768 
or north-east and south-west, thai when they trend 
east and west. 
7°, Tornado predictions have been made a matter 
of daily study since the 10th of March, 1884; and the 
average up to June 1 shows that it has been possible 
on fifty-five days to successfully predict from the 
morning weather-map that no tornado would occur 
RECENT PROCEEDINGS 
Trenton natural-history society. 
June 10. — Mr. F. A. Lucas described the building- 
habits of some birds. The cat-bird seems indifferent 
as to locality, building ten feet from the ground, or 
quite as often in a tangle of weeds within eighteen 
inches of the surface. The song-sparrow’s nest is 
small and delicate, resting on the ground, often in a 
slight depression, which makes it very inconspicuous. 
Dr. C. C. Abbott remarked on crayfish; also on 
a catfish new to the locality, and on field-mice. He 
had taken the meadow-mouse (Arvicola riparia) from 
a dead log, where it had hollowed a nest, lining it with 
hay and a few feathers; also from driftwood into 
which it had tunnelled. The food seems to be chiefly 
seeds, although it is probably carnivorous at times. 
Under the loose bark of decaying, prostrate trees, the 
white-footed mouse (Hesperomys leucopus) is occa- 
sionally found, although it usually makes a home in 
a thicket of briers or a deserted bird’s nest. The 
favorite food is unfledged birds. They are much 
afraid of snakes. They beat a hasty retreat when a 
dead snake is placed near the nest; but when con- 
vinced, by cautious examination, that the intruder is 
harmless, they bravely devour it. —— Prof. A. C. 
Apgar remarked on some rare plants: Vicia Ameri- 
cana, Muhl., never before observed in New Jersey; 
Viola pubescens eriocarpa, Nutt., a western variety ; 
Polemonium reptans, L., which had been removed 
from the Geological survey’s preliminary catalogue 
of New-Jersey plants, under the supposition, that, be- 
ing so remote from its usual habitat, it must have been 
incorrectly determined; Nuphar pumilum, Smith, 
and Struthiopteris Germanica, Willd., the last not 
having been previously observed in the state. —— Dr. 
A. C. Stokes communicated a paper on Tarantula 
arenicola Scudder, detailing its method of burrowing, 
of building the tower above the entrance, and of cap- 
turing food. Before the pit and tower are completed, 
the spider will seize food at some distance from the 
aperture: when finished, she leaps from the tower, 
and runs across the ground to take the selected vic- 
tim. If within the burrow when an insect passes over 
the tower, or becomes entangled in the loose grass 
of which it is usually formed, the spider rushes to 
the top, and the insect, if acceptable, is seized. The 
towers are irregularly five-sided, and an inch or less 
high. The burrows are cylindrical, perpendicular, 
and vary in depth from eight to twenty inches; in 
diameter, from one-quarter to three-quarters of an 
inch. 
SCIENCE. 
asta ’ eo) a ed ee ee 
‘ i ‘ 
[Vou. IIL, No. 72, 
on that day. On twenty-eight other days tornadoes 
were predicted for particular states or larger regions; 
and of them the tornadoes on seventeen days occurred 
in or near the specified region, while on eleven days 
tornadoes occurred in regions for which they were 
not predicted. JNO. P. FINLEY, 
Sergeant signal-corps, U. S. army. 
OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 
Entomological society, Washington. 
June 5. — Mr. George Marx read a composite paper 
on the geographical distribution of the Arachnidae 
of the United States, on the respiration of Epeira 
insularis, and biological notes on Latrodectes vere- 
cundus. The range of each family was pointed out 
in succession ; and the colorational changes, depend- 
ent upon locality, were treated at some length. The 
speaker had noticed a true alternate opening and 
closing of the pulmonary stigmata of the Epeira, on 
taking it from a tight box in which it had been con- 
fined for some days. By a careful rearing of the La- 
trodectes, he had thrown together no less than ten 
species described by Abbott, which are now referable 
to the different stages of L. verecundus. ——Mr. E. 
A. Schwarz exhibited specimens of Ino immunda 
(Cucujidae) and Eleusis pallida (Staphylinidae), call- 
ing attention to the marvellous resemblance, which 
he stated could not be referred to mimicry for pro- 
tective reasons, but must be considered accidental. 
— Mr. L. O. Howard exhibited specimens of Inos- 
temma Boscii (Proctotrupidae), and gave a short his- 
tory of the theories concerning the curious thoracic 
appendage, arriving at the conclusion that it is a sec- 
ondary sexual character. He also exhibited speci- 
mens of a new species of the genus Schizaspidia, 
collected in Florida by Mr. Schwarz, and which is 
also furnished with remarkable thoracic prolonga- 
tions. —— Dr. W. S. Barnard read a short paper on 
the development of Gordius and Mermis, exhibiting 
a specimen observed to issue from Harpalus pennsyl- 
vanicus. : 
Brookville society of natural history, Indiana, 
June 3. —Robert M. King presented a paper upon 
some studies of the land-shells of Indiana, showing 
differences in habits, food, and color of the shell. —— 
Aug. Diener gave a short paper upon the Luna moth, 
presenting the time of its appearance, and the length 
of periods of its several changes. ——E. R. Quick 
spoke at some length on the results of the trip of 
Alexander Wilson down the Ohio River in 1810, re- 
ferring particularly to Wilson’s advice concerning 
the opening of the Grave Creek mound, and to his 
labors in the neighborhood of Cincinnati, at the mouth 
of the Big Miami River, at what is now the town of 
Vevay in Switzerland county, this state, and in the 
neighborhood of Louisville, —all points of interest, 
because of their proximity to the field in which the ~ 
society is working. 
