118 [^I'^y- 



slightly attacked, but not in any way injnred, and tried to conciliate the $ $ 

 by stroking them with her antennae ; she protected lier waist by crossing the 

 back legs over it, and her neck by pressing the head back against the thorax. 

 By December 21st she was accepted by the whole nest, and has been treated as 

 their queen ever since. Only one or two ^ ^ occasionally threatened her with 

 their jaws, though the first fuliginosus $ placed in the nest was killed. The 

 $ $ killed most of their own virgin 9 ? • Mr. W. C. Crawley also exhibited a 

 case containing a colony of Lasius umbratus with a L. fuliginosus 9 as queen, 

 and a colony of L. niger with a L. umbratus queen. He mentioned that 

 deiilated ? ? do not always behave as if fertilized, the ? in this nest being 

 restless, as the winged ? ? are before the marriage flight. Dr. Chapman 

 began a discussion as to whether this form of " parasitism " was in the long 

 run profitable to the parasitised species, by weeding out the weaker nests ; the 

 President, Mr. Verrall, and Mr. G. A. K. Marshall also joined in the discussion. 

 Mr. F. Merrifield exhibited 134 specimens of Selenia bilunaria, and read a short 

 paper on the question whether temperatiu-e in the pupal stage may affect the size 

 of the imago in form in the Heterocera. His experiments showed that in every 

 case the imagines from the cooled pupa3 are, on the average, larger than those 

 from the forced, the difference ranging in the males from 1'3 to 20"8 per cent, 

 (averaging 13'6 or 13'9), in the females from 0'7 to 9'5 per cent, (avering 3'3 or 

 3'6). It seemed to him that the difference was too great and too diffused, 

 embracing, as it does, each sex in five separate families, to be explained in any 

 other way than this : that it is caused by something that, in consequence of 

 the difference in temperature, happened to either those forced or those cooled, 

 or both of them, in the pupal stage. Mr. H. Main, a stereoscopic photograph 

 of the cocoon of Chrysopa jlava, opened to show the hybernating larva, and of 

 the larva taken out of the cocoon to show how it lies coiled up with its tail over 

 its head. Mr. O. E. Janson, larvas and cases of a Psychid from Amboyna, the 

 cases being beautifully constructed and closely covered on the exterior with 

 small spines, intermixed with larger spines or thorns. The largest of the cases 

 measured 9 ins. in length. Dr. Chapman read a paper on " The Britisli and a 

 few Continental Species of the Genus Scoparia," and showed photographs of 

 the 'Tenitalia and a drawing to illustrate the neuration. 



The Secretary announced that the Conversazione was fixed for Wednesday, 

 May 17th, and that the Linnean Society had kindly placed their Rooms at the 

 disposal of the Society for that occasion, and were generously lending their 

 lantern, making no charge for light or for the current for the lantern. He also 

 announced that Professor Povilton and Mr. Enock had consented to give 

 lectures on that occasion. As the arrangements with the Linnean Society 

 preclude the sale of tickets, it will be necessary to ask for a subscription 

 towards the expenses (for refreshments, printing, postage, &c.) fi-om those who 

 apply for them, and also strictly to limit the number for which each Fellow 

 may apply. On the motion of Mr. Rowland-Brown, seconded by the Rev. G_ 

 Wheeler, a vote of thanks was unanimously passed to the President and 

 Cotmcil of the Linnean Society for their kindness and generosity. — George 

 Wheet.er, Hon. Secretary. 



