( xlv ) 



intervals (from half a minute to nine or ten minutes) between the 

 jumps. It is a curious fact that when the hi^^hly muscular larva 

 is removed from the case, although it perpetually maintained an 

 alternate forcible doubling up and sudden extension of its body, 

 it evidently could not leap, or in any way project itself, from the 

 surface on which it rested, but merely wriggled sideways. 

 Mr. Triraen said it was difficult to conjecture the origin or use, to 

 the insect, of this peculiar action, as it seemed clear that in nature, 

 with the cyst tightly and completely invested by the substance of 

 the leaf, such motion could never be exerted at all. Mr. Trimen 

 further stated that the resulting imago was not known to him ; 

 but, from the appearance of the larva, he was inclined to think 

 that it was coleopterous rather than hymenopterous. 



Mr. Trimen exhibited some singular seed-like objects fou)id 

 in the nests of Termites, and also in those of true ants, in South 

 Africa. They were apparently of the same nature as those 

 from the West Indies, described in 1833 by the Rev. L. 

 Guilding as Margarodes formicarius, which was usually referred 

 to the CoccidcB, as allied to Porpliyrophora. They were of various 

 shades, from yellowish pearly to golden and coppercolour, and 

 were strung together by the natives like beads, and used by them 

 us necklaces and other personal ornaments, as, according to Mr. 

 Guilding, was the case with the West Indian species. 



Mr. W. F. Kirby exhibited, on behalf of Mr. John Thorpe, of 

 Middleton, a long series of bufif and melanic varieties of Amphi. 

 dasis betularia, and read notes on them communicated by Mr_ 

 Thorpe. Mr. Kirby also exhibited, on behalf of Mr. Nunney, 

 who was present as a visitor, a dark variety of Argynnis aglaia 

 from Caithness, and a tawny coloured variety of Vanessa urtica; 

 from Bournemouth. 



Mons. Alfred Wailly exhibited a fine series of Saturnias and 

 other Bombyces, mostly bred by him, from South Africa; also 

 Dbphia tarquinia, Attacus orizaha, Platysamia cecropia and P. 

 ceanothi, Callosamia angulifera, C.promethcea, PItilosamia cynthia, 

 and other species from Central America. He also exhibited ova 

 of Saturnla tyrrhcBa, pupse of this and other South African 

 species, and a cocoon of Bomhyx ochadama from Madagascasr. 

 Mons. Wailly stated that several of the large South African 

 SaturitidcB formed no cocoons, the larvae entering the earth to 



H 



