SOCIETIES. 221 



exhibited a very remarkable melanic form of Ilah/zia 18-f/uttata, L., 

 black with white spots, the type, which was also exhibited, being light 

 brown with white spots. The former was taken at Oxshott on May 

 22nd. He also exhibited StilicuK fratjilis, Gv., a melanic form with a 

 black thorax instead of red, as in the type, taken at Shirley on May 15th ; 

 and Staphijlinus fiilvipcs, Scop., taken by himself at Bamber Forest on 

 June 1st, a new locality for this rare beetle. — Dr. T. A. Chapman ex- 

 hibited two full-grown larvfe of Thentor ballus, sent by Mr. H. Powell, 

 from Hyeres, and described them in their various stages. He also 

 exhibited a larva of Heterotji/na paradoxa, full-fed, reared from the egg 

 at Reigate ; and a cocoon of On/i/ia auro-limbata, with parasite Braconid. 

 In this instance a larva produced an imago and the parasite. The 

 cocoon, when opened last October, showed the cocoon of a Micro- 

 gaster within it — a dense oval ribbed cocoon of whitish silk, with 

 longitudinal darker flutings. The Microgaster and the moth both 

 came from the same larva, and the moth, though containing few eggs 

 (not being fertilised), laid none. An imago and a parasite from the 

 same larva have not infrequently been recorded, but the occurrence has 

 very often been doubted. — The President exhibited the dry form of 

 Precis actio, bred by Mr. Guy A. K. Marshall from an egg laid by a 

 female of the wet form. The parent was captured by Mr. Marshall at 

 Salisbury, Mashonaland (5000 ft.), on February 14th, 1903; the egg 

 was laid on the following day. It hatched February 20th ; the larva 

 pupated March 16th ; the perfect insect, a male, emerged March 28th. 

 The differences between these two forms are as astonishing as those 

 between the two phases of Precis antilope. The representation of a 

 dead leaf in the dry actia is slightly more elaborate than in antilope. 

 Both species have an equally beautiful mid-rib-like stripe, but the 

 former alone present the appearance of minute holes near the tip of 

 the simulated leaf, due to two white semi-transparent spots. This is the 

 third South African species of the genus Precis in which Mr. Marshall 

 has produced incontrovertible evidence of the specific identity of forms 

 widely separated in colours, patterns, shape, relation of upper to under 

 side, &c., and even instinct, including the selection of a particular type 

 of country. — The President also showed a small series of ants, part of 

 a much larger collection made by the late W. J. Burchell in Brazil 

 between the years 1825 and 1830. They were obtained with his other 

 vast zoological and botanical collections at Rio or its neighbourhood, 

 or in the course of the long journey from Santos to Para. Considering 

 their great age, the specimens were wonderfully well preserved, and 

 are accompanied by remarkably exact and detailed data, and, in many 

 cases, interesting notes on habits, instincts, &c. — Mr. 0. E. Janson 

 communicated a paper " On the genus Theodosia, and other Eastern 

 Goliathides, with descriptions of some new species." — Colonel C. 

 Swinhoe communicated a paper on " New genera and species of the 

 family Lymantriidae in the National Collection." — Mr. G. W. Kirkaldy 

 communicated a " Memoir on the Rhynchota collected by Dr. Arthur 

 Willey, chiefly in Berara and Lifu." — Professor E. B. Poulton gave an 

 account of " Experiments in 1893, 1894, and 1896 on the colour re- 

 lation between certain lepidopterous larvae and their surroundings, and 

 especially the effect of lichen-covered bark upon Odontoptera bidentata 

 and Lasiocampa quercifolia." — H. Rowland-Brown, Hon. Sec. 



