128 



one kind of animal, this rare species of Pulex may be looked for 

 with more or less prospect of obtaining it on any one of them, you will see 

 that its most noticeable peculiarities, beyond its unusual size — nearly |in. — 

 are that the head has foar rows of fine hairs arranged transversely, a 

 frontlet armed with strong spines, the two anterior being somewhat directed 

 forward to permit the movements of the large, rather feeble -looking trophi, 

 and a spinose occiput. The dorsum and abdomen are hairy, the fifth, sixth 

 and seventh segments banded with spines, that on the fifth crossing the 

 dorsum, those on the sixth and seventh limited to the sides. The pygidium 

 is overhung with long spinose hairs. The coxae are very broad, the anterior 

 pair hairy. The femora have a few scattered hairs, while the tibise are 

 fringed with long spiny hairs, as are also the first joint of each tarsus. A 

 remarkable point of internal structure may still be observed — it has two 

 spermatothecsB ! All other fleas, of which I have any knowledge, have but 

 one, and that on the left side. 



" This specimen is also of further interest, as still containing within it four 

 of the Uippopus (Acarellus) puHcis, the subject of a paper in the M.M.J, 

 for 1872, of Mr. M'lntyre's comments thereon, and of reference by Mr. 

 Andrew Murray in his work on Economic Entomology." 



The President said that the largest flea he had previously seen was 

 one exhibited by Mr. Westwood at the Linnean Society, and which he 

 called Pulex imperitor. But the one now sent to them by Mr. Tatem was a 

 giant even to that one. 



Mr. Michael said that almost all insects varied immensely in size, and 

 this was especially the case amongst the Lepidoptera — some being nearly 

 double the size of others. No doubt size was a guide, but, taken alone, 

 it was one of the most unsatisfactory guides in determining species. 

 Where, however, there were differences in structure, it was, of course, of 

 more importance. 



Mr. Ingpen said he had been asked to describe a little contrivance for 

 straining out Volvox and other things from water. It consisted of an in- 

 verted glass syphon, with a piece of fine muslin tied over the shorter leg. 

 The water it was desired to strain was poured gently into the longer 

 leg and ran over the short end, the objects floating in it being retained by 

 the muslin. 



Mr. Keeves suggested that it was a photographer's albumen strainer — so, 

 at least, Mr. Ackland called it. 



Mr. Ingpen wondered whether Mr. Ackland had ever used it for collecting 

 purposes, and, if so, that he did not let them know of it, as it seemed to 

 answer the purpose very well. 



The President said it was often noticed that ingenious devices struck 

 ingenious minds at the same time, there being no collusion but only coin- 

 cidence. 



Mr. A. D. Michael read a paper on Labidostomma luteum and Pijgmephorus 

 spinosus, two species of A carina hitherto unrecorded as British. The sub- 

 ject was illustrated by diagrams. 



