107 



yellow colour, and thickly covered with black dots of different sizes, most of whicb, 

 when closely examined, are discovered to be symmetrically arranged, and forming 

 rows lengthwise of the insect. It continues to feed and to increase in size until near 

 the middle of June, when, being fully grown, it is about § of an inch long and -J of an 

 inch in diameter. It then descends to the ground, and burying itself slightly under 

 the surface, changes to a pupa of a shining black colour, about thrice as long as broad, 

 and measuring about £ an iuch in length. The pupa is not inclosed in a cocoon, nor 

 surrounded with any other covering, but lies naked in contact with the earth ; in this 

 state it continues but a few days." 



" For at least three years past the currant and gooseberry bushes of particular 

 gardens in this district have, in June, been stripped of their leaves by these worms so 

 completely, that they would be bare as in winter, but for the dead stems and blighted 

 fruit adhering to them. A second growth of leaves begins within a week after the 

 worm has disappeared, but no fruit is yielded, and this auuual destruction of foliage 

 cannot but prove most pernicious to the shrubs." 



" On first examining the laws of this insect, I felt confident that they would pro- 

 duce moths congeneric with the European gooseberry-moth. But an inspection of 

 the perfect insect rendered it apparent that they could not be included in the genus 

 Abraxas, as defined by its founder, Dr. Leach, without a modification of its charac- 

 ters, which must be made, or a new genus must be constructed to receive our insect. 

 This is also the opinion of Dr. Harris, but I decline availing myself of it, and have 

 therefore placed the insect doubtingly in the genus Abraxas. 



" Abraxas ? Ribearia. Nankin-yellow ; body immaculate ; wings with two brown 

 bands, the outer composed of sub-confluent dots, whereof three in the midst of the an- 

 terior pair are more conspicuous and permanent. Wings expand slightly over lj inch.'' 



A detailed description follows, illustrated by a coloured plate of the larva, pupa, 

 and imairo. 



October 6, 1851. 

 J. O. Westwood, Esq., President, iu the chair. 



Monsr. Victor Signoret and J. McGillivray, Esq. were present as visitors. 



The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the 

 donors : — ' Proceedings of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Liverpool,' No. 

 6, 1849 — 51 ; by the Society. 'Catalogus Systematicus ad Cramerum, auctore Hen- 

 rici Verloren ; ' by the Author. ' Memoires de la Societe de Physique ct d'JIistoire 

 Naturelle de Geneve,' tome xii. 2nde partie ; by the Society. ' Journal of the Royal 

 Agricultural Society of England,' vol. xii. part 1 ; by the Society. ' Memorias de la 

 Real Academia de Ciencias de Madrid,' tomo i. parte 1 : and 'Resumen de las Actas,' 

 ditto, 1849-50 ; both presented by the Academy. ' Degli Insctti Carnivori adopcrati 

 a distruggere le specie daunose all' Agricultura di Antonio Villa,' Milano, 1S45 : 'Os- 

 servazioni Entomologique durante l'Eclisse del 9 Octobre, 1847, di Antonio Villa;' 

 both by the Author. ' Entoiuologische Zeitung,' for September; by the Entomologi- 

 cal Society of Stettin. 'The Zoologist ' for October ; by the Editor. ' Philosophical 

 Transactions of the Royal Society,' 1850, part 2, 1851, part 1 : ' Proceedings,' ditto, 



