Entomological Society. 217 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



March 1st, 1841.— W. W. Saunders, Esq., F.L.S., President, in 

 the Chair. 



Mr. Parry exhibited a variety of new Coleoptera, especially several 

 fine CetonudcE, from New Holland. 



Mr. Westwood exhibited dried siDecimens of a Chinese larva, from 

 the back of the neck of each of which a slender fungus, twice as long 

 as the body of the insect, had been produced. This insect, when 

 thus attacked, is esteemed of great efficacy as a drug in China, where, 

 from its very great rarity, it is only used by the emperor's physicians ; 

 and an extract from Du Halde's History of China was read, in which 

 its virtues are elaborately detailed, being especially serviceable in cases 

 of bodily debility, particularly when a small portion of it is boiled in the 

 body of a duck. The Chinese philosophers consider it as a herb during 

 the summer season, but as soon as winter appears it changes into a 

 worm. It is named Hia Tsao Tong TchonginDu Halde's Gen. Hist, 

 of China done into English, 8vo, 1736, 4 vols., vol. iv. p. 41-42; 

 the first two names meaning summer-herb, and the last two winter- 

 worm. In Rees's Cyclopaedia it is called Hiastaotomtchom ; but its 

 proper name (according to Mr. Reeves, who had forwarded a number 

 of specimens to the Linneean Society from Canton) is Hea Tsaon 

 Taong Chung. It is brought to Canton tied up in small bundles, 

 each containing about a dozen individuals, and where it is better 

 known under the name of Ting Ching Hea Tsam, which seems but a 

 transposition of the former name. The parasitic plant (which is 

 analogous to that which infests the larvae sent from New Zealand, 

 of which notices have been brought before the Society on former 

 occasions) is the Clavaria Entomorhiza. 



Mr. Westwood also exhibited two remarkable moths from Assam, 

 collected by Mr. Griffith, and forming part of Mr. R. H. Solly's 

 collection, which had all the appearance of black species of the genus 

 Papilio with red spots (Eplcopeia Polydora and Philenora, W., in 

 Arcana Entomol., No. 2, pi. 5.). 



A letter was read from Dr. Cantor, addressed to the Rev, F. W. 

 Hope, from Sincapore, dated May 21, 1840, giving an account of his 

 proceedings and travels. 



A communication was read from the Rev. F. W. Hope, relative to 

 the formation of committees for undertaking the investigation of the 

 entomology of various regions of the globe ; but as he was not pre- 

 sent, the consideration thereof was deferred until his return to En- 

 gland. 



A letter was read, announcing that the next meeting of the Italian 

 naturalists would be held at Florence. 



The completion of Mr. Westwood's memoir on the Linnsean Sta- 

 phyl'midcc was read. 



A memoir was also read, containing descriptions of the species of 

 the Curculionidcous genus Pachyrhynchus, Sch., collected by H. 



