66 Entomological Society. 



He has obtained some very curious spiders, and which he thinks must 

 be separated from genera as yet published. 



The letter was accompanied by a list privately printed by Dr. 

 Templeton, containing descriptions of the species of Thysanura, 

 Myriapoda, Scorpionidce, Cheliferidae and Phrynidce, which the author 

 had discovered in Ceylon, with the following notes on the habits of 

 Phrynus lunatus, Pallas : — 



" Very common in chinks in old walls of dwelling-houses and 

 dark outhouses. The usual movements of this curious animal are 

 slow and prowling, and indifferently in all directions like a crab ; if 

 it be however disturbed it runs with amazing velocity, vastly quicker 

 than the cockroaches, upon the young of which it usually preys : 

 it seizes them by the head and legs with the claws of the pedipalpi 

 with a sudden snap, and thrusts its head into the soft parts beneath 

 the anal plate so as to suck the juices, the maxillary palpi being 

 pressed alternately on the dorsal surface with a clawing movement, 

 in its attempts to force its mandibles more deeply in : it however 

 sometimes devours the coriaceous parts of the insect, as I found by 

 placing one with it in a tumbler ; during the night the femora and 

 all the juicy parts of its prey had disappeared. I have never found 

 cast-off skins. When irritated with the handle of a brush, the snapping 

 blow it makes with the pedipalpi is singularly violent and startling.'* 



In reference to which Mr. Hope stated, that Signor Costa had 

 informed him that the bite of the Scolopendra, in the island of Ischia, 

 was to a certain extent venomous, the pain lasting for seven or eight 

 days, and being considerable; ammonia was the usual remedy. 

 Captain Parry also stated that the same effects were produced by the 

 bite of the Scolopendra in Portugal. 



Mr. Westwood mentioned that he had recently observed the 

 excessive fondness of wasps for honey- dew upon whitethorns in the 

 spring ; and that it was thence advisable to watch situations in which 

 Aphides abounded at that time, in order to destroy the queen wasps 

 attracted to such spots. He also stated that he had noticed an oak- 

 tree in Staffordshire far more backward in its foliage than the aeigh- 

 bouiing trees, but which was entirely covered with galls, the latter 

 being produced by the Cynipida, which had particularly selected this 

 tree from its ill state of health, as proved by its backward foliage. 



August 5th. — G. Newport, Esq., President, in the Chair. 



Mr. Evans exhibited a Ian thorn adapted with lenses, nearly similar 

 to a magic lanthorn, which he had found of great service in delinea- 

 ting the veins of the wings of Neuropterous insects, the figures being 

 received upon tracing-paper gummed upon a square of glass, and 

 held at any distance from the machine according to the size required. 



Mr. F. Bond exhibited a specimen of Deilephila Galii taken at 

 Harrow in July; also specimens of Polyommatus Arion taken at 

 Barnewall Wold in Northamptonshire during the latter half of July. 



Mr. S. Stevens exhibited a box of Lepidoptera recently taken in 

 Black Park near Buckingham, containing the following rare insects : 

 Limenitis Camilla, Psilura monacha, Mythimna turca, Polia herbida 

 and bimaculosa, Graphiphora brunnea, festiva, rhomboidea {tristigma) 

 and triangulum, Hadena saponaria and oblonga, Rusina ferruginea. 



