322 THE entomologist's record. 



although one of the most local and rarest moths in this comitry, had 

 occurred last year on the estate of Sir James Hilles-Johnes, K.C.B., at 

 Dolau Cothy, Carmarthenshire, in such numbers in the larval state as 

 almost to destroy the whole of the alders growing there. Mr. G. H. 

 Verrall said that the insects belonged to a species of Plwra, possibly 

 Phora rujipcK, which fed on almost everything, but were not con- 

 sidered to be truly parasitic ; they seemed blacker than typical 

 specimens of that species. Mr. Hampson exhibited an exotic species 

 of LocustidiE which Lord Walsingham had found in his conservatory 

 at Merton Hall, Norfolk. He stated that Lord Walsingham had not 

 imported any exotic plants for some years. Dr. Sharp exhibited speci- 

 mens of the PUP/E OF MiCROPTERYX (probably M. stniiijiurjinrdla) and 

 drawings to illustrate their structure. The pup* were sent to him by 

 Dr. Chapman, who had described their peculiarities in the Transactions 

 of the Society in 1898. Dr. Sharp considered the pupa to be that of 

 a Trichopterous insect ; most of its structures were those of Trichoptera, 

 and the account given by Dr. Chapman of its emergence showed that 

 this was essentially the same as that of Trichoptera. He remarked 

 that the imago of this division of Micrnpten/.r had been already shown 

 to approach Trichoptera in several respects, and suggested that it 

 should be treated as a group of Trichoptera whose larvae are not 

 aquatic in habits. If this course were not adopted he felt clear that 

 Trichoptera could not be maintained distinct as an Order from Lepi- 

 doptera. He remarked on the peculiar projection from the head of the 

 pupa of Microjiteri/.r, and suggested that it might be comparable with 

 the head-vesicle of the nymph, or primary pupa, of Lepidoptera. He 

 also called attention to the importance, for a classification of Lepi- 

 doptera, of obtaining a full knowledge of the structure and life-history 

 of Kriocephala calt/iclla. Mr. McLachlan said that so long ago as 1865 

 he had suggested the close affinity of Micri)pteri/.r to the Trichoptera ; 

 the opinion then formed had since been much strengthened, but he 

 was not disposed to admit co-ordinal relationship. Mr. Hampson, 

 Mr. Barrett and Mr. Blandford also took part in the discussion which 

 ensued. Mr. McLachlan exhibited a singular instance of monstrosity 

 IN A Dragon-fly. The insect was a male of Hi'tocrina occisa, Hag., 

 from Venezuela. On the left side were three wings, two mesothoracic. 

 The supplementary wing on the left side was inserted almost 

 immediately beneath the ordinary wing ; it was normal in form and 

 neuration, but the red pigment at the base (fully developed in all the 

 other wings) was not evident, the wing in this respect being similar to 

 those of highly immature examples of the same species. Mr. E. E. 

 Green exhibited a larva of a Homoptkrous insect — one of the 

 Cicadinae — from Ceylon, having what appeared to be a head at its 

 caudal extremity. He pointed out that the larva had caudal appen- 

 dages which might be mistaken for hairy antenn*, and pigment spots 

 resembling eyes on the antepenultimate segment of the body. The 

 insect walked either backwards or forwards, and when first seen 

 looked like a beetle of some kind, the caudal extremity representing the 

 head. — On March 18th, 189G, Mr. C. G. Barrett exhibited a series 

 of drawings of varieties of British lepidoptera in the collection of Mr. 

 S. J. Capper, of Huyton Park, Liverpool. The drawings were 

 executed by Mr. S. L. Mosley, of Huddersfield, and comprised 389 

 figures, representing 139 species, of which 83 were butterflies and 50 

 moths. Herr Jacoby enquired whether any record had been kept of 



