1888.] 263 



Purchasi, which is supposed to have been introduced from Australia, but is now a 

 dreadful pest on all kinds of plants in N. Zealand ; in Auckland it has destroyed 

 whole orchards of orange and lemon trees. It has also done immense damage in 

 Australia, South Africa, and California, and as it might readily be introduced into 

 this country, and prove very destructive to plants under glass, cultivators should be 

 warned to watch for its advent, for then only, in view of what Professor Riley terms 

 "its alarming prolificacy," could effectual means be adopted to prevent its spread in 

 this country. The best means of enabling horticulturists generally to identify the 

 insect would be to put them in possession of tliis book of Mr. Maskell, and the 

 " Report for 1886," of Prof. Riley, noticed in our number for December last, p. 161. 



The South London Entomological and Natubal History Society: 

 February 23rd, 1888.— T. R. BiLLUPS, Esq., F.E.S., President, in the Chair. 



Mr. Routledge exhibited a number of preserved Lepidopterons larvse. The 

 Secretary read " Notes on the Geodephaga in Ireland," contributed by the Rev. W. 

 P. Johnson, of Armagh. The author said the number of species of Geodephaga at 

 present known to occur in Ireland was only some 140, out of the three hundred and 

 odd species in the British List. This apparent disproportion of numbers arose from 

 the fact that Ireland had never been properly worked for Coleoptera ; consequently, 

 it might reasonably be supposed that a more thorough investigation would raise the 

 number in the present list very considerably. That such an undertaking would be 

 amply rewarded might be gathered from the fact that he liad single-handed taken 

 in the Armagh district in the four years since he began to work at the Coleoptera 

 upwards of 76 species of Geodephaga, many of which had not been previously 

 recorded as Irish. A list of the species captured, with observations thereon, followed ; 

 and, in conclusion, the author said he could not regard the list with anything like 

 satisfaction. It was only a beginning, and would serve to show where the gaps were, 

 and what remained to be done. He, however, felt sure that if the south and west, 

 the sea coasts and the mountains, were searched by earnest workers, not only would 

 most of the gaps in the present list be filled, but probably many new species would 

 be added to the Coleoptera of the British Isles. An exhibition of microscopical 

 objects was then given : Messrs. Dadswell, Terry, Macer, Coombs, Shaw, Turner, 

 Adkin, West, Tutt, and Medland, exhibiting. 



March Sth, 1888.— The President in the Chair. 



Messrs. H. Robson and H. A. Auld were elected Members. 



Mr. R. Adkin exhibited a variety of Eubolia bipunctaria, Schiff. : the whole of 

 the ground-colour of the fore-wings being black, the whitish-grey basal patch and 

 central fascia, on which latter the usual central spots were very prominent, being 

 the only markings visible, and having correspondingly dark hind-wings ; the speci- 

 men was taken by Mr. O. Danenberg, at Boxhill, July, 1886. Mr. C. H. Watson, a 

 variety of Phibalapteryx tersata, W. V., from New Forest, 1887. A note was read 

 by the Secretary from Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell, on the origin of Gonepteryx Cleopatra 

 L., which, in his opinion, arose as a seasonal variation ; Colias Eurytheme, of 

 Boisduval, generally distributed throughout the States, had on the fore-wings an 

 orange patch on a yellow ground, precisely similar to that of G. Cleopatra : there 

 was, however, a seasonal form, Keeiuaydin, Edwards, which emerged from hibernated 

 pupae, and had the orange patch much reduced. The seasons in America being very 



