SOCIETIES. 117 



very fair imitation of PolyracJiis spmiger (under the same stone with 

 which it may be found), even to the extent of evolving a pedicel and 

 spines in what, were it an ant, would be its metanotum. Curiously 

 enough, however, these spines are apparently not alike in any two speci- 

 mens. Is it that this bag is still waiting for one of its race to accidentally 

 sport spines more like those of P. spiniger, and thus to set the ball of 

 evolution rolling afresh? or is it that the present rough copy oispintger's 

 spines is found sufficient to deceive? The bug has also been found in 

 the Neilgherries. Mr. Rothney remarks on the above species : — ' I have 

 not found the species mimicking Miitilla ; but in Calcutta and Barrack- 

 pore, where P. spiniger is a tree ant, forming its net by spinning together 

 the twigs of a shrub, the mimicking bug also assumes arboreal habits, 

 and may be found on the trunks of trees with the ants.' " Mr. Porritt 

 exhibited living specimens oi Eupithecia exteftsaria and Geojuetra smarag- 

 daria : the position assumed by the former proved conclusively that it 

 had rightly been placed in the genus Eupithecia. Mr. Crowley exhibited 

 two specimens of a Papilio from the Khasia Hills, belonging to an un- 

 described species allied to P. papo/ie, sub-generic section Chilades. 

 Col. Swinhoe remarked that he possessed a specimen from Northern 

 Burmah. Mr. Moore and others took part in the discussion which 

 followed. Mr. Dallas Beeching exhibited a specimen of Plusia nioneta, 

 recently taken by himself at High Woods, Tonbridge, and specimens 

 of Go7iepteryx deopaira, lent him for exhibition, which were alleged to 

 have come from the same locality. Dr. T. A. Chapman exhibited the 

 larva of Micropteryx calf/ieila, and read the following notes : — " The 

 larvte were obtained by placing moths in a cage with damp moss, dead 

 leaves, and other debris off the surface of the ground. Into this the 

 moths crept to the depth of half-an-inch, forcing their way mto narrow 

 cavities, and laid their eggs in groups of six or twelve. The eggs are 

 clothed with fine hairs, tipped with refractive particles. The larva, 

 about a millimetre in length, possesses on each segment eight processes 

 of a globular form raised on a very slight pedicel. Besides the thoracic 

 legs, each of the abdominal segments (eight) possesses a pair of minute 

 jointed legs of the same type as the thoracic. There are also a pair of 

 long jointed antennae." Col. Swinhoe read a paper " On new species 

 of Heterocera from the Khasia Hills." Mr. Crowley read a paper " On 

 a new species of Prothoe." Mr. C. J. Gahan read a paper " On the 

 South American species of Diabrotica" Part II., being a continuation 

 of Dr. Baly's paper on the same genus published in the Society's Traris- 

 aciions for 1890, Part I. Mr. W. F. Kirby communicated a paper 

 entitled " Notes on the Orthopterous family Mecopodidce." Prof. West- 

 wood communicated " Notes on Siphonophora an'ocarpi," referring to 

 an appendage of the eyes which had been overlooked in his previous 

 description. — H. Goss and W. W. Fowler, Hon. Secretaries. 



City of London Entomological and Natural History 

 Society. — Thursday, June iSt/i, 1891. — Mr, Huckett exhibited a box 

 of insects from Epping, the most noticeable being Platypteryx hamuia, 

 P. lacertula, Nola cristti talis, Corycia temerata, Tephrosia consotiaria, a 

 dark variety of Cidaria riissata, and Hypena rostralis. All these insects 

 were taken on May 23rd and June 6th. Mr. Mead, an interesting 

 exhibit of numerous insects, including Noctuas bred this year. Mr. 

 Simes, living larvae of Saturnia carpiiii and Catocala nupta. Mr. Quail„ 



