2-i [January. IS'.tT. 



Meldola said that formalin was another name for a solution of formic aldehyde : it 

 is now used in the colour industry, and is, therefore, produced on a large scale. 

 Mr. Newstead communicated a paper, entitled, " Xew CoccidcB collected by the KeT. 

 A. E. Eaton in Algeria." — H. Goss and W. W. Fowleb, Hon. Secretaries. 



December 2nd, 1896.— Dr. David Sharp, M.A., F.R.S., Vice-President, in 

 the Chair. 



Dr. Sharp exhibited the series of Longicorn CoJeoptera of the genus 

 Plagithmysus from the Hawaiian Islands, of which a pi-eliminary account had 

 recently been given by him elsewhere. He said that these examples were the result 

 of Mr. Perkins' work for the Sandwich Island Committee, and afforded a fair 

 sample of his success in the other Orders, which would be found to have completely 

 revolutionized our knowledge of the entomological fauna of these islands. He 

 stated that Mr Meyrick had recently informed him that the Geometridce would '. 

 increased from six species to forty-four, and that the genus Plagilhniyftus showed an 

 almost equal increase ; and that the working out of tlie specimens was very difficult, 

 owing to the variability of the species and to their being closely allied. Mr. 

 Malcolm Burr exhibited a specimen of a cockroach, Pycnoxcelus indicun, Fabr., taken 

 in a house at Bognor, Sussex. He said this was the first record of the occurrence 

 of the species in England. According to De Saussure, it was distributed throughout 

 India, Ceylon, Mexico, and the United States. Mr. P. Crowley, a remarkable 

 variety of Abraxas grossulariata taken in a garden at Croydon last summer. Mr. 

 Tutt, some Micro- Lepidop'tera from the Dauphine Alps. Several specimens of 

 Psecadia pusiella, Rom., showing considerable difference in the width of the black 

 zigzag band crossing the centre of the fore-wings longitudinally. The species was 

 taken at La Grave, in a gully at the back of the village. A large number of 

 specimens were secured, chiefly resting on the trunks and branches of two or three 

 ash and willow trees growing on the bank at the side of tlie gully. A few specimens , 

 however, were obtained drying their wings on the grass on the bank, but Mr. Tutt 

 stated that he failed to find pupa-cases. The captures were all made on the 

 mornings of August 7th and 8th. In spite of the striking conspicuousncss of the 

 insect when set out for the cabinet, it was by no means easy to detect at first on the 

 tree trunks. Mr. Tutt also exhibited specimens of a " plume " which had been 

 named Leioptilus (Alucita) scarodactyla. It was exceedingly abundant on the 

 Artemisia growing on the roadside just below La Grave. There could be little 

 doubt, he thought, from the habits of the insect, that the Artemisia had been its 

 food-plant. He also exhibited specimens, from Le Lautaret, of Sericoris rivulana, 

 Oelechia spuriella, Sophronia semicoxtetla, Pleurota 2^i/''0]>ella, CEcophora stipelLi, 

 and B utal is fallacel la. The latter were chiefly interesting from the fact that they 

 were taken at an elevation of about 8,000 feet. Lord Walsingham made some 

 remarks on the specimens. Lord Walsingham read a paper, entitled, " Western 

 Equatorial African Micro- Lepidoptera." A discussion ensued, in which Dr. Sharp, 

 Herr Jacoby, and others, took part. — H. Goss, Hon. Secretary. 



Committee of the Entomologioai, Society of London foe the Pro- 

 tection OF British Lepidoptera — At a Meeting held on November 25t]i, it was 

 resolved to invite the co-operation of local Societies throughout the L^nited Kingdom, 

 and to ask them to furnish information as to proceedings likely to cause the extermi- 

 nation of local species of Lepidoptera. Communications will be received by the Hon. 

 Secretary. — Chas. G. Barrett, 39, Linden Grove, Nunhcad, S.E. 



