44 



Mr. Smith also exhibited specimens of Ponera contracta, found by Mr. Squire in 

 a bakehouse near Burton Crescent. 



Mr. Westwood observed that tbe first recorded British example of this species was 

 found by him in St. James's Park. 



Mr. Westwood exhibited a specimen of Solpuga fatalis, a large and very poisonous 

 spider from India. 



Mr. Westwood stated that the binding of the books in the library of a lady residing 

 at Oxford had lately been found to be much injured by a Lepidopterous larva, 

 apparently that of Endrosis fenestrella. 



The Secretary read the following, from a letter addressed by Mr. H. W. Bates to 

 Mr. Stevens : — 



" Ega, September 29th, 1858. 



"Tbe two species of Cymindis you mention as interesting things contained in my 

 last collection were taken under extraordinary circumstances, which I think are wolth 

 relating, although there is nothing of scientific importance connected with the 

 subject. One only is a Cymindis, the largest of eight or ten species: I have found 

 all but this one about roots of herbage in sandy, partly sheltered places ; the other 

 metallic species, so similar to the Cymindis in its rufous square humeral patch, 

 is really a Coptodera or new genus allied thereto, — all the allied species of which, at 

 least twenty taken here, are found coursing over the bark of decaying trees. These 

 two species, however, were not taken in their proper habitats, but cast ashore on the 

 sandy beach near the town after a stormy night on the lake. I found them together 

 with vast multitudes of other insects ; in fact, there was a ridge of sediment along the 

 beach, a mile in length, composed almost entirely of insects. It is remarkable that a 

 great number of the species I have never been able to obtain in any other manner. 

 The causes of the phenomenon I suppose to be these, — premising that it occurs only 

 once annually, at the end of August, during stormy, changeable weather, which follows 

 the first heats of the fine season : — a sultry night attracts vast numbers of nocturnal 

 insects from the forest to fly about over the lake; a squall of cool wind arrives sud- 

 denly from the opposite shores, and the wind and chilled temperature cast the myriads 

 of gambolling insects into the water, the swell afterwards casting them on the beach. 

 It is a proof of the vast number of the nocturnal insects in the tropics. The greater 

 proportion consists of Coleoptera ; there are also many Hemiptera and moths; even 

 small birds, Cerabae and others. 



"The Coleoptera consist chiefly of vast numbers of Scaritidse, from minute species 

 less than the Dyschirius gibbus of Europe to large Scarites, 1^ inch long; some of 

 them of very singular forms, such as Oxystomus, Stratiotes, and some, I think, new 

 genera; the most remarkable of which Mr. Westwood has recently described 

 as Solenogenys foeda. There are also many Truncatipennes, chiefly of genera 

 Polystichus, Zuphium, Diaphorus, Galerita, Casnonia and Brachinus. Other Geode- 

 phaga are in less variety, but some species, as a species of Dercylus, are iu vast mul- 

 titudes. Next in numbers to the Scaritides are the Heteromera, chiefly small species 

 allied to Helops. After them come the Lamellicornes ; grand Dynastes — the Mega- 

 losomas, Mars and Actseon, Enema infundibulum, species of Strat(Egus,C«losis, Ligy- 

 Tus, Slenociates, Chalepus and Cyclocephala. Some black species of Chalepus and 

 Stenocrates especially occur always by thousands. There are also a few Melolonthidae, 



