if»oo.] 215 



of Lozopera Francillonana ; the larva feeds in the flower-heads and seeds, and 

 burrows into the stem for hibernation, in the majority of cases under the protection 

 of the great sheathing petioles at the lower joints. These burrows proceed in all 

 directions, but most frequently upwards, for several inches, often as much as eight 

 or ten inches, and then approach the surface, and the burrowing appears to go on 

 all winter. In February and March larvae may be found that have not completed 

 their burrows. On completion the burrow approaches the surface, and the opening 

 is of full calibre, but a delicate film of tissue is left to be ruptured by the emerging 

 pupa, and a number of vacant holes are also visible, being the exit of an ichneumon, 

 which affects a large majority of the Tortrix larvae. The species was believed to be 

 Chelonus inanitus, Nees. The heads of several dead ones that failed to emerge suc- 

 cessfully were to be seen at some of the holes. He said he had placed a black circle 

 round four holes as prepared by the larva of the Tortrix for emergence, that were 

 still intact, and in two of these it was to be noted that the diapliragm was, as he 

 had described, the cuticular tissue of the plant ; in the two others, however, this 

 had been damaged, and here the larva had made a silken diaphragm fortified with 

 chips of the stem tissue. In the neighbourhood of the node especially the holes of 

 entry were to be seen packed tightly with frass, which appeared to be uneaten 

 material. At the extremities of the specimen, which was too short to contain the 

 whole of the individuals that entered at this node, the larvae had burrowed in the 

 stem. Mr. F. Enock exhibited living specimens of male and female Ranaira 

 linearis, Linn., from Epping, together with the peculiar forked eggs, which he had 

 observed laid by the Ranatra, as it rested upon the upper surface of the leaf 

 grasping the edges with its claws. The short anterior legs are held well up close 

 together, in a line with the body, the head raised about an inch from the leaf, while 

 tlic tip of the abdomen and ovipositor is pressed against the leaf — a downward and 

 forward movement being given. The ovipositor is thus forced through the leaf, 

 then partially withdrawn and the egg extruded and forced into the hole as far as 

 the forked filaments, which prevent it from going right through the leaf. The eggs 

 are frequently laid in the half-decayed stems of aquatic plants. The peculiar Prest- 

 wichin aqttatica, Lubbock, has been bred from the eggs of Ranatra. Mr. H. K. 

 Donisthorpe, a larval case of Cli/thra quadripunclata from the nest of Formica 

 rufa, and a case fastened to a piece of wood in the nest containing pupse ; larva and 

 pupa cases in spirit, removed from cases, and an empty case fastened to a twig 

 showing how the beetle escapes, and the perfect insect ; also Lomechusa strumosa, 

 with its host Formica sanguinea, sent by Father Wasmann from Holland, the 

 insects mounted in the position assumed by the guest and host when the former is 

 being fed by the latter ; and Cossyphodes Bewickii, WolL, a beetle from Cape Colony, 

 with ants with which it is found — Pheidole megacephala, var. punctidata, Mayr. 

 The beetle is a good example of the protected guests. Mr. C. G. Barrett,, two 

 females of Spilosoma mendica, reared by Mr. J. E. Robson, of Hartlepool, tinged 

 with purplish-pink, and ordinary specimens of the same for contrast. A paper was 

 communicated on " Life-histories of the Hepialid group of Lepidoptera," by Mr. 

 Ambrose Quail ; and " A note on the habits and structure of Acanthopsyche opa- 

 cella, Il.-Sch.," by Dr. A. Chapman. — C. J. Gahan and H. Rowland-Brown, 

 Hon. tiecretaries. 



