30 
fungi. Generally speaking, the infection from cultures must be made 
under favorable conditions of warmth and moisture. As yet, it is not 
known that this fungus occurs in California, yet it has been detected in 
scales on citrus trees, and it seems highly probable that it may occur 
wherever citrus trees are cultivated. 
After President Lazenby, of the Society for the Promotion of A gricul- 
tural Science, had been called to the chair, the following DADE from 
Mires Pe Gillette was read: 
LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS AT LIGHT AND AT SUGAR. 
By C. P. GILLETTE, Fort Collins, Colo. 
[Withdrawn for publication elsewhere. ] 
Mr. Webster presented the following paper: 
ON THE ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE CHINCH BUG. 
By F. M. WEBSTER, Wooster, Ohio. 
[ Withdrawn for publication elsewhere. ] 
Mr. Howard stated that it seemed probable that the immediate ances- 
tor of both the long winged and the short-winged forms of the chinch 
bug was a long-winged form, since abbreviation of wings is a degrada- 
tional character. Referring to the uncertainty of the original home of 
the insect, he expressed the opinion that this home would be found in 
the place where this insect is the most mimicked by other species. 
Mr. Ashmead agreed with Mr. Howard in the belief that the original 
type of the chinch bug was a long-winged form, and cited parallel cases 
of dimorphism in the Fulgoridze and Capside. In certain water bugs 
we have long-winged, short-winged, and apterous forms, the length of 
the wings, apparently, being due to seasonal influences. Parallel cases 
occur in Isosoma and in one of the parasites of the Hessian fly. The 
work which has been done in Europe upon the Cynipide throws much 
additional light on the subject of dimorphism, and, as a result of careful 
investigations made both here and in Europe, we are beginning to 
understand the laws which govern the appearance of dimorphic forms. 
Mr. Ashmead referred to an exchange of specimens of Heteroptera made 
with Mr. Montandon several years ago, when he obtained the European 
Blissus dorie and found it to be somewhat smaller than our American 
B. leucopterus. In Florida, if Mr. Ashmead’s recollection served him . 
rightly, the majority of the specimens which he had taken were of the 
short-winged form. Referring to the distribution of the chinch bug, he 
stated that it had been found in Mexico, 
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