\Qg [December, 1886. 



The following were elected Fellows, viz., Mr. Peter Cameron, of Sale, Cheshire ; 

 Mr. F. Archer, of Crosby, Liverpool ; Mr. H. J. S. Pryer, of Yokohama, Japan 

 (formerly Subscribers); Mr. H. Norris, of St. Ives, Hunts; Mr. N. P. Fenwick, of 

 Surbiton Hill ; Mr. John Brown, of Cambridge ; Mr. J. P. Tutt, of Westcombe 

 Park, Blackheath ; and Mr. A. P. Green, of Colombo, Ceylon. 



Mr. E. B. Poulton exhibited a mass of minute crystals of formate of lead, caused 

 by the action of the secretion of the larva of Dicranura vinula upon suboxide of lead. 

 He stated that a single drop of the secretion had produced the crystals which were 

 exhibited ; and he called attention to the excessively high percentage of formic acid 

 which must be present in the secretion, and to the pain and probable danger which 

 would result from being struck in the eye by the fluid which the larva had the power 

 of ejecting to a considerable distance. A discussion ensued, in which Messrs. White, 

 Kirby, Slater and others took part. 



Mr. S. Stevens exhibited a specimen of Laphygma exigua, recently captured by 

 Mr. Rogers in the Isle of Wight. 



Mr. W. F. Kirby exhibited, and read notes on, a specimen of Perilampus maurtis, 

 Walk., recently bred by Mr. Walter de Rothschild from AnthercBa Tirrhea, Cram., 

 one of the rarer South African SaturnidcB. 



Mr. T. W. Hall exhibited a number of specimens of XanthiafuJvago (cerago), 

 somewhat remarkable in their variation, and showing a graduated series, extending 

 from the pale variety _^aj;e*cen* of Esper, to an almost melanic form. 



Mr. W. C. Boyd exhibited, and made remarks on, the larva of a species of 

 Ornithoptera from New Gruinea. 



Mr. H. Goss exhibited a series of Bankia argentula collected by him in 

 Cambridgeshire, in June last ; and also, for comparison, a series of specimens of the 

 same species taken at Killarney in June, 1877. It appeared that the Irish form of 

 the species was larger and more brightly coloured than the English. 



Mr. Eland Shaw exhibited a female specimen of Decticus verrucivorus, Linn., 

 taken in July last, at St. Margaret's Bay, Kent. 



Mr. Waterhouse recorded the recent capture of Deiopeia pulcheUa at Ramsgate, 

 by Mr. Buckmaster ; and the capture of Anosia Plexippiis at Gibraltar was also 

 . announced. 



Mr. J. W. Slater read a paper on "The relations of insects to flowers," in which 

 he stated that many flowers which gave off agreeable odours appeared not so attrac- 

 tive to insects as some other less fragrant species ; and he stated that Petunias, 

 according to his observations, were comparatively neglected by bees, butterflies and 

 Diptera. Mr. Distant, Mr. Stainton, Mr. Weir, Mr. Stevens and the President took 

 part in the discussion which ensued, and stated that in their experience Petunias 

 were often most attractive to insects. Mr. Stainton referred to the capture by himself 

 of sixteen specimens of Sphinx convolvuli at the flowers of Petunias, in three 

 evenings in 1846. 



Jonkeer May, the Dutch Consul-General, asked whether the reported occurrence 

 of the Hessian Fly (Cecidomyia destructor) in England had been confirmed. In 

 reply Mr. McLachlan stated he believed that several examples of an insect thought to 

 be the Hessian Fly had been bred in this country, but that everything depended upon 

 correct specific determination in such an obscure and difiicult genus as Cecidomyia. — • 

 H. Goss, Secretary. 



