Sept., 1908.] Proceedings 01 the Society. 195 



services of the late Mr. fessup. The president appointed on this committee Mr. 

 South wick, Dr. Wheeler and Dr. Osburn. 



The resignation of Mr. Morgan Hebhard was read and accepted. 



The first paper of the evening was that of Mr. Roberts who gave some " Notes 

 on the Species of LaccopitlUs." In studying this genus Mr. Roberts said he had 

 found some difficulty in following Dr. Sharp, and as an illustration he read from 1 (r. 

 Sharp's work on Dytiscidse several passages commenting on the structures of the 

 group, such as the prosternal process and coxal file. Some of the species very closely 

 resembled each other and the description of L. maculosus as given by Dr. Sharp 

 might apply to maculosus or decipiens. Among other things, Dr. Sharp suppresses 

 Say's proximus but in this he is in error as he apparently failed to recognize the 

 species. Upon carefully studying the group, Mr. Roberts found that this species, as 

 well as the others, could be recognized by the coxal file. This character was recog- 

 nized only in the males and as yet no character had been found by which the females 

 might be separated. L. proximus of Say is a commonly recognized form and the 

 description fits Aubti's americanus which is not found in our collections. Upon 

 carefully comparing a specimen of americanus from the Antilles, Mr. Roberts found 

 that the two species were identical and hence the latter species would become a 

 synonym. In his collection all were represented save pumilio, the type of which was 

 in the LeConte collection and came from Enterprise, Florida. 



Dr. Wheeler asked in regard to the use of the coxal file as a stridulating organ 

 and Mr. Roberts said it would be very difficult to determine as it was such a minute 

 structure. 



Mr. Leng asked in what other groups good characters in the males could be 

 found while the females were difficult to determine. Dr. Wheeler stated that this 

 was the case in the Dolichopodida? among Diptera. Mr. Davis cited the species 

 Diplax obtrnsa and Diplax rubicunJiila in which the females were similar. Dr. 

 Osburn said that Mr. Walker, of Toronto, was studying ALschna constricta and found 

 that three distinct species were included under that name. He also stated that in 

 the Syrphidie the females of some species could not be referred even to the genus 

 while the males were readily determinable. In the Coleoptera Mr. Schaeffer cited 

 Copris Carolina and colonus, the females of which were similar while the males could 

 be separated by the characteristic tubercles. He also mentioned Professor Smith's 

 work on Lachnosterna where he had made use of the genitalia for separating the 

 species. 



The second paper of the evening was by Mr. Schaeffer who gave " Notes on 

 Some Coleoptera." He first discussed the various species of the genus Oncidcres and 

 said that the apparent variety of the insects he believed was due to the fact that they 

 emerged late in the season when little collecting was done and that they clung very 

 tightly to the twigs when disturbed so that in beating, unless they fell into the um- 

 brella at the first stroke, they would not be apt to be taken. The first year that he was 

 in Texas he had not captured any specimens of O. pustnlatns but had found many 

 branches infested with the larvre under acacia trees, and from these he had obtained a 

 number of the adult insects. Infested branches could be recognized by the stridu- 

 lating of the larvre within them. Onaderes texanus, however, was apparently rare 

 as only a few infested branches could be found. The following species and their 

 work were exhibited: Oncidcres aiignlala and girdling on hickory, O. pustu'ata 



