1879. 261 



in the same tree ; this occurs especially in oaks when the inner space is sound, but 

 the more general case is that the walls of the cavity crumble down by progress of 

 decay, the rain penetrates, and the nest perishes ; then such trees are forsaken, and 

 Velleius has to find new nests. When it is engaged in such wanderings an entomo- 

 logist may occasionally find an example, but in greater number it is only to be obtained 

 in hornets' nests. 



J. Erne (Mitthe'ilungen der schweizerischen entomologischen Gesellschaft, vol. 

 V, p. 369, September, 1878). 



[This article, which contains much that is new and interesting, forms the sequel 

 to an excellent communication, by the same author, on the natural history of the 

 Velleius, published in the " Mittheilungen," vol. iv (1877), but which is too long to 

 reproduce here : I may, however, revert to its salient points hereafter. — J. W. D.] 



Entomological Society of London.— S^A February, 1879. Sib J. Lubbock, 

 Bart., M.P., V.P.E.S., President, in the Chair. 



The President named Messrs. H. W. Bates, J. W. Dunning, and P. Smith, as 

 Vice-Presidents for the year. 



Mr. Elwes exhibited a very interesting collection of Lepidoptera from an island 

 at the mouth of the River Amur. The species generally were very European in 

 character, and specifically identical with ours in some cases. Two of the most striking 

 insects were (1) a butterfly, recently described as Liihdorjia Pidziloi, closely allied 

 to the genus Thais, and remarkable for the female possessing curious large waxy- 

 looking abdominal appendages ; (2) Saturnia Artemis, &\\\eA. to the North American 

 Actias Luna. 



Mr. C. O. Waterhouse exhibited a curious spider from "West Africa, recently 

 described by Mr. Butler as Gasteracantha Cambridgei ; in form and colour it 

 strikingly resembled a small crab. 



Mr. Champion exhibited the example of Harpalus oblongiusculus, recorded in 

 this Magazine at ante p. 203. 



Mr. Swinton called attention to a statement by Mr. Wood-Mason to the effect that 

 a Mantis had never been heard to stridulate, and referred to Kirby and Spence's 

 Introduction to Entomology, 7th ed.,p. 493, where it is stated that Colonel Goureau 

 has noticed that Mantis religosa when alarmed produces a sound by rubbing the sides 

 of the abdomen against the borders of the wings and elytra. 



The Rev. A. E. Eaton read notes on the homologies of neuration in insects, and, 

 acting upon Professor Westwood's suggestion at the Meeting on December 4th, he 

 had prepared a number of diagrams of the neuration of various Lepidoptera and 

 Trichoptera, coloured so as to show the homologising nervures, &c. 



The Secretary read a note by Dr. Fritz Miiller with reference to the mimicry of 

 species of Acrcea by Eueides pavonia, in which he remarked that this case presented 

 the singular feature of the mimicking butterfly agreeing more closely with the males 

 of that mimicked, instead of with the females as is usual. 



Mr. Butler read a paper " On the Lepidoptera of the Amazons, collected by 

 Dr. Trail," part iii, Noctuites. 



Mr. C. O. Waterhouse read a description of a new genus and species of Ciircu- 

 lionidcE, found in an orchid house in England. 



Mr. F. Moore communicated " Descriptions of the species of the Lepidopterous 

 genus Kallima." 



