386 Linnaan Society. 



era side of the Himalaya, 6500 feet above the level of the sea, 

 and its caterpillar (like that of B. Mori) feeds on the leaves of the 

 wild mulberry, -which is another reason why the qualities of the 

 silk should resemble that spun by the true silkworm. The perfect 

 moth is about the size of B. Mori, but has darker- coloured wings, 

 with a large, blackish lunate spot near the tips of the hooked fore- 

 wings. 



Specimens of the natural fibre of the silk, and some with the 

 threads severally composed of three, six, nine and twelve fibres were 

 exhibited, those with nine and twelve fibres having been pronounced 

 by the Delhi silk-workers to be worth 25 rupees per seer, that is, 

 about 25 shillings per pound, at 2 shillings per rupee. 



Read a paper entitled " Descriptions of some new species ofAthy- 

 reus, MacL., a genus of Lamellicorn Beetles." By J. O. Westwood, 

 Esq., F.L.S. &c. 



After tracing the history of the genus and its affinities, and no- 

 ticing in detail its most remarkable peculiarities, dwelling par- 

 ticularly on those characters which are externally indicative of di- 

 stinction of sex, Mr. Westwood proceeds to describe the following 

 species : 



1. Athyreus gigas, Hope ; castaneus, elytris magis runs, capite glabro 

 antice 3-cornuto, mandibulis magnis externe acute dentatis, pronoto 

 utrinque excavatione profunda, discoque cornubus duobus crassis acutis 

 divergentibus, elytris tenuissime striato-punctatis. — Long. corp. una 1 

 (mandibulis inclusis). 



Hab. in Brasilia. In Mus. D. Hope. 



2. Atpiyreus armatus, Hope ; piceo-niger, lateribus prothoracis mandi- 

 bulis pedibusque rufescentibus, mandibulis magnis singula extus 2- 

 dentata dente antico magno, pronoto utrinque carina deflexa medio- 

 que cornu suberecto, elytris elevato-striatis. — Long. corp. lin. 9. 



Hab. in America meridionali. In Mus. D. Hope. 



3. Athyreus subarmatus, $ ; supra, obscurus nigricans, labro mandi- 

 bulis prothoracis lateribus pedibusque piceo-rufis, tenuissime granu- 

 losus, clypeo margine antico pariim reflexo postice carina elevata in 

 medio tuberculo instructo, antennis luteis, pronoto carinis duabus bre- 

 vibus mediis in spatio medio ovali linea elevata circumcincto instructo. 

 — Long. corp. lin. 8i. 



Hab. in America meridionali. In Mus. D. Hope, sub nomine A. arma- 

 tus, <j> . 



4. Athyreus tuberculatum, Hope; obscure piceus, sub lente tenuis- 

 sime granulosus et setosus, antennis luteis, clypeo conico antice cornu 

 par urn elevato terminato, pronoto tuberculis duobus contiguis ante 

 medium disci positis, elytris sublineatis, tibiis anticis 5-6-dentatis. — 

 Long. corp. lin. 8i. 



Hab. in Brasilia. In Mus. D. Hope. 



5. Athyreus rotundus, Hope; supra obscurus piceo-rufus, sub lente 

 undique tuberculis minimis obsitus, clypeo margine antico truncato 

 et pariim elevato margine postico carina tuberculis tribus acutis in- 

 structo, pronoto tuberculis duobus contiguis ante medium elytrisque 

 lasviter striatis. — Long. corp. lin. 10. 



Hab. in Brasilia. In Mus. D. Hope. 



