15 



The second concerns the mouth parts. The general homologies of these organs were 

 clearly and accurately enough stated by Savigny, though one may perhaps have a right to 

 consider the last word not yet said when one recalls Saussure's recent claim to have found 

 in Hemimerus a second labium. What I refer to, however, is another point: it relates to 

 appendages of the maxilla? and the labium. Considering the labium as a soldered pair of 

 secondary maxilla? we have at the most, on either pair of maxillae, three appendages upon 

 either side. These appendages, as you know, are very variously developed in different 

 sub-orders of insects, or even in the same sub-order ; and it has at least not been shown, 

 and I question if it can be done, that the parts bearing similar names in different sub-orders 

 are always homologous organs. Here is a study as broad and perhaps as difficult as the 

 last. 



The third is the morphological significance of monstrosities, especially of such as are 

 termed monstrosities by excess. The literature of the subject is very scattered, and the 

 material much more extensive than many of you may think. At present this subject is, 

 so to speak, only one of the curiosities of Entomology, but we may be coufident that it 

 will one day show important relations to the story of life. 



After all the labours of Herold, Treviranus, Lyonet, Dufour, and dozens of other 

 such industrious and illustrious workers, is there anything important remaining to be 

 done in the gross anatomy of insects 1 some of you would perhaps ask. Let the recent 

 work of some of our own number answer, which has shown in the Hemiptera and 

 Lepidoptera the existence of a curious pumping arrangement by which nutritious fluids 

 are forced into the stomach. It is certainly strange that after all that has been said as to 

 the mode in which a butterfly feeds, that no one should have dissected a specimen with 

 sufficient care to have seen the pharyngeal sac which Mr. Burgess will soon show us. 

 No ! the field is still an open one, as the annual reviews clearly show. The curious 

 results of Floegel's studies of the brain, the oddly-constructed sense-organs found by 

 Graber and Meyer (earlier noticed briefly by Leydig) in the antenna? of Diptera, the 

 important anatomical distinctions discovered by Forel in different groups of ants, the 

 strange modification of the tip of the spiral tongue in Ophideres, which Darwin, Briten- 

 bach and Kimckel have discussed, and, above all, the extensive investigations of the 

 nervous system in insects generally, which Brandt has recently undertaken, the exquisite 

 memoir of Grenacher on the structure of the compound eye, and the keen researches of 

 Graber in various departments of insect anatomy, show, by what has been accomplished, 

 how many harvests are still unreaped. The microtome, too, has put a new instrument of 

 Drecision into the hands of the investigator in this field. 



We might in the same way point out some of the special needs in the study of the- 

 finer anatomy or histology of insects, but the pressure of other duties borbids a further 

 pursuit of the subject. Enough surely has been suggested, even in this hasty sketch, to 

 show that we cannot yet rest upon our oars, but must push forward undaunted into still 

 unknown waters. If these few words shall arouse in any one a higher ambition, leading 

 to better work, their aim will have been accomplished. 



On motion of the Secretary, B. P. Mann, the minutes of the last meeting of the 

 Club were adopted as printed in the Canadian Etomologist. 



The President read portions of a letter from Mr. Wm. Saunders, of London, Ont., 

 explaining his absence owing to a severe accident, and expressed the great regret felt by 

 all present that Mr. Saunders was not with them, and that his absence was occasioned by 

 so unfortunate a cause. 



The election of officers then took place (by ballot) with the following result : — 



President. — Dr. John G. Morris, of Baltimore, Maryland. 

 Vice-President. — C. V. Riley, of Washington, D.C. 

 Secretary. — B. P. Mann, of Cambridge, Mass. 



Mr. A. R. Grote, of Buffalo, X.Y., delivered an able and interesting lecture on 

 certain generic characteristics of the Xoctuidai, which, it is to be hoped, he will prepare for 



