VIU 



They then exhibit a casual glare as they crawl about within. As to the 

 contemporaneous flashes of myriads, such as are more frequently con- 

 gregated on the calmest nights, surrounding objects previously involved in 

 obscurity become suddenly illuminated as if by electricity, and as rapidly 

 plunged in their antecedent gloom at alternate intervals. He could not 

 concur in the hypothesis that currents of air had any connexion with such 

 displays or occultations, when not a breath was stirring around ; nor 

 that these manifestations might he evoked by sexual influences, amid vast 

 hosts instigated to combine therein and act in unison. He would rather 

 attribute this phenomenon to an inherent tendency to emit their light from 

 time to time, requiring a certain period of repose to recruit their powers ; 

 and when any thus surcharged felt intuitively inspired to take the initiative, 

 the others — prompted to obey a corresponding impulse — followed such 

 example in responsive sequence. He confirmed Mr. Gorham's remarks as to 

 the luminous segments of the abdomen being diaphanous and recognizable, 

 adding that their luminosity was retractile and of a quivering character, 

 with alternations of a golden lustre, differing from the phases exhibited 

 when disporting in mid-air. 



The Rev. A. E. Eaton remarked that while the subject of insect 

 luminosity was under discussion, it might be interesting to mention that 

 Dr. Hagen, in a paper published in the 'Transactions' of the Society for 

 1873 (p. 399), had stated that a species of Ephoiierido} {Cceius dimidiata) 

 had been sent to him by Prof. Zaddach as a luminous insect, two males 

 having been captured at night near Pillau " giving a small blue light." 



Mr. Meldola stated that Mr. Thomas Belt, in liis well-known ' Naturalist 

 in Nicaragua' (p. 320), had expressed his beUef that the luminosity of the 

 Lampyridcc played the same part as the bright colours of many caterpillars, 

 i.e., that it served as a danger signal, warning nocturnal foes of the 

 inedibility of the species of this family, which he had found to be generally 

 distasteful to birds, &c. Their immunity from persecution is also testified 

 by the fact that the species of this family are very frequently mimicked by 

 other beetles, and even by insects of other orders. 



Mr. C. M. Wakefield communicated a paper by Mr. R. W. Fereday, 

 entitled " Description of a new Species of the Family LeucanidcB and a new 

 Species of the Genus CJdenias." 



Mr. A. G. Butler communicated a paper " On Synonyms of Heterocerous 

 Lepidoptera." 



Mr. C. 0. Waterhouse communicated "Descriptions of Cetoniidcc and 

 Ceramhjcida from Madagascar." 



New Part of ' Transactions.'' 

 Part V. of the ' Transactions' for 1879, containing index, title-page, &c., 

 was on the table. 



