XVll 



formed of silk, to which was externally fixed a quantity of line light brown 

 sand. The cases were found under stones in sandy districts, and were 

 stated by Mr. Charles 0. Waterhouse to belong to a beetle of the genus 

 Paralichas (one of the Dascillidse). Also the cases of a species of Oiketicus, 

 of peculiar structure ; the inner lining of the tube was, as usual, composed 

 of toughened silk, but to this was attached, externally, a quantity of fine 

 sand, and outside this a number of small angular pebbles, only the tail-end 

 bearing a few rather long twigs and species of grass stems : thus the cases 

 differed from those of most species in which substances exclusively vegetable 

 were .attached externally, the addition of the pebbles making the cases 

 (which were nearly two inches in length) unusually heavy. 



The President read descriptions and exhibited drawings of two very 

 singular forms of Coleopterous insects from Mr. A. R. Wallace's private 

 collection. For the first, which belonged to the family Telephoridae, he 

 proposed the generic term Asty china, remarkable for the form of the two 

 terminal joints of the antennae, which were modified in one sex into what 

 appeared to be a prehensile apparatus, different from anything in the insect 

 world, but of which some analogous forais were found to occur in certain 

 Eutomostracous Crustacea. The other belonged to the family Cleridae, and 

 was named Anisophyllus, differing from all known beetles by the extremely 

 elongated branch of the ninth joint of the antennae. 



Mr. Smith read descriptions of new species of Hymenopterous insects 

 from New Zealand, collected by Mr. Charles M. Wakefield. The number 

 of known Hymenoptera from New Zealand appeared to be about forty- 

 eight. 



Pcqjers read. 



Mr. J. S. Baly communicated descriptions of new genera and species of 

 Halticinae. 



Dr. Sharp communicated descriptions of a new genus and some new 

 species of Staphyliuidie, from Mexico and Central America, collected by 

 Mr. Salvin, Mr. Flohr, and Mr. Belt. 



Neiv Part of ' Transactions.' 

 Part 1 of the ' Transactions ' for 1876 was on the table. 



