70 I August, 



Ml'. Jenner Weir exhibited two examples of the rare Agrotera nemoralis, taken 

 bj him in Abbot's Wood, Sussex, on the 26th idt. 



Mr. Meldola exhibited dwarf forms of Anthocaris cardamines, Forthesia aurlflua, 

 Abraxas grossvlariata, &c'. ; a variety of Venilia maculata in which the black spots 

 were entirely absent : and a specimen of Leucania vlteUina taken at Brighton 

 in 1869. 



Prof. Westwood exhibited prettily banded cocoons of some species of Ichnea- 

 monidcB from Ceylon, each of which was attached to a silken peduncle more than two 

 inches in length. Also a tent-like covering formed by the larva of a lepidopterous 

 insect in Ceylon by cutting out a large oval piece from a leaf of Citrus, beneath 

 which it fed. 



Mr. Miillcr exhibited pieces of the fronds of Pteris aquiUna from Weybridge, 

 illustrating the habits of the larvse of three species of Dij)tera. (1) folded edges of 

 the fronds produced by Cecidomi/ia pteridis (see Ent. Mo. Mag., vol. viii, p. 99) ; 

 (2) mines of some species of MuscidcB in the tips of the leaflets ; (3) rolls at the 

 apex of the fronds also produced by a species of Muscidce. 



Mr. Dunning called attention to an article in ' Nature ' for June 20th, 1872, by 

 Mr. H. N. Moseley, respecting the sound produced by Acherontia Atropos. After 

 passing in review the opinions published by various writers since the time of Reaumur, 

 and stating that eleven different theories on the subject had been propounded, Mr. 

 Moseley detailed his own experiments which convinced him of the correctness of 

 Passerini's statement in 1828 as to the sound proceeding from the proboscis, and 

 caused by the sudden expiration of air from a cavity within the head acted upon by 

 elevating and depressing muscles, after the manner of bellows. Mr. Moseley 

 concluded by observing that " It is most extraordinary that the seat of sound should 

 " ever have been imagined to be any where but in the head. It would seem as if 

 " many writers on the subject had commenced their observations with a determina- 

 " tion to find some other seat for the cry." 



Mr. Dunning further alluded to a letter by Dr. Leeonte in the same journal 

 for June 27th, respecting the parasite of the beaver upon which Prof Westwood had 

 founded his order Achreioptera (see Ent. Mo. Mag., vol. vi, p. 118), but which 

 Herr Ritsema considered as pertaining to the sub-order Aphaniptera. Dr. Leeonte 

 dissented from both views, and transferred the insect to the Cvleoptera as an aber- 

 rant family. Furthermore, he thought it probable that it was not a true parasite, 

 but rather an inquiline, perhaps feeding upon epidermal scales. Prof. Westwood 

 stated that he maintained his original opinion, and believed the creature had nothing 

 to do with the Coleoptera. 



Mr. W. A. Lewis placed before the meeting a copy of a circular (with signa- 

 tures appended thereto) addressed to entomologists, urging them to ignore the re- 

 instatement of forgotten or obsolete names until such time as the mode of dealing 

 with these should be settled by a common agreement. 



Prof Westwood stated that he had recently published an article in which he 

 suggested that a limitation of 20 years, such as regidates adverse claims to real 

 property in England, might with advantage be adopted in disputed eases in zoolo- 

 gical nomenclature. 



The next Meeting, after the recess, will be on the 4th of November. 



