101 
Mr. Bond also exhibited three specimens of Toxocampa Craccz, bred from eggs 
sent by the Rev. E. Horton to Dr. Knaggs; the larve fed for the first day on Lathyrus 
pratensis, subsequently on Orobus tuberosus, and eventually had choice between the 
last-mentioned plant and Vicia sepium, and fed freely and indifferently on either. 
Mr. Stainton exhibited cocoons of Pyralis glaucinalis, sent to him by Mr. Edwin 
Brown, of Burton-on-Trent, and which were remarkable for their broad and flat form ; 
also larve of Cemiostoina Lotella, mining in the leaves of Lotus major, seut to him by 
Mr. T. Wilkinson from Scarborough: a peculiarity of this species was that the egg, 
after hatching, was distinctly visible in the mine as a bright metallic spot. 
The Rev. Hamlet Clark exhibited a miscellaneous collection of beetles captured by 
Lieut. Julian Hobson, at various times and in various localities in Central India, 
whence the insects had been sent in glass tubes by post; and read the following 
(addressed to the Editor of the ‘Ceylon Examiner’), also received from Lieut. Hob- 
son :-— 
“ Sir,—I shall feel thankful if any of your readers could inform me whether the 
Lampyris, or glow-worms, met with in Ceylon, exhibit any variety in the number of 
their phosphorescent lights; and if so by how many lights they differ. 
“ Mr. Milne Edwards describes one species, a native of the hot regions of America, 
which emits light from certain spots situated over the two or three last rings of the 
abdomen. The tangun, also a native of America, is described as emitting light from 
analogous spots over the prothorax. Sir Emerson Tennent, in the second volume of 
his work on Ceylon, in a foot-note in p. 257, says he has seen the insect three inches 
long, ‘ but without a proportionate increase of splendour.’ - 
“T have caught an insect two inches long, and for the number and beauty of its 
lights I never saw anything to equal it, nor indeed has any European or native to 
whom I have shown it. The Lampyris in question is of a dirty pale orange colour, 
and of the thickness of a goose-quill. It can contract or elongate itself at pleasure ; 
has eleven segments or rings; with the exception of the first and last, is studded with 
a pair of lamps of more than emerald brightness; constituting in all eighteen lamps, 
nine on each side, each light being of the diameter of a small-sized goose-quill. 
“ The insect exhibits slight streaks of black on the dorsum of the first two segments, 
whilst the common Lampyris has well-marked black lines on the back of all its seg~- 
ments; its habit is sluggish, and it differs from the common variety in this respect. 
It would bury itself deep in the earth, rendered soft by a free sprinkling of water, and 
never show itself unless forced out for examination. The common Lampyris would 
shun the light of day; and at night, unlike its shy neighbour, would stealthily creep 
out of its hiding-place, and, with tail erect, open the window of its single lamp and 
shed forth a bright light all round. To examine the new insect, it is necessary to 
touch him, and then it will curl itself up and impart the resemblance of a ring studded 
with ‘jewelled lamps.’ M. 
“Gampolle, 15th January, 1865.” 
With reference to the discussion at the May Meeting (ante, p. 94) on the alleged 
contemporanevus flashing of the light of fireflies, Mr. Clark read the following extract 
from a letter received from Mr. Alexander Fry :— 
“JI can confirm your observation that the fireflies of the genus Aspisoma of 
Castelnau (corrected into Aspidosoma by Lacordaire) flit at night in great numbers 
