286 [^I'-^y- 



social Lepidopterous larva at Cantagallo, in Brazil : this contained a number of 

 pupas, each enveloped iu a particular cocoon. The larva which was said to form 

 this structure was also exhibited. It was spiny, and resembled that of a Vanessa, 

 or Acrcea ; but it was remarked that it was imijrobable that a Butterfly larva should 

 spin a cocoon of this nature. 



The President called attention to the first part of Von Harold and Gemminger's 

 Catalogue of all described Coleoptera, containing the Cicindelidce, now on the eve of 

 publication. The genera are to be arranged in their natural order, and the species 

 alphabetically, this appearing the best plan by which to avoid the conflict of opinion 

 as to relative specific position. 



Mr. Stainton noticed a short paper by Herr Hartmann, in the new part of the 

 Stettin Zeitung, recording the breeding of three Lepidopterous insects, viz., Sesia 

 cephiformis, Staudinger, GrapJioUtha interrwptana, Herrich-Schafi'er, and Gelechia 

 electella, Zeller, from galls on the stems of Juniper. 



Mr. Smith read an extract from the " Guardian," published originally iu 1713, 

 relative to the habits of ants, and this notice appeared to be the origin of the idea 

 as to these insects storing up grains of corn and biting oS" one end to prevent their 

 germination. The writer gravely detailed as facts from personal observation what 

 are now known to be fallacies ; and ho seemed to have built up a superstructure of 

 fiction on the mistaken notion that the pupae of these insects were in reality grains 

 of cereals. 



Gth April, 1868. H. W. Bates, Esq., F.Z.S., President, in the Chair. 



Mr. Stainton exhibited some mines of a species of Nepticula in leaves of 

 Euphorhia dend/roides just received from Mr. Moggridge from Mentone ; he remarked 

 that the creature remained a long time in the pupa state, for from larvae, collected 

 by himself at the early part of last summer, he had only recently bred the moths. 



Mr. Boyd exhibited a dark variety of Stenopteryx hyhridalis from Hertfordshire. 



Mr. Druce exhibited part of a collection of Butterflies sent by Mr. Pearson 

 fi'om Peru ; the most noticeable species were Papilio Zagreiis, Morpho Aurora, and 

 three forms of Euterpe. 



Mr. Weir exhibited several varieties of Lyccena Corydon and Alexis, and an 

 insect which he thought might be a hybrid between Alexis and Adonis, 



Mr. Stevens brought for exhibition the type specimen of Nemophora Carteri, 

 described by Stainton in the " Insecta Britannica." Mr. Stainton remarked that 

 the species had been excluded from the European Catalogue, and he had thought 

 that it might possibly have been American ; a close examination of the specimen 

 now induced him to believe that the head and fore-wings belonged to one of our 

 common species, and that the hind-wings and abdomen were those of a Oerostoma, 

 and had been artificially afiixed ; the species was therefore in reality a nonentity. 



Mr. Smith remarked that in the collection of insect productions in the British 

 Museum was a portion of a pollard-oak, sent there three years since by Mr. Kidd, 

 as exhibiting a great number of the now common round galls. This had been 

 placed in a glass case with a large lump of camphor, yet each spring there were 

 bred from this oak numerous examples of Clytus arietis, on the larvie and pupae of 

 which beetle tlio camphor seemed to have no effect. 



