40 



THIRD DAY'S SESSION. 



Oa November 13, there was a morning meeting of the association ; 21 

 persons present. The president announced that the first business of the meeting 

 would be the election of officers for the ensuing year. The following were elected : 

 President, Mr. James Fletcher, Dominion Entomologist of Canada ; 1st Vice- 

 president, Prof. F. H. Snow, Kansas ; 2nd Vice-president, Prof. Herbert Osborn, 

 Iowa ; Secretary, Mr. L. 0. Howard, Washington, D.C. 



The advisability of all members of the association sending their bulletins to 

 other members was brought up and there was a unanimous expression that this 

 should be done. This will not only be a means of apprising each of what others 

 are doing, but will act as a bond of union amongst the members of the 

 association. 



It was decided after some discussion to hold the next meeting of the associa- 

 tion at Washington, D.C., beginning just before the meeting of the American 

 Association for the Advancement of Science. 



The constitution was amended by striking out the word " official" in the 

 title, and an amendment Avas submitted abolishing the distinction between official 

 and non-official members as to rights and privileges. 



Prof. Smith read a paper entitled " Some questions relating to Aphides." 

 Great stress was laid upon the value of the poriferous system of the antennae of 

 the winged forms in distinguishing species. Only by these characters could the 

 adults of Aphis mali and A. maidis be separated. The poriferous system of a 

 wingless viviparous female of any species was always like that of the larval form 

 — from this Prof. Smith considered that the process known as " gemmation " was 

 a case of true reproduction by larvae. 



The matter was discussed by Messrs. Webster, Howard and Osborn who 

 agreed with this pretty generally accepted theory. 



Prof. C. P. Gillette read a paper — " Notes on the Plum Curculio and Plum 

 Gouger," in which he detailed his observations relative to the egg-laying habits 

 of the two insects. Mr. Lawrence Bruner spoke on " beet-root insects." The 

 increased area under sugar-beet in the State of Nebraska had rendered a study of 

 the insects attacking this crop a necessity He gave a list of all the species he 

 had found attacking the plant. 



Mr. Fletcher asked if any practical remedy had been devised for the 

 Anthomyian fly which mined in the leaves of beets and mangolds. 



None of those present had had any experience with the insect in injurious 

 numbers. 



Mr. Howard asked whether the European pest of the beet-root (Silpha 

 Opaca) had be enobserved by Mr. Bruner or any one else as occurring in America. 



Mr. Bruner had not noticed it. 



Mr. Fletcher expressed interest in the life-history of the Collops beetles and 

 asked if anything was known concerning them. He had only taken them when 

 sweeping grasses. Prof. Smith had taken them on Solidago. 



Mr. Smith related his observations on "an invasion by the Clover-leaf 

 Beetle." This had appeared in great numbers in New Jersey during the summer 

 but ^was entirely exterminated by a fungous disease. 



Mr. Howard mentioned a similar attack in Pennsylvania where the insect 

 had developed a fondness for timothy {Phleum pratense) Specimens were sent to> 

 Washington and caged over this grass, upon which they were observed to feed. 



