33 



November 3, 1856. 

 W. W. Saunders, Esq., President, in the chair. 



Donations. 



The following donations were announced, and thants ordered to be given to the 

 donors: — 'Papers and Proceedings of the Koyal Society of Van Dieman's Land,' 

 Vol. iii. Parti.; presented by the Society. 'Journal of the Proceedings of the 

 Linnean Society,' Vol. i. No. 3 ; by the Society. ' Entomological Papers, being 

 Descriptions of new Ceylon Coleoptera, with such Observations on their Habits, Sec, 

 as appear in any way interesting,' by John Nietner, Colombo, Ceylon, Nos. 1 and 2; 

 by G. H. K. Thwaites, Esq. ' Bericht iiber die Oesterreichische Literalur der 

 Zoologie, Bolanik und Palseontologie aus den Jahren 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853;' 

 ' Verhandlungen des Zoologisch-Botanischen Vereins in Wein,' Band V. ; by the 

 Society. ' The Natural History Keview,' No. 12 ; by the Dublin Natural History 

 Society. ' Entomologische Zeitung, 1856,' Nos. 7, 8, 9 and 10; by the Entomo- 

 logical Society of Stettin. 'A Manual of British Butterflies and Moths,' No. 9; 

 ' The Substitute,' Nos. 1 and 2 ; ' Elements of Entomology,' by W. S. Dallas, 

 F.L.S., No. 2; by H. T. Stainton, Esq. 'The Athenaeum' for October; by the 

 Editor. 'The Literary Gazette' for October; by the Editor. 'The Zoologist* 

 for November; by the Editor. 'The Journal of the Society of Arts ' for October; by 

 the Society. A specimen of Belostoma sp ? by James Weston, Esq. 



Election of a Member. 



George Edwards, Esq., of 24, Acacia Road, St. John's Wood, was balloted for and 

 elected a Member of the Society. 



Exhibitions. 



Mr. A. F. Sheppard exhibited Acronycta Alni and Phibalapteryx gemmaria, 

 taken near Brighton. 



Mr. Stevens exhibited a fine specimen, in its natural state, of the wax secreted by 

 Coccus pela, or wax-insect of China, sent to him by Mr. Fortune. 



Mr. Westwood said this Coccus was a subject of considerable interest, as we thus 

 were able to see from what the Chinese wax is produced ; it is the covering formed by 

 the female of a species of Coccus called by the Chinese pela, whence the specific name 

 applied to it: its chemical properties had lately been investigated by Mr. Daniel 

 Hanbury, who had recently exhibited some very fine specimens. In some of the wax 

 sent home by Mr. Fortune he (Mr. W.) had found the remains of male insects, and 

 also two species of Chalcidae, which were doubtless parasites of the Coccus. 



Mr. Bowring observed that this wax was used in China to coat over the outsides of 

 the candles made from the candle tree, in order to give them a hard surface. 



Mr. Stevens exhibited a full-grown larva of Agrotis Ashworthii, remarking that it 

 was one exhibited by him at a previous meeting, when but a few days old; also the 

 bottle containing liquorice-powder exhibited at the last meeting, in which were 

 specimens of Endrosis fenestrella still alive. 



F 



