170 DUBLIN UNI VERSITY 



Dr. E. Perceval Wright read the following, by the Rev. A. It. 

 Hog an, A.M., Corresponding Member : — 



ON A NEW BRITISH ONISCOID FOUND IN ANTS' NESTS. 



Entomologists have of late years paid a great deal of attention to insects 

 living in ants' nests, and long lists have been drawn up, including many 

 that were mere accidental visitors. But the subject is still quite obscure, 

 for it is neither certain which are, nor which are not, inhabitants, properly 

 speaking, of the formicarium, nor how or why they come to be located 

 there. 



It is probable, however, that the new Oniscoid (Platyarthrus Hoff- 

 manseggii) now found in England, and previously known on the Conti- 

 nent, will prove to be a true denizen of the ant's nest; and the reasons 

 for this belief will be presently stated. 



Lulworth Cove, in Dorsetshire, is the locality at which P. Hoffman- 

 seggii was obtained by me. It is a most attractive spot for natural 

 scenery, and well known to English naturalists and geologists. There 

 are two ways of reaching it — by railway and by steamer. The South- 

 Western line has a station at "Wool — a little village about three miles 

 distant ; and those who like the walk, and desire to catch the " marbled- 

 white" butterfly, which is to be had on the road to the sea, cannot do 

 better than go by rail. But the favourite way of reaching Lulworth 

 Cove is by sea from Weymouth; it is only an hour's sail; and all the 

 summer through, a steamer plies, morning and evening, every Wednes- 

 day. The vessel is generally crowded with excursionists of the ordinary 

 unscientific class; but, fortunately, they nearly all, immediately on 

 landing, hurry off towards Lulworth Castle, which is between two and 

 three miles away ; so that the neighbourhood of the Cove is left undis- 

 turbed to those who would prefer the sight of Pamphila Actceon or Pla- 

 tyarthrus Hoffmanseggii to that of the finest painting the Castle or its 

 Roman Catholic chapel can boast. 



The sail across Weymouth Bay is beautiful. A fine view is obtained 

 of the towering ■ Isle of Portland, with its long artificial breakwater on 

 one side, and natural sea- dyke, the Chesil Bank, on the other. The 

 steamer makes almost straight for the " Burning Cliff" (which has of 

 late years ceased to hum), and then, passing for some distance in front 

 of a commanding chalk headland, reaches some outcropping rocks, form- 



