28 



retracted, into the cranial cavity towards the eye, thence bending posteriorly and 

 extending along the posterior wall of the head to the mouth opening. Both 

 mandible and styliform parts are perforate (or possibly grooved). 



Two unmistakable tarsal claws are present in this genus. From their 

 relation of position to the pads the latter would seem to be modified pulvilli. 



Prof. Osborn was much pleased with what Prof. Garman had stated. He 

 had also observed some of the points mentioned in a special study which he had 

 made of these insects, and hoped Prof. Garman would publish his results as soon 

 as possible. 



Dr. Weed presented a short paper on the oviposition of Listronotus lati- 

 usculus. The eggs are laid in clusters of from five to ten upon the leaf stalks of 

 Sagittaria variabUis, and are covered with small pieces of the epidermis which 

 are nibbled off by the adult beetle. This was discussed by Messrs. Garman^ 

 Fletcher and Webster. 



Mr. Charles Ptobertson, of Carlinville, 111., read a most interesting note upon 

 the habits of the bee Emphor homhiliformis, which was originally described by 

 Creason as a Melissodes, but Paton, in revising the genus, raised it to Emjphor. 

 This bee, it was stated, confines itself almost exclusively to Hibiscus, chiefly 

 H. lasiocarpus. The appearance and habits of the bee were described. It was 

 stated that in collecting these bees it is important to catch those flying around 

 the plant without alighting, as these were generally the males, whilst those visit- 

 ing the flowers for honey and pollen were the females. On August 5th, when 

 walking along a dam with water on one side, he had noticed a female standing 

 upon the water ; she then flew to a bank, and he observed that she was carrying 

 water to facilitate the excavation of hard ground, into which she was burrowing 

 to build her nest. Sometimes one pellet of earth would be taken out after such 

 an application of water, but at others three or even four. An interesting dis- 

 cussion followed which was participated in by Messrs. Osborn, Cook, Weed^ 

 Fletcher and others. 



Prof. Osborn read the following note " On a Peculiar Form of Coleopterous- 

 larva " : Eleven years ago, while a student in college, I found a peculiar form of 

 larva borino^ in the twig's of ash trees, and it was described at the time in the- 

 students' journal at the college (The Aurora, May, 1879, page 5.) under the cap- 

 tion " A Grub With Legs on its Back." The description is as follows : " The speci- 

 men was found boring in the pith of a small twig on an ash tree near the road 

 west of the college, apparently beginning at or near the tip of the twig and work- 

 ing downward. Numerous twigs were found that had been inhabited in this- 

 way, but only one specimen of the borer was found — this about a quarter of an 

 inch long, quite slim, and nearly white. Its great peculiarity consists in the dis- 

 position of its locomotive apparatus. The first three segments following the head 

 are provided with the usual pair of legs, each in the normal position — that is, on 

 the ventral surface. The following six segments are provided each with a pair 

 of pro-legs, similar to those found on many caterpillars, but, strange to say, these 

 are arranged upon the dorsal surface, exactly the opposite of the usual arrange- 

 ment, while the number six is different from either the caterpillars, where there 

 are four or five, or the saw-fl}^ larvm, which have eight. The remaining three 

 segments have no propellers whatever. The beauty of this arrangement, for the 

 conditions of the borer, can at once be seen, for it has as much foot-hold above as 

 below. Placed upon a flat surface it could make no advancement, but wriggled 

 awkwardly about, evidently seeking its double foot-hold. Placed between two 

 thin plates of glass, it moved rapidly, using all its legs, and going with equal 



