282 THE entomologist's record. 



and structure with a small lobe on the front wing of Raphidia. Mr. 

 C. G. Barrett exhibited, for Dr. H. G. Knaggs, cells of Retinia resinann, 

 formed of resin but lined with wax. A portion of the cell had been 

 removed and the resin dissolved away with spirit, leaving a slight 

 film of wax Icf. Ent. Mo. Mag., Nov., 1895, pp. 251, 252). Mr. Tutt 

 stated that a secretion of wax had been detected by Dr. Chapman on 

 the external surface of the pupa of J'arnassius apollo. Prof. Meldola 

 suggested that as Dr. Knaggs had shown how to separate the resin 

 from the wax, it would be of interest to make a chemical investigation 

 of the latter, since a sufficient supply of this material could easily be 

 obtained. No insect wax, with the exception of that of the bee, had 

 been submitted to investigation by chemists. Mr. Gahan exhibited 

 drawings of the dorsal segments of the abdomen of Dyscritina 

 longisetosa, formerly described by Prof. Westwood in Trans. Ent. 

 Soc, 1881, a specimen of which was shown by Mr. E. E. Green at 

 the last meeting of the Society. He regretted that no drawing, show- 

 ing the ventral surface, had yet been prepared. Mr. B. A. Bower 

 exhibited specimens of Argi/resthia atmoriella, taken in Kent, 

 in June, 1894, a recent addition to British Lepidoptera. Mr. 

 E. E. Green read notes on the habits of the Indian ant, (Ecophi/lla 

 smaragdina, Fabr. He said he believed that at some previous meet- 

 ing of the Society, Mr. Ridley, of the Singapore Museum, made some 

 remarks on this ant, and its supposed habit of using its own larvte as 

 web-spinners in the formation of its nest, but he had not been able 

 to find anything on the subject in the Procccdini/s. Mr. Green 

 stated that he was now able to produce corroborative evidence from 

 an independent source. The facts were noted by his friend, Mr. W. D. 

 Holland, of Balangoda, Ceylon, a most careful observer. Mr. Green 

 exhibited the specimens referred to by Mr. Holland, and pointed out 

 that the larva? were still tightly grasped by the jaws of the ants, and 

 he thought it probable that other web-spinning ants utilised their 

 larvae in the same way. Mr. Hampson said he could confirm this 

 statement. Mr. G. F. Scott-Elliot read a paper entitled " Notes on 

 Flower-haunting Diptera." The author pointed out that some of 

 the higher types of Diptera appeared to prefer red and blue Howers, 

 and oftener visited the complicated types of plants than the smaller 

 Hymenoptera. He also alluded to the effect of insect visitors in 

 isolating particular individuals. Prof. Meldola expressed himself 

 much interested in the paper, and stated that although he was aware, 

 from the writings of Herman Miiller and others, that Diptera played 

 an important part in the fertilization of fiowers, he was unaware of 

 the very great importance which these insects possessed for the func- 

 tion of pollination until he heard Mr. Scott-Elliot's paper. He also 

 called attention to the urgent need of a manual of British Diptera. 

 Mr. Roland Trimen mentioned that in South Africa some species of 

 Orchidacea^ were fertilized by Diptera. Dr. Sharp said Prof. Plateau 

 thouglit that neither the colour nor form of the flower played any part 

 in atti'acting insects. Mr. McLachlan remarked that the flowers of 

 Scrophularia possessed a great attraction for wasps. Lord Walsing- 

 ham enquired whether any observation had been made as to the 

 Diptera which visited differently coloured flowers of the same species, 

 such as Petunias. 



The South London Entomoi.ogical Society met on February 13th, 



