1906.] 95 



havinfj swarmed late in the year. After July they deserted the combs, and having 

 consumed all the honey contained in them, again swarmed on a neighbouring tree. 

 Prof. R. Meldola, F.R.S., a specimen of Prodenia littoralis, Boisd., which had 

 emerged in a breeding cage kept, with many others, by Major R. B. Robertson, at 

 Boscombe, Hants, for the reception of caterpillars found in that district. The moth 

 emerged on July 16th, 1905. The species, which is figured in Hampson's " Moths 

 of India," is said to have a distribution extending from the Mediterranean subregion 

 throughout the tropical and subtropical zones of the Old World. Mr. O. E. Janson, 

 a Mantis on a portion of the bark of a tree as found by Mr. F. Birch in Trinidad, 

 who stated that its close resemblance to a withered leaf was evidently a protection 

 for aggressive purposes. Mr. M. Burr, a series of Callimenidx, a small family of 

 Ortlmptera, consisting of two genera, Dinorchns with the single species D, dasypus, 

 lUig., and ('allimenns, of which all the known species were included, with the 

 exception of C. itiflatv.s, Br., from Asia Minor. Mr. H. Rowland-Brown, $ speci- 

 mens of Argynnis viobe, var. eris, from the Pyrenees, Cevennes, and South Tyrolese 

 mountains. Ue drew attention to the remarkable form of the example taken at 

 G-avarnie, in July, 1905; of which the coloration of the upper-side of all the wings 

 was ruddy-copper red shot with blue upon the nervures. He also remarked that 

 whereas specimens of eris and other Argynnids from the mountainous regions of 

 Central France showed a tendency to maintain constant pale forms, those from the 

 Pyrenecb are more highly coloured, while the high Alpine forms of Central Europe 

 inclined to melanism. Prof. E. B. Poulton, F.R.S., an original note-book of 

 Burchell's taken to South Africa in 1812. He said that it established the date of 

 the author's birthday, hitherto unknown, to be July r2th, while it also J'ecorded for 

 the fii'st time the superstitious dread of the native Hottentot for the " Death's 

 Head Moth," known locally as the "Devil Bee." Dr. F. A. Dixey, specimens of 

 Pierine butterflies from South Africa, India, and Asia Minor to illustrate how the 

 under-sides in the dry season forms of the group are apt to take a red tinge, and it 

 was especially interesting to note that the same tendency was manifest in all species 

 collected from such widely-separate regions. Mr. C. O. Waterhouse, a note on the 

 migration of Lepidoptera, extracted from a report on " The Pearl Oyster of the 

 Q-ulf of Manaar — Avicula {Meleagrina) fucata," by Henry Sullivan Thomas, F.L.S., 

 F.Z.S., &c., extracted from the " Madras Joui-nal of Literature and Science " for 

 the session 1886-87. Colonel C. T. Bingham read a note on " A Plague of Ants in 

 the Observatory district. Cape Town, South Africa," and illustrated his remarks 

 with specimens of the insects referred to by him. Dr. G. B. Longstaff read a paper 

 " On some Rest Attitudes in Butterflies," illustrated by numerous specimens 

 arranged upon backgrounds of specially-tinted sandpaper approximating to the 

 natural surroundings of the insects in their various habitats. A discussion 

 followed, in which the President, Prof. Poulton, Dr. Chapman, Mr. H. Rowland- 

 Brown, and other Fellows joined. Dr. T. A. Chapman read a paper entitled 

 "Observations on the Life History of 'L'richoptilus paludum, Zell." Prof. E. B. 

 Poulton, F.R.S., read a paper by Mr. Frank P. Dodd " On some Parasitic Hymen- 

 opterous Insects of North Queensland," and exhibited a number of interesting 

 specimens to illustrate his remarks.— H. Rowland-Brown, Hon. Sec. 



