xlv 



Mr. A. G. Butler communicated " Descriptions of two new Lepidoptera 

 of the Family SphingidcB." 



Mr. C. O. Waterhouse read " Descriptions of two new Genera and 

 Species of Coleoptera from Madagascar, belonging to the families Tene- 

 hrionidcB and CercDiibycidcE." 



Mr. Waterhouse also read a paper " On the Affinity of the genus 

 Polyctenes, Westwood, with a description of a new species." The genus 

 was originally described by Sig. Giglioli as belonging to the Dipterous 

 family Nyctcribiida;. Professor Westwood, in his ' Thesaurus,' differed 

 from this view, and appeared disposed to place it near the Hemiptera. 

 In examining the species now described (P. lyra;), Mr. Waterhouse had come 

 to the conclusion that the genus had no connection with the Hemiptera. He 

 exhibited dingrams showing that the structure of the legs and claws and the 

 general characters of the insect were those of the family HippohoscidiB ; and 

 his views of this affinity were confirmed by comparison with a new genus of 

 Dipterous insects from Go\omh\^[Enctenodos mirahdls, n.s.), which although 

 certainly allied to Strehla, was blind, and possessed the same remarkable 

 fringe of spines to the back of the head, and in other points resembled 

 Polyctenes. 



The Rev. A. E. Eaton suggested affinity with the Auoplura, to which 

 there was some resemblance in the division of the head, but the structure of 

 the legs was different. 



In reply to Mr. M'Lachlan, Mr. Waterhouse stated that he had not 

 discovered any halteres in Polyctenes. 



November 5, 1879. 

 H. W. Bates, F.L.S., F.Z.S., Vice-President, in the chair. 



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

 respective donors. 



Mr. Stainton read two letters from Lord Walsingham, setting forth in 

 a more detailed manner the objects which his lordship had in view in 

 offering the prizes referred to at the last meeting through the Council of the 

 Society. These objects were thus explained in the first letter : — " First, 

 to obtain some useful result ; but, secondly, having long paid only a small 

 annual subscription to the funds of the Society, I fancied it would be 

 acceptable to them to have at their disposal the means of offering a 

 substantial prize for useful work, which, although not connected with the 

 special province of the Society, was such as many Members of it would 

 probably be extremely competent to undertake. The Linuean and 

 Zoological Societies are rich enough to afford to offer such prizes out of 



