144 Entomological Society. 



them in Italy for a long time, and had never observed that they 

 formed a hole previous to rolling their balls ; and that instead of 

 assisting one another, the whole scene was one of confusion, each 

 individual endeavouring to appropriate whatever it could to its own 

 purpose. Mr. E. Doubleday also stated that his own observations 

 on the tumble-dung beetles of North America coincided with those 

 of Mr. Spence, and that he had never seen any pitfall formed, but 

 that the insects sunk their balls in the same way as the Necrophagi, 

 by merely scratching the earth from beneath them. 



March 24th. — The Rev. F. W.Hope, President, in the Chair. 



Two boxes of Lepidopterous insects, sent from Ceylon by R. Tem- 

 pleton, Esq., were exhibited by Mr. Westwood. 



Mr. J. F. Stephens exhibited a pupa-case of the emperor-moth of 

 an irregular form, being nearly twice the ordinary size, and having 

 the appearance of being double, from which however only one moth 

 had been produced. 



Captain Parry exhibited living specimens of a new species of Di- 

 tomus, which he had received inclosed in quills transmitted by post 

 from Lisbon. 



Mr. S. Stevens communicated the following new and very effective 

 method of relaxing insects : — " I procure about a dozen shoots with 

 the leaves of the common laurel, the younger the better, put them into 

 a coarse bag or cloth (shot bag I use), bruise them well with a wooden 

 mallet till the bag becomes quite moist, then put it into a glazed 

 jar or other large vessel, and stick the insects on the top of the bag, 

 which must be tied over with a bladder, or secured in some way so 

 that it is perfectly air-tight. Twenty-four hours is generally suffi- 

 cient to relax most insects ; but one great advantage is, that if they 

 remain a week or ten days in the laurel, it does not in the least 

 injure the specimens, so that they can be set out at any convenient 

 opportunity. It also completely destroys the mites or mould, if the 

 specimens happen to be infested ; and it will be found to have many 

 very great advantages over the old plan of damp sand or flannel. I 

 was in hopes, from experiments that I made on two or three green 

 species, that the colours would not fly ; but I since regret to find on 

 further trial, that Hipparchus papilionarius, Hemithea vernaria and 

 Cythisaria are considerably changed by it. Mr. Dale informs me it 

 answers equally well with the other orders, he having relaxed nearly 

 the whole of his dragon-flies ; and it is much used at Bristol for the 

 Hymenoptera : it also effectually relaxes the skins of birds, and kills 

 the vermin much better than camphor." 



Mr. Marshall mentioned that a compound formed of one drachm 

 of corrosive sublimate to eight ounces of the strongest alcohol was 

 the most effectual remedy, when washed over an insect, against the 

 attacks of mites, &c. 



Mr. Hope read a paper containing descriptions of some new species 

 of Australian Buprestida. 



Mr. Westwood exhibited drawings of two very splendid Chalcididce, 

 forming a new genus, from Adelaide, collected by Mr. Fortnum. 



