1868.1 263 



Entomological Society of London, I7th February, 1868. H. W. Bates, Esq., 

 F.Z.S., in the Chair. 



Linnseiis Cumuiing, Esq., and E. P. E. Curzon, Esq., both of Trinity College, 

 Cambridge, were elected members. 



Mr. McLachlan exhihited a large oval earthen cell containing a living male of 

 Lxicanus cervus. This had been found a few days previously, with others, by Mr. 

 Backhouse, of Teddington, when digging in his garden. The cell contained also 

 the puparium or cast-off larval skin, shewing that the insect had emerged from the 

 pupa therein. Mr. Eaton said he had once seen a similar cell dug up in October in 

 a potato-field, also containing a perfect insect. Mr. Janson was of opinion that 

 the beetle assumed the perfect state in the autumn, and remained in the cell until 

 the next summer. 



Mr. Latham, of Manchester, sent for exhibition the nest of a social Lepidopterous 

 larva from Natal ; this nest consisted of a stout and tough outer covering, inside 

 which were a number of smaller cocoons. Mr. Trimen said they had been formed 

 by Anaphe reticulata, one of the LiparidcB. Mr. Latham also sent a cluster of cases 

 attached to the extremity of a twig, also from Natal. These were those of some 

 insect allied to Oiketicus. 



Mr. Pascoe exhibited a beetle from New Zealand, which he described as 

 Dryocora Howittii. He regarded it as belonging to the family Cucujidce, but it waa 

 a very extraordinary form, inasmuch as the tarsi were 4-jointed in both sexes. 



The President requested that any Members engaged in breeding insects from 

 the egg would carefully note the relative numbers of males and females obtained. 

 This information was wanted by Mr. Darwin, who was engaged upon the subject of 

 sexual selection in animals. A discussion on this question ensued, in which several 

 members took part, and the general opinion seemed to be that the females were 

 really not less numerous than the males, but were less frequently observed on 

 account of their more retired habits. Mr. Stain ton said that according to his 

 experience in breeding Micro-Lepidoptera the females were far more abundant than 

 the males, although the reverse was the case in examples caught at large. Mr. 

 Smith alluded to the extreme abundance of the females of some Tenthredinidw, 

 whereas the males were very scarce or quite unknown. 



Mr. Stainton read a paper entitled "A Few Observations on the Synonomy of 

 Tinea alpicella and Zelleria saxifrages. 



Mr. Eaton read " Remarks upon the homologies of the ovipositor in insects," 

 in which he drew a comparison between the last segment of Agrion and the sting of 

 the honey-bee. 



Mr. Pascoe read a further portion of his " Contributions to a Knowledge of 

 Coleoptera.'^ 



2nd March, 1868. — Captain Lendy, of Sunbury, and G. A. Lebour, Esq., of 

 the Geological Survey, were elected members. 



Mr. Pascoe exhibited a new genus and species of Prionid<je from Mr. Swanzy's 

 Cape-Coast-Castle collection ; this he characterized as Eudianodes Swanzyi ; also a 

 species of Oxycorynus sent by Mr. Schickendantz from Catamarea, South America ; 

 this he described as 0. Hydnorce. 



Mr. Wood exhibited the pupae of various Lepidoptera from West Africa, per- 

 taining to the genera Vhoerocampa, Sphinx, Antherea, &c. 



