45 



the case bearing a complete resemblance to the calyx, and the upper portion to the 

 unexpanded corolla both in colour and form ; in fact these were the materials out of 

 which the case was formed. Both larvae unfortunately died in two or three days. The 

 Origanum was gathered in a small chalk-pit, near Darenth Wood, where no doubt tbe 

 larva may again be met with another season." 



Mr. Douglas read a letter from Mr. E. Wilson, in which it was stated, that in the 

 United States it was impossible to preserve a collection of insects of any extent ; as in 

 some years during the very hot weather, owing to a peculiar state of the atmosphere, 

 everything that was closely shut up became covered with a white hoar, and that from 

 this cause a pair of bouts in a cupboard would become as white as snow ; that in order 

 to guard against these sudden attacks, the cases of birds at the Academy of Philadel- 

 phia, instead of being closed as they are in this country, have chimneys to cause an 

 artificial draught, and every box of insects is required to be opened during the con- 

 tinuance of these attacks so as to expose them as much as possible to the air. 



Mr. Westwood stated that M. Guerin-Meneville, in his researches on insects des- 

 tructive to tobacco, had found that many different species fed thereon. One of these, 

 a new species, named Catorama Tabaci, he at first thought was allied to the genus 

 Ptinus, but afterwards found it more nearly related to Dorcatoma. In this latter 

 genus he had been .able to clear up the doubts as to the number of joints in the an- 

 tenna? (which had been variously stated by different authors to be eight, nine, ten and 

 eleven) ; having determined from the examination of two specimens that the real 

 number was ten in tbe male and nine in tbe female. Another species detected by M. 

 Guerin-Meneville was Xyletinus serricomis. Mr. Westwood said that in a cigar for- 

 warded to himself for examination, he had found the pupa of a beetle, the abdominal 

 portion of which was encased in the skin of the larva, the skin itself, including the 

 head, remaining perfect, and he thought probably that the species was Xyletinus ser- 

 ricomis. The cigar purported to be from Havannah, but if the insect should prove to 

 be X. serricomis, this was very doubtful, as that beetle was North American, and the 

 observations of M. Gueiin went to show that the native country of tobacco might be 

 ascertained by the insects found in it. 



Mr. Wilkinson thought this idea of M. Guerin fallacious, as tobacco in this country 

 coming from different places, was piled in the bonded warehouses often for a consider- 

 able time, and insects might easily travel from one package to another. 



The President observed that many insects were found all over the world, instan- 

 cing the species of Dermestes and Trogosita Mauritanica, and that it remained to be 

 proved that the beetles referred to were peculiar to one country. 



Mr. Saunders then read the following note : — 



In a communication I have lately received from Mr. H. G. Harrington, dated at sea, 

 the 7th of October last, in lat. 17 deg. S., long. 35 deg. W., he says, " I have taken two 

 very beautiful moths decidedly exotic, one in lat. 27 deg. 36min. N., long. 19 deg. 

 34 min. W. ; the other in lat. 13 deg. 12 min. N., long. 24 deg. 32 min. W., aud three 

 beetles south of the line a few miles." Laying down these positions on a good chart, 

 I find that the first is about eighty miles from land, nearly west of the Island of Tierso, 

 one of the Canary group ; and the second is about ninety miles from land, due south 

 of Brova, one of the Cape de Verd Islands. The exact position where Mr. Harrino-. 

 ton took the beetles is not so easy to determine ; but looking to the route taken by the 

 ship, Sir E. Parry, which may be very nearly ascertained from the positions given by 



