomological cabinets, which would be in charge of Mr. Mutchler 

 on the meeting nights of the society. 



Mr. Davis requested that the secretary express the thanks of the society to Mr. 

 Beutenmuller. 



The secretary read a letter from the secretary of the New York Academy of 

 Sciences, Dr. E. O. Hovey, requesting the society to cooperate in arranging a course 

 of lectures during the winter. On motion the letter was referred to the executive 

 committee. 



The president named the following committee to nominate officers for the coming 

 year : Messrs. Joutel, Harris and Engelhardt. 



Mr. Engelhardt discussed some of the work in silk culture, which had been 

 attempted at the Children's Museum in Brooklyn. This work bad been sul 

 by Mr. Joutel who had furnished some of the raw and finished silk to illustrate the 



