162 



THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. 



November 1, 1888. — Mr. Schwarz read and commented upon a passage in Garzilasso 

 de la Vega's account of DeSoto's exi^editiou, relative to silk-culture in Mexico in the 

 earlier part of the fifteenth century, and offered some remarks on the absence of any 

 reference by that old author to the various insect x^ests annoying man, Avith vrhich 

 the Spaniards must have come in contact for the first time during DeSoto's march 

 through North America. 



Mr. Fox read some notes on the spiders collected by him in Tennessee during the 

 past summer. He especially commented on the habitat of a species of Dolomedes taken 

 by him, and upon the tube of Lycosa nidifex, which is different from that described l)y 

 Dr. Marx in his description of the species. Dr. Marx made some remarks on the 

 paper, and gave the burrowing habits of Lycosa nidifex as observed by him near the 

 seashore. He also suggested that this is a good time to collect gossamer spiders, which 

 are now very abundant. 



Mr. Howard suggested the collection of spider egg masses for the purpose of trying 

 to get parasites. 



Professor Riley suggested that the larva of ManlisjM can be obtained in the same 

 way. He also made some remarks on the habits of a species of Agalena common on 

 his grounds. He further made some remarks on the habits of Atypus. 



Mr. Smith made some remarks on the habits of Stomoxys as observed by him at his 

 residence. He says neither he nor any member of his family have been bitten by them, 

 although they have now entirely rej)laced the Miisca domestica. They are not attacked 

 by the fungus which is rapidly killing the few remaining specimens of JLf. domestica. 



A discussion of the habits of Stomoxys was participated in by Messrs. Mann, Smith, 

 Riley, Schwarz, Howard, and Al wood. 



Mr. Schwarz made a series of shorter communications on the following insects, of 



which specimens were exhibited : On Dendroctonus siinplex attacking Larix Americana, 



and on the other Scolytids atttacking the Tamarack; on the secondary characters in 



the male oi Pissodes affinis ; on a new Herbarium pest from California {Trigonogenius 



sp.), on the hitherto unknown female of Photinus coUustraits ; on a specimen of Siu- 



oxylon hasilare v,'ith two-jointed anteuual club, and on the occurrence of Sinoxylon 



texanum near Washington. A discussion arose^ between Messrs. Riley, Howard, 



Schwarz, and Smith on the constancy of the number of anteuual joints in insects and 



their value in classification. 



John B. Smith, 



Recording Secretary. 



Fig. 35. C haloid jlaripcs. 



