Vlll PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



Mr. Westvvood exhibited a new species of the singular dipterous 

 genus Achins from Java, belonging to the collection of the East 

 India Company. 



Mr. W. W. Saunders exhibited a bottle of capsicum, portion 

 of a large quantity received by the East India Company from 

 Bombay, which was found to be greatly infested by Lasioderma 

 testaceum, Steph., a small beetle belonging to the family Ptinidce, 

 which is also stated by Mr. Westwood occasionally to infest 

 Schumach, which it deteriorates to a great extent (Introduction to 

 Modern Class, of Insects, vol. i. p. 272). Cayenne pepper is 

 also stated by Messrs. Kirby and Spence to be subject to the 

 ravages of Anohium paniceum, Linn., {testaceum of Marsham,) 

 probably mistaken by them for the former insect, which it greatly 

 resembles. 



Mr. Saunders also exhibited living specimens of two beautiful 

 species of Bruchus, feeding upon leguminous seeds received by 

 Dr. Royle from the Himalayas. 



Mr. Westwood communicated a letter from Mr. Barnes of 

 Bicton Gardens, noticing various injuries produced by insects, 

 especially mentioning that some early sown beans had been found 

 to have the stems bored by an insect from the base to the level 

 of the surface of the ground. Specimens of the insects proved 

 to be Sitona lineata, which is well known to gnaw the edges of 

 the leaves of beans. Mr. Spence, therefore, doubted whether 

 this species was the real cause of the mischief, and stated that he 

 believed that the larvae of Sitonce reside in galls at the roots of 

 beans, which a friend had observed to be infested with root- 

 galls at Holderness in Yorkshire, and, further, that when the 

 crops were reaped numbers of Sitonce were found. Mr. Walton 

 stated that Otiorynchus tenebricosus is very injurious in gardens, 

 especially in Dorsetshire. 



Descriptions of some new Australian Chrysomelidce were read 

 by W. W. Saunders, Esq. ; also 



Description of a new Species of Paiissidce from Port Natal, by 

 J. O. W^estwood, Esq. 



Extracts from a letter received by Mr. Ingpen from Mr. C. A. 

 Wilson of South Adelaide, dated 9th September, 1846. He 

 considers that the smaller species found near Adelaide is Cerap- 

 terus MacLeaii* Mr. Westwood's figiu-e in the Entomological 



* [The figure referred to by Mr. Wilson represents Ceraptenis picens. C. Mac- 

 Leaii is distinguished by a redder colour, and by having the outer angles at the 

 lip of the tibiai very acute. See Arcana Ent. ii. pi. 50, fig. 3 (C. picens) and 

 4 (C. MacLeaii). The species, 8 lines long, is doubtless a new one. — J. 0. IF. J 



