70 [Aiigvist, 



rate, all entomologists, to whatever school they may belong, will heartily agree with 

 the author when he says : "there is at least sufficient to justify the conclusion that 

 " there is not a hair or a line, not a sjjot or a colour, for which there is no reason, 

 " which has not a purpose, or a meaning in the economy of nature." This is 

 illustrated by wood-cuts, and a coloured fi'ontispiece of the larva of Chmrocampa 

 porceUus in its various stages. Lectures 3 and 4 are " On the Habits of Ants," 

 condensed from the well-known papers read before the Linnean Society, and pub- 

 lished in its journal. 



It is quite beyond our power, in the small space disposable, to enter into an 

 analysis of these remarkable and original observations. It must suffice to say that 

 Sir J. Lubbock, in a series of patient and scrupulously accurative investigations, has 

 thrown a flood of light upon the natural history of ants. He has cleared up much 

 that seemed enigmatical, and even if, in some cases, he has somewhat lessened our 

 respect for the moral and intellectual faculties formerly attributed to these insects, 

 he has shown them in other lights not less interesting, and has not in any way 

 reduced our admiration for these marvellous social arthropods. 



The book has been got up in a style that leaves nothing to be desired, and it is 

 needless to say that the language is elegant, simple, and concise, rendei'ing the 

 author's meaning clear to even those who do not possess the merest rudiments of 

 scientific acquirements. We might take exception to the frequent occurrence of 

 " Formica sangvineas " and " F.fuscas," which we venture to think would have been 

 better rendered as " F. sanguines" and "fuscat," without in any way detracting 

 from the clearness of the terms, or if the latter appeared too learned for a popular 

 book, and it were intended to use the former as adapted English words, it would 

 have been better not to have italicised them. 



Entomological Society of London. — 2nd July, 1879. Sie J. Lubbock, Bart., 

 M.P., V.P.R.S., &c., President, in the Chair. 



Mr. V. R. Perkins, of 54, Gloucester Sti-eet, South Belgravia, was elected a 

 Member. 



Mr. S. Stevens exhibited living specimens of Till us tinifasciatus and Teretrius 

 picipes from the locality at Norwood where he had previously captured these species. 



Mr. McLachlan made a further communication respecting the sculptured pebbles 

 from Lac Leman. He had received from Prof. Forel a water-worn limestone pebble 

 not showing decided ti-aces of sculpturing, but having on the surface channels formed 

 by Trichopterous larvae ; also specimens of the larvse and perfect insects, which 

 proved to be Tinodes lurida, Curt. 



Mr. Distant exhibited a specimen of Papilio Systaspes, Felder, taken by Mr. 

 E. E. Cole at sea, thirty miles from Singapore, and nine miles from the nearest laud. 



Mr. W. Cole exhibited a remarkable variety of Pyrameis cardui, taken at Buck- 

 hurst Hill, Essex, in June of this year. 



The Secretai-y exhibited, on behalf of Lord Walsingham, examples of the 

 curious Dipterous insect, Bittacomorpha claoipes, F., taken by the latter at Pitt 

 Eiver, California. 



Sir S. S. Saunders communicated further notes from M. Lichtenstein respecting 

 the habits of Cantharis vesicatoria. The bee, from the nests of which he bred the 

 insect, was Ceratina chalcites as stated, which builds its nests in the dry twigs of 

 Elder {Sambuciis nigra) ; but M. Lichtenstein had made use of this bee as being 

 convenient for his purpose, and he thought that in a state of nature, the Cantharis 

 probably infests the nests of the earth-burrowing bees, such as Andrena, llaiictus, &c. 



