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the term of larval life is prolonged proportionately to its diminution in the adult, 
and vice versa. While dissenting thus in some minor particulars from Weismann's 
views, he, nevertheless, "believes that this author has made out a clear case that the 
length of life in animals has heen very largely regulated hy the necessities and con- 
ditions of life and chiefly through natural selection. The conclusions drawn from 
other animals are particularly justified when insects are considered, the numerous 
cases particularly of retarded development under exceptional conditions indicating 
the great elasticity possessed in this particular by insects upon which natural selec- 
tion could play. Discussed hy Messrs. Fernow, Schwarz, and Ashmead. 
February 1, 1894. — Mr. H. G. Hubbard read a paper on the " Oviposition of Melita- 
ra prodenialis Walk.," a Phycid moth whose larvse bore into the pads of different 
species of Opuntia in Florida, and the eggs of which are laid in a long stick or chain. 
Discussed by Messrs. Howard, Gill, Schwarz. Riley, Ashmead, and Stiles. 
The Corresponding Secretary read a letter from Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell upon the 
"Hymenoptera of Jamaica," in which all of the species observed by the writer 
were listed and the character of the fauna was compared with that of North America 
#nd the other West Indian Islands. Discussed by Messrs. Hubbard, Schwarz, Riley, 
Ashmead, Howard, and Gill. 
Mr. Schwarz read a communication entitled " Notes on Melsheimer's Catalogue of 
Coleoptera published in 1806," exhibiting a copy of the catalogue which had been 
in the possession of Melsheimer and his two sons and which had been annotated in 
manuscript by J. F. Melsheimer. Mr. Schwarz commented at some length upon the 
footnotes given by Melsheimer to some species, mostly of economic interest. Dis- 
cussed by Messrs. Riley and Waite. 
Under the head of Exhibition of Specimens and Short Notes Dr. Marx exhibited 
an enlarged figure of a remarkable spider of the family Oonopidae which differed 
from all known forms in having a sclerite between the coxa and the sternum. 
Discussed by Messrs. Schwarz, Gill, Riley, and Ashmead. The secretary exhibited 
two figures sent in by Mr. Hopkins and which indicated the holes and stains made 
by Corthylus columbianus in the tree mentioned at the preceding meeting. Mr. Ash- 
mead exhibited specimens of Eudoxinna transversa Walk., and a new genus of the 
Proctotrypid subfamily Diaprinne which he proposes to call Notoxoides. Mr. Hub- 
bard exhibited specimens of Doryphora decemlineata collected at Fort Assiniboine, 
Mont., and which had not come in contact with the cultivated potato. 
L. O. Howard, 
Recording Secretary. 
