34 



I cannot hope that I have conveyed much information in these notes ta 

 those who have gone over the same ground, but I am at least sure that I have 

 recounted some of the experiences of every biological student of insect life, and 

 can sympathise in hi^ disappointments and appreciate the satisfaction oi his 

 successes. 



THIRD DAY'S SESSION. 



The Club met on Friday at 8.30 a.m. Dr. Weed presented a short paper ort 

 the habits of Lixus concavus. 



As reported in the bulletin of the Ohio Experimental Station, Mr. Alwood 

 had found this insect injuring the stems of rhubarb. During the past summer 

 he had bred it from all parts of the stem of the common curled dock. 



Prof. Alwood stated that he had observed the larvae of Gortyna nitela eating 

 those of Lixus, 



Dr. Weed read a paper upon the habits of Psephenus Lecontei. 



Prof. Webster and Mr. Fletcher also spoke on the habits of this beetle. 



Prof. Hargitt read a note upon a large foliaceous gall which destroyed the 

 tips of the stems of various species of Soliclago at Bloomington, Indiana. In 

 many instancas as many as ninety-nine per cent, of the flower stems had been 

 destroyed. 



Prof. Hargitt read a note upon the Canker Worm. He said : " My attention 

 was drawn to an orchard near Oxford, Ohio, which, for three or four years, had 

 been seriously affected by this pest. In May, 1890, I went to examine the 

 orchard and found it thoroughly over-run by the larvae, many of the trees being 

 actually dead, and several others in a very weak condition. The orchard, viewed 

 at a distance, had the appearance of having been burned, the leaves being brown 

 and dead. The trees were most attacked upon the outer rows, particularly 

 those adjoining a wood. I recommended spraying with one of the arsenites, but 

 it was too late for the present season. I observed several small birds in the 

 orchard actually engaged in feeding upon the larvae, amongst them the cedar bird^ 

 blue bird, summer warbler, chipping sparrow and field sparrow." 



Prof, Hargitt also read a note upon Cermatia forceps. He had found that 

 this Myriapod had become abundant in houses and the college building at Oxford, 

 Ohio, during the past two or three years. He had experienced the same difficulty 

 in keeping the insects alive in captivity, as was mentioned by Dr. Lintner in his 

 4th Report. He had succeeded in keeping them for several days and inducing 

 them to take prey by keeping them in dark quarters in a tin canister during the 

 day. When so confined they had fed freely upon house-flies, and other insects 

 supplied them. 



Prof. Webster spoke of the predaceous habits of G. forceps, and its special 

 fondness for the Croton-bug (Ectohia germanica). 



Mr. Fletcher had observed the insect when visiting Mr. Howard at Washing- 

 ton, D. C, who had described to him its remarkable habit of capturing the 

 Croton-bug by springing over it and thus encaging it beneath its many curved 

 legs. He was of the opinion that those who had failed to keep this insect in 

 captivity had done so from omitting to supply a sufficiency of moisture, and 

 thought that Mr. Hargitt's success in the instance mentioned, where the insect 

 was put in a tin can, was more due to this cause than to the darkness. Myria- 

 pods are general found in damp, dark places. 



