xlv 



Mr. Meldola stated that, while on the subject of protective resemblance, 

 he would remark with reference to Mr. Rutherford's exhibition of Aterica 

 Meleagris, made at the last meeting, and Mr. , Tenner Weir's suggestion that 

 a similar mode of variation might be found to hold good in Hipparchia 

 Semele, that having recently obtained a long series of this last butterfly from 

 the sand-hills at Southport, in Lancashire, he had compared the under sides 

 with those of a series from the chalk at Caterham, but no perceptible 

 difference of colour could be observed. 



Mr. Weir remarked that he had detected in a British collection some 

 specimens of H. Semele which had been taken in Jersey, and that these 

 were darker than specimens from the chalk. With regard to moths, he 

 stated that it was well established that certain species, such as Gnojjhos 

 obscurata and Eubolia hipunctata, exhibited a tendency to local variation in 

 colour. 



Mr. W. C. Boyd stated that he had observed specimens of Hepialus 

 lupulinus from Margate to be whiter than usual. 



Mr. F.Smith exhibited a specimen of the so-called "locust-tree" [Hymenca 

 coubaril), from British Guiana, forwarded to Dr. Sharp by Mr. Harper. On 

 opening the fruit it was found to contain three living specimens of a weevil 

 [Cnjptorliynchus st'ujina, Linn.), a cocoon containing the chrysalis of a moth, 

 together with the remains of one or more such cocoons, and lastly a small 

 parasitic hymenopteron (an ichneumon allied to Chelomis). The small 

 puncture by which the eggs of the weevil were probably introduced could 

 be seen in the shell of the nut, but no trace of any other opening. Mr. Smith 

 also stated that Mr. Harper was taking steps to secure information con- 

 cerning the curious "trap-door bee," the habits of which had formed the 

 subject of an article in ' Household Words' many years ago (vol. ii., p. 353). 



Mr. Smith likewise exhibited a specimen oi Melolontha vulgaris, which had 

 quite recently been found alive under turf at the bottom of a tin box in which 

 the larva had been placed last April, thus making it appear probable that 

 this inseet assumes the perfect state under ground a long time before 

 making its actual appearance. 



Mr. G. C. Champion exhibited a series of Spercheus emarginatus taken 

 at West Ham, Essex. 



Mr. John Spiller, who was present as a visitor, exhibited some seeds 

 which, when first received, had the peculiar property of jumping about, and 

 read the following note concerning them : — 



"The 'jumping seeds' were in full activity at the time of coming into 

 my possession in 1871, and continued to exhibit their remarkable move- 

 ments for a period of at least three months. They were publicly shown at 

 one of a course of lectures on magic delivered at the London Institution in 

 January, 1872, by the late Mr. John Cargill Brough. The seeds resemble 



