140 



Tlie Rev. A. R. Hogan exhibited specimens of Niphargus Kochianus, Spence Bale, 

 a species of well-shrimp discovered by him, along with two other new species, at 

 Ringwood, in the New Forest. They were afterwards found in several other places, 

 those before the iMeeting being from Upper Clatford, near Andover. One of the 

 most remarkable fiicts cminecled with Niphargi was their occurrence in recently-sunk 

 wells ; they have in nidie than one instance been drawn up in large numbers by pumps 

 not two years's sunk. Their organization is of a very high character, but most of the 

 species, both in this country and on the Continent, are destitute of eyes. When in 

 captivity the movements of these Crustacea are exceedingly interesting, being grace- 

 ful and active, as well as peculiar; but there is great difficulty in keeping them alive 

 for any length of time, owing to their sensitiveness to temperature; a very cold 

 atmosphere at once deprives them of life. The limbs are also very fragile ; so that it 

 is difficult to transmit them with safety by post. The size of the largest species as yet 

 found in England, N. fantanus, reaches about half an inch. A description of the 

 British Niphargi and of their habits was made public in the ' Natural History Review 

 and Quarterly Journal of Science' for 1859, in papers by C. Spence Bate, Esq., and 

 the Rev. A. R. Hogan; and a more complete account will be given in the British 

 Museum ' Catalogue of Crustacea,' now in the press. 



Mr. Hogan also exhibited a female specimen of Chirocephalus diaphanus, taken 

 at Shaftesbury, in Dorsetshire, last summer, furnishing a new locality for one of our 

 largest and most beautiful fresh-water Crustaceans. 



Mr. Lubbock said he was very glad to see some exhibitions which were a little out 

 of the ordinary course. Both the animals now exhibited by Mr. Hogan appeared to 

 be very local. He had himself some lime ago brought to a meeting of the Society 

 some blind shrimps from a well at Brighton, and some specimens of Chirocephalus 

 diaphanus from a pond in Kent, between Bromley and Sevenoaks. He believed that 

 the present was the most northern locality in which this beautiful and interesting 

 Crustacean had hitherto been found. 



Mr. Lubbock then exhibited some specimens of Campodea Staphyliuus, Wesliv., 

 which he at first supposed to be Neuropterous larvag. They were found under slices 

 of turnip which had been placed as a trap for Myriapods. 



Mr. Lubbock also exhibited some specimens of Spheerubiria Bombi, a parasite of 

 the humble-bee, which was first discovered by M. Leon Dufour, and subsequently 

 observed by Siebold. Mr. Lubbock stated that he had himself found these parasites 

 in the females of every species of Bombus which he had examined. As the mature 

 form of this parasite only is known, he was very anxious to obtain some Bombi during 

 the winter, in order to determine, if possible, the process of development, and to 

 throw some light on the manner in which the yonngf parasites efi"ect an entrance into 

 their victims : he should therefore be much obliged to those entomologists who would 

 forward to him any hybernating Bombi which might be found while searching for 

 insects during the winter months. 



Mr. Westwood exhibited a singularly pale variety of Alois repandata, taken by Mr. 

 Daubeny, of Magdalen College, Oxford, the markings forming a link between the 

 typical insect and the variety named " conversaria " by Hiibner, the subapical strigte 

 being very acutely undulated, and preceded by a large, nearly black patch. 



Mr. Westwood observed that his attention had recently been drawn to a specimen 

 of Eristalis similis, Meig., presented to the Hopeian collection in Mr Well's cabinet of 

 British insects, in which the head is entirely enveloped in the thin, seraitransparent 



