( xxi ) 



Xylehorus Saxesenii, Ratz., as had been supposed, but another widely 

 distributed species, which was in the British Museum under the following 

 names : — Bostrichusferrugineus, Fabr., from Central America ; B. testaceus, 

 Walk. (1859), from Ceylon; and Toinicus perforans, Well. (1857), from 

 Madeira and Rodriguez. As there was some doubt as to the determination 

 of the Fabrician species, Mr. Waterhouse proposed to adopt the name 

 T. perforans. Specimens are also in the collection of the British Museum 

 from Celebes, Penang, Rio, Porto Rico, and Dorey. 



Prof. Westwood thought that a previous instance of insects attacking 

 beer-casks had been brought before the Society many years ago. 



Mr. M'Lachlan believed that Toiiiicas and other bark-feeding Coleoptera 

 only attacked unhealthy trees. 



Prof. Westwood agreed with the late M. Audouin that the oviposition of 

 these beetles tended in itself to cause disease in the trees attacked. He 

 considered that when casks were saturated with beer the insects might be 

 attracted thereby. 



Rev. H. S. Gorham said that he had never known Hylesinus or Tomicus 

 to attack living trees. 



Mr. C. O. Waterhouse said that they appeared to single out individual 

 trees for their attacks, a single tree among many being sometimes greatly 

 infested, while all the others were exempt. 



Papers read. 



Prof. Westwood read " Further descriptions of Insects infesting Figs," 

 relating to minute ChalcididiB. 



Mr. G. C. Lewis read " A Supplementary Note on the specific modifi- 

 cations of Japanese Carabl, and some observations on the mechanical action 

 of sun-rays in relation to colour during the evolution of species," in which 

 he argued that the similarity of colour in animals and plants inhabiting 

 the same situations was due rather to their being subjected to similar 

 conditions of light, temperature, &c., than to the principle of protective 

 resemblance. 



November 1, 1882. 

 H. T. Stainton, Esq., F.R.S., &c., President, in the chair. 



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

 respective donors. 



Exhibitions, dc. 



Mr. J, Jenner Weir exhibited living specimens of what he believed 

 to be Conocephalus ensiger, Harris, which he had received from Messrs. 

 J. Veitch & Sons, of Fulham Road, in whose hot-houses the locust had 



