212 [February, 



in this respect, between these insects and the Trichoptera. Mr. McLachlan called 

 especial attention to the homology between the ncuration of Castnia Ardalus as de- 

 lineated by Dr. Miiller and that oi IIi/dro2}sxjche,v;\\ic\\ possessed the most complete 

 arrangement of nervures amongst the Trichoptera ; and Mr. Stainton alluded to the 

 Trichopterous nature of the neuration, and other points of structure, in Micropteryx. 

 Professor Westwood was not yet convinced of the existence of these homologies, and 

 suggested that coloured diagrams of ths supposed homologising arrangement should 

 be sujjplied. 



The Eev. A. E. Eaton exhibited a piece of " Kungu Cake," used as food by the 

 natives of the district of Lake Nyassa, as recorded by African travellers. It is made 

 of the accumulations of vast quantities of small insects that collect on the shores of 

 the Lake, and which had been supposed to be JEpliemerldcB. The substance is black, 

 amorphous, and tasteless ; and, in the piece placed in his hands, he had been unable 

 to detect remains oi EphemeridcB, but had discovered the wings of minute CulicidcB. 



The Secretary read the Report of the sub-Committee appointed to examine into 

 the question of the destruction of grain at Taganrog by Anisoplia austriaca, in 

 which special allusio i was made to the enormous swarms of the insect that occurred 

 in the province of Banate in 1867, as recorded by Pastor Orth and Herr von Pelikan 

 in the Verhand. zool.-bot. Gresellschaft in Wien for that year. It was estimated that 

 6,720,000 of the beetles were destroyed at the time, 100 men having been employed 

 for that purpose. In the report it was suggested that rotation of crops and the 

 preservation of insectivorous birds should be attended to ; and that the only occa- 

 sional appearance of the insect in extraordinary numbers may be due to the simid- 

 taneous development of perfect beetles that might have remained, and accumulated, 

 in the pupal stage, for a series of years. 



With regard to the subject of insects used as food, Mr. Distant said he had been 

 informed that EuthesiaftiUo, a common eastern Hemipteroiis insect, was largely eaten 

 by the natives of the Naga Hills. Mr. Meldola called attention to the chemical 

 composition of the bodies of insects, and showed that analysis proved them to con- 

 tain nitrogen, and Mr. W. Cole had also detected phosphoric acid. 



Mr. C. O. Waterhouse sent for exhibition a living specimen of an undetermined 

 species of Calandridce, found in an orchid house at Windsor. 



Mr. A. G. Butler communicated a paper on a collection of Lepidoptera from 

 Cahar, N. E. India. 



IZth January, 1879. H. W. Bates, Esq., E.L.S., &c., in the Chair. Anniversary 

 Meeting. 



The following were elected Members of the Council for 1879, viz. : H. W. Bates, 

 E.L.S., W. L. Distant, J. W. Dimning, M.A., F.L.S., Rev. A. E. Eaton, M.A., E. A. 

 Fitch, F. Grut, F.L.S., Sir J. Lubbock, Bart., M.P., V.P.R.S., &c., R. Meldola, F.C.S., 

 E. Saunders, F.L.S., F. Smith, S. Stevens, F.L.S., J. J. Weir, F.L.S., and Professor 

 J. Wood-Mason, F.G.S. 



Subsequently the following Officers were elected, viz. : Sir J. Lubbock, President ; 

 J. J. Weir, Treasurer ; F. Grut, Librarian ; R. Meldola and W. L. Distant, 

 Secretaries. 



The retiring President read an Address, which was ordered to be printed ; and 

 the Meeting terminated with the usual votes of thanks to him, and to the other 

 Officers of the Society. 



