112 :>>^y' 



series of red forms of Tceniocampa gracilis from the New Forest and Rannoch. Mr. 

 Tutt read a most interesting paper, entitled, "Some Considerations of Natural 

 Genera and Incidental References to the Nature of Species." — Ht. J. Turner, 

 Jlon. Secretary. 



Entomological Society of London : March ^rd, 1897. — Mr. R. Trimen, 

 F.R.S., President, in the Chair. 



Mr. George W. Bird, of the Manor House, West Wickhani, Kent ; Mr. Alfred 

 H. Martineau, of Solihull, Warwickshire; Mr. Hubert C. Phillips, M.R.C.S., of 83, 

 Shirland Gardens, W. ; Mr. William A. Vice, M.B., of 5, Belvoir Street, Leicester ; 

 and Mr. Colbran J. Wainwright, of 147, Hall Road, Handsworth, Birmingham ; 

 were elected Fellows of the Society. 



The Secretary announced that the Committee appointed to consider the question 

 of the protection of British insects in danger of extermination, had unanimously 

 resolved that it was desirable to form an Association, the members of which should 

 agree to discourage, by their own example and by their influence, the excessive 

 collecting of all those species of Lepidoptera which from their habits appeared to be 

 in danger of extermination ; that this resolution had received the approval of the 

 Council, who would refer the matter back to the Committee, in order that definite 

 proposals for the formation of such an Association might be drafted, and it was 

 hoped to lay these proposals before the Society for discussion upon April 7th. 

 Mr. Champion exhibited, on behalf of Messrs. Godman and Salvin, a portion of 

 the Elateridm, and the Celrionida and Ehipidocerida recently worked out by him 

 in the " Biologia Centrali-Americana." The Elaterida included 531, the Cehrionida 

 29, and the Rhipidocerida 14 species, a large proportion of which were described as 

 new. He also exhibited a specimen of Eudectiis Girandi, Redt., found by himself 

 at Mendel, in the Austrian Tyrol, in July last. This is a rare European species of 

 StapJtyiinidce, a black variety of which {E. Whitei, Sharp) had once been found in 

 Scotland, on the summit of Ben-a-Bhuird. Mr. Jacobj showed a Halticid beetle, 

 taken in Mashonaland by Mr. G. A. K. Marshall, and remarkable for a prolongation 

 of the hind tibia beyond the tarsal articulation, into a very long serrated process. 

 Mr. Elwes showed a series of PapilionidcB of the Machaon group, from North 

 America, including P. Machaon and P. oregonia from British Columbia, P. Brucei, 

 P. Pairdii, and P. Zolicaon from Glenwood Springs, Colorado, and the latter species 

 from British Columbia. He stated that there was a tolerably complete gradation 

 from P. oregonia (= Machaon) through P. Brucei to P. Zolicaon, that none of the 

 characters which had been relied on for separation were of real value, and that the 

 structure of the genitalia afforded no assistance. Although P. Bairdii appeared to 

 be very distinct in appearance and habits, it was associated with the other forms in 

 Colorado, and Mr. W. H. Edwards stated that he had bred both P. Bairdii and P. 

 oregonia from eggs of the same female of either of the two forms. Mr. J. J. Walker 

 mentioned that he had bred P. Zolicaon from larvae found on Siiim, at Esquimalt, 

 Vancouver Is., and that neither larva nor pupa was distinguishable from that of P. 

 Machaon. Mr. O. II. Latter read a paper on " The prothoracic gland of DIcranura 

 vinula, and other notes," in continuation of his previous communications on the subject. 

 A fresh use of the formic acid secreted by the larva was described ; it was employed 

 to alter the silk secreted in spinning the cocoon, in order to convert it into the well- 



