Entomological Society. iftl 



diameter, filled with small green caterpillars, the larva of the wasp 

 not being then visible ; but on removing the contents of the chamber 

 into a pill- box, it was discovered two days afterwards, being about 

 one line long : it fed voraciously, increased in size rapidly, and on 

 the fourteenth day had consumed the whole of its store of food except 

 three of the caterpillars, which had been previously attacked by Ich- 

 neumons, the larvae of which parasites had spun their cocoons before 

 the Odynerus-lnYTd was full-fed. The latter, after remaining quiescent 

 for two more days, then spun a globular silken cocoon, within which 

 it remained unchanged till the first week in the following Apri^ 

 when it cast off a thin skin and assumed the pupa state, the larva 

 skin remaining attached to the anal segment. At the end of the 

 third week it began to acquire some tint of its natural or perfect 

 colouring, the head becoming dark-coloured, as well as the tips of 

 the wings and femora ; day by day it progressed in its gradual ap- 

 proach to a perfect, state, and on the 26th of May it became active, 

 but it was two or three days before it finally took wing. The sex of the 

 insect developed was male. Mr. Smith made a sketch of the larva 

 in January ; it had thirteen segments and an anal tubercle, including 

 the head ; some hymenopterous larvae have apparently fourteen, as in 

 Epipone Icsvipes, but he believes the correct number to be ten, having 

 lateral spir^icles ; the head and following segment destitute of a spi- 

 racle, as well as the anal segment, which makes up the true number 

 thirteen, including the head. The larva of Osmia leucomelana would, 

 if the constrictions were numbered, have fifteen segments, including 

 the head : it is very deeply constricted ; and without taking the 

 spiracles as a guide, the number of segments would be puzzling to 

 enumerate. 



The larva of Osmia leucomelana after spinning its cocoon remains in 

 a state of lethargy until the beginning of March, when it assumes the 

 pupa state, and is afterwards about six weeks arriving at its perfect 

 condition. The pupa-case spun by the larva of this species of Osmia 

 closely resembles that spun by some species of fossorial Hymenoptera 

 of the genus Crabro. 



" Descriptions of some new species of Halticida from the Philip- 

 pine Islands." By G.R. Waterhouse, Esq. 



July Ist.'— G. Newport, Esq., President, in the Chair. 



Captain Parry exhibited an interesting collection of insects received 

 by him from New Zealand. Also a specimen of Sirex gigas, recently 

 captured by himself at Sunning Hill. 



The President exhibited specimens of Saropoda furcata, and its 

 parasite Ccelioxys conica, reared by himself from the nests made in 

 posts at Canterbury. 



Mr. Westwood exhibited some drawings made by Dr. Templeton 

 of various apterous insects of Ceylon, accompanying his memoir on 

 those insects printed in that island. 



Mr. Yarrell presented a leaf of the lime-tree, thickly covered with 

 small conical fleshy protuberances, apparently the result of the punc- 

 ture of insects. 



