xli 



distance — even in colour, the dark purple pollinia of the flowers. I found 

 many specimens of the spider on Orchis maculata, one on each spike of 

 blossom, but I searched in vain for one on the dwarf orchis (0. ustulata), 

 although this is much like 0. maculata, but its pollinia are not dark in 

 colour. Can it be that as the season advances this spider changes colour, 

 and that by each successive change it is specially adapted to live concealed 

 on the blossom of some special plant?' " 



Mr. Dunning exhibited three living specimens of the spiders captured by 

 Mr. Nottidge at Petersfield, on the guelder-rose and on Orchis maculata. 

 Apparently they were all females of Thoinisus citreus, a common species on 

 flowers, the sexes of which are so dissimilar in size and colour that they 

 have been described as distinct species. 



Mr. Jenner Weir remarked that he had lately been observing the habits 

 of the same species of spider in the New Forest, and that he had seen it 

 sometimes station itself in the centre of a composite flower, with its legs 

 expanded like the exterior rays of the flower, and sometimes in the flowers 

 of orchids, with its legs extended horizontally. It appears to be able to 

 destroy even the honey-bee, which he had found dead in its clutches. 



The Secretary read a note by Mr. J. Haselden, communicated by Sir 

 Sidney Saunders, relating to the habits of the howe-^-hee {Apis fasciata?) 

 in Egypt. 



Paper read. 



Mr. C. 0. Waterhouse communicated a paper " On New Coleoptera from 

 Australia and Tasmania in the Collection of the British Museum." 



August 7, 1878. 

 H. W. Bates, Esq., F.L.S., E\Z.S., President, in the chair. 



Donations to the Library were announced, and thanks voted to the 



donors. 



Exhibitions, dx. 



A communication was read from Mr. M'Laclilan, to the effect that, in 

 the writer's opinion, the larva referred to by Prof. Westwood, at the last 

 meeting of the Society, as boring in the stems of the potato, was in all 

 probability that of a Noctua, Gortyna flavaijo, polyphagous in the stems of 

 a variety of herbaceous plants — foxgloves, thistles, burdock, &c. 



Mr. S. Stevens exhibited some living specin^ens of Teretrius picipes, found 

 on oak palings at Upper Norwood— parasitic on Lyctus ohlonijus — running 



o 



