35 
§ was fixed. The filling up of this design occupied the insects fifteen days, when another 
§ box (No. 5 of the series) was procured: this was fitted up in a manner differing some- 
what from the last; four pillars were placed across the box, a little behind the middle, 
and two a little in advance, while between the two a short one, three or four inches 
only in height, was inserted, atthe top of which, but not at the base, a small circular 
piece of comb was placed, while at the bottom as well as the top of the other columns 
pieces of comb were fixed: the erection of the singularly beautiful structure contained 
in this box only occupied the workers five days, when a fresh one (No. 6 of the series) 
was procured, fitted up in nearly the same style as the last: in other five days they 
raised a structure very similar to the preceding one, when they were shifted into a 
much larger box, fitted up in nearly the same way as the two previous ones had been, 
but the weather becoming cold they did not make progress enough to bring their work 
in this box to anything like perfection. 
“One of the chief objects wasps have in view in their building operations is to 
enclose the combs so as to ensure as bigh and as uniform a degree of temperature as 
may be,—a thing essential in the hatching of the eggs and the well-being of the larve 
when produced: thus by placing combs or pieces of comb in particular positions the 
insects are literally compelled, in their endeavours to cover them in, to carry out the 
design of the person so placing them. 
““One reason why the work was not attached either to the back or front of cases 
4,5 and 6 was, that the pillars or columns were placed at some distance from each of 
those sides, and as there were no intervening combs, or pieces of comb, to be covered 
in, the operations of the insects did not extend in either of those directions sufficiently 
far to reach them during the period they were allowed to remain in each box.” 
Mr. Stainton exhibited a new Gelechia, allied to G. nigricostella, and for which he 
proposed the specific name of Lathyri, the moth having been bred by Mr. Brown, of 
Cambridge, from larve which fed on Lathyrus palustris. 
Prof. Westwood mentioned that the larve found by Captain Cox in a bin of bran, 
and exhibited at the Meeting on the 2nd of May last(anie, p. 20), had proved to be 
Pyralis farinalis. 
’ Paper read. 
Mr. Roland Trimen, of Cape Town, communicated a paper entitled “* Descriptions 
of some new Species of Butterflies found in Southern Africa.” Sixteen species were 
characterized, one of which belonged to the Pieride, one to Satyridw, six to the 
Lycenide, and eight to the Hesperide. Ten out of the sixteen were discovered by 
Mr. James Henry Bowker, Inspector of Mounted Police, who for several years has 
devoted his leisure to the observation and cullection of the Flora and Fauna (especially ~ 
the Lepidoptera) of Kaffraria. 
New Part of ‘ Transactions,’ 
A new part of the Society’s ‘Transactions’ (Third Series, Vol. ii. Part 1), being 
the second quarterly Part for 1864, containing Major Parry’s Catalogue of the 
Lucanoid Coleoptera, with descriptions of new, and remarks on some of the rarer, 
species, and illustrated with twelve plates, was announced as ready for distribution. 
