liv JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. 



tion of the female, requesting information as to the mode in which 

 eggs, thus evidently perfecth/ formed, were acted upon by the male 

 semen, even whilst in the body of the female. 



The Secretary exhibited a large collection of very minute insects, 

 collected with a sweeping net in the island of Mauritius by Robert 

 Templeton, Esq., in the course of the last summer and autumn, 

 which, with two exceptions, appeared to belong to the common 

 British forms. 



The Secretary also exhibited a series of specimens of Hydrometra 

 Stagnorum, fully grown as regarded their size, but varying in the 

 absence, or greater or less development of the wings and wing-covers, 

 and which he considered as fully proving the specific identity of 

 these insects, which had been regarded as distinct species by Mr. 

 Curtis in the ' Guide.' He also made some observations upon the 

 occasional development of wings in these and other species which 

 are generally found quite or partially destitute of these organs, and 

 noticed the precise analogy which existed in this respect between 

 the orders Hemiptera and Orthoptera. 



The following Memoirs were read : 



Notes upon the insects observed in unrolling a mummy at Belfast, 

 in a letter addressed to the Secretary by Robert Patterson, Esq., 

 Treas. Nat. Hist. Soc. Belfast, by whom also specimens of the in- 

 sects were exhibited, consisting of a Dermestes, resembling D. vulpi- 

 nus, and a Necrobia, resembling A^. violacea, but differing in colour, 

 and apparently identical with those described by Mr. Hope in the 

 first part of these Transactions. 



" Observations on the Haliplus ferrugineus of Authors." By C. C. 

 Babington, Esq., M.A., F.L.S., &c. (See p. 175.) 



" Notice of two Memoirs presented to the Society by Signor Pas- 

 serini." Communicated by W. B. Spence, Esq., For. Sec. 



In the first of these Memoirs Signor Passerini notices the ravages 

 occasioned by larvae, in the winter and spring of 1832-3, on the 

 wheat in the provinces of Bologna, Romagna, and Ferrara, by de- 

 vouring the cellular tissue of the leaves and stalks of the young 

 plants, and thus causing them to perish : these attacks are made du- 

 ring the nighttime, the larvae concealing themselves underground 

 during the day. They had been ascertained by Professor J. Berto- 

 lini, of Bologna, to be the larvae of Zabrus gibbus and Calathus latus, 

 and appear to be equally injurious. Signor Passerini suggests the 

 ploughing up of the land, and then turning in a flock of poultry, which 

 would greedily pick up the larvae. 



The second Memoir relates to a species of Thrips (T. physapus, 

 Linn.?), which causes great injury to the ohvcs in the district of 



