302 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



Head and body deep black, the former, covered with short 

 down. Feet and claspers shining j^ellow ; the claws are brown, 

 and the feet are a little spotted witli the same colour. The length 

 is about 10 lines ; the food-plant birch. 



III. — On Niptus hololeucus (Fald). By the same Author. 



In looking over my duplicate insect boxes not long ago, I found 

 that in one of them considerable damage had been done to 

 the specimens by some insect ; and. a search soon showed that 

 the culprit was a beetle larva, which I determined to breed, in 

 order to find out to what species it belonged. In tliis I was suc- 

 cessful; and the insect turned out to be Niptus hololeucus, a beetle 

 which appears to be only found in houses, and that often does 

 considerable damage. In the Zoologist for 1862, p. 8218, it is 

 recorded to have occurred in great numbers in a grocer's shop, 

 infesting the beds and furniture, and devouring the clothes of the 

 residents ; and in the Ent. Mo. Mag. for October, 1872, there is 

 a note stating that it over-ran a house to such an extent as to 

 be a perfect pest. It, according to the inhabitants, ate flannel, 

 cloth, etc., and they frequently swept it from the floor in 

 hundreds. 



The larva is a soft, fleshy, cylindrical grub, with a hairy body. 

 The mandibles are black, or brownish-black, and above them is a 

 large brown spot, of a lighter tint. It walks very slowly, with the 

 body curled ; and it seems to use the large anal segment in walk- 

 ing ; and it can also hold on by it. In the two notes I have 

 mentioned above there is nothing said about the larva, and the 

 damage done is attributed to the perfect beetle. 



2d March, 1875. 



Professor John Young, M.D., F.G.S., President, in the chair. 



The Chairman called attention to the appointment of Captain 

 H. W. Feilden, a corresponding member of the Society,' as one of 

 the naturalists to the wqw Arctic expedition, and stated that Capt. 

 Feilden's high recommendations from eminent scientific men, and 

 his knowledge of Zoology and other branches of natural history, 

 thoroughly fitted him for this honourable and important post. 

 Captain Fcildcn had frequently contributed papers to the Society's 



