88 



neighbourhood of the British Museum, he thought the authorities of that establish- 

 ment ought to take every precaution to prevent it from obtaining an entrance therein, 

 as it appeared to be impossible to exterminate them when they once obtained a 

 lodgment, the nests apparently being situated in the foundations of the houses. 



Mr. Baly exhibited a fine new Hispa, sent from Batchian by Mr. Wallace, and 

 read the following description of it: — 



" OXYCEPHELA IMPERIALIS. 



" Elongata, subdepressa, pallide fulva, nitida; antennis (basi excepto) piceis ; 

 thorace transverso-quadrato, basi ad apicem paullo amplialo, crebre punctato; 

 elytris postice attenuatis, metallico-cyaneis, apice externo rufis, fascia lata 

 obliqua, vix ante mediam posita, extrorsum abbreviata, pallide fulva. 

 Long. 7 lin. 

 " Hab. Balchian." 



Mr. Stainton exhibited a specimen of Margarodes unionalis, a species new to 

 Britain, taken by Mr. King, at Torquay. 



Mr. Fereday exhibited a beautiful series of Sphinx Convolvuli, captured this 

 season ; and a variety of Colias Edusa, having the central spot on the anterior wings 

 much snfi'used on the under side. 



Dr. Knaggs brought for distribution amongst the members a number of specimens 

 of Amara plebeia, found in his own field at Kentish Town. 



Mr. Tegetmeier exhibited specimens of Apis ligustica, of which he had lately 

 received living examples of the queen and workers from the Continent, where it is 

 considered a more profitable species to the owner than the common honey bee; he 

 hoped, during the next season, to lest the correctness of this opinion. 



Mr. Stainton read a paper " On the Geographical Distribution of British Butter- 

 flies." 



Some conversation ensued on the probability that the few examples of Vanessa 

 Antiopa, Argynnis Lathonia, &c., which are found in this country, are specimens bred 

 on the Continent, and flown across the channel during favourable weather. Mr. Water- 

 house observed that whilst crossing from Liverpool to Dublin in a steamer, a few years 

 ago, on a remarkably calm day, when the sea was as smooth as glass, he noticed the 

 surface of the water was literally covered with butterflies and other insects, which 

 seemed to keep pace with the steamer; thousands of them must have crossed the 

 channel that day: he was convinced that the powers of flight possessed by insects 

 could hardly be over-estimated. 



The Secretary read a paper by Mr. Wallace, intituled " Notes on the Habits of 

 Scolytidae and Bastrichidae," in which the author expressed his opinion (founded on 

 extensive observations of the habits of those insects in the islands of the Eastern 

 Archipelago) that they ouly attack trees which are already in a diseased or dying 

 state. 



