\4G Entomological Society. 



Sesia Bomhyliiformis on emerging from the pupa has the transpa- 

 rent part of the wings entirely clothed with scales. 



A paper was read by Mr. Westwood consisting of suggestions for 

 making collections of insects abroad, especially with reference to 

 their physiological and ceconomical pecuharities, which led to an 

 extended discussion, in which Messrs. Hope, Waterhouse, Marshall, 

 Raddon, and others, took part, and by whom the following sugges- 

 tions were made. 



In packing insects captured abroad, where tliere might not be 

 convenience for pinning them, it is preferable to use thin layers of 

 linen rag instead of cotton wool, the latter catching the ungues of the 

 insects, and requiring very great care in unpacking. Sand in bottles 

 is also objectionable, for if the bottles w^ere not quite full, or any 

 holes were accidentally made in the cork, whereby the sand partially 

 escaped, the remainder by shaking about would damage the insects. 

 Moss or bits of paper were also a good substitute for cotton wool. 

 Camphor, or pepper as its substitute, should be placed in the bottles 

 or boxes of dried insects. Such hard insects as beetles, &c., should 

 be killed by being placed in a bottle and immersed in boiling water, 

 which preserves their colours much better than by placing them in 

 spirits. The leaves of laurel, or some other plant of the same nature, 

 when bruised and placed in a box of insects, would also immediately 

 kill them, but this pi'ocess hardened the muscles. Lepidopterous 

 insects may safely be preserved by folding their wings together, with 

 the antennae turned back between them, and then lapped up in a 

 piece of paper folded flat in the shape of a triangle. Considerable 

 collections had been received in this manner. The spines of the 

 Acacia were a good substitute for pins. Tin canisters should be 

 used instead of wooden boxes where practicable, in order to prevent 

 the attacks of the white ants and cock roaches : when filled, the tops 

 should be resined down. Soda-water bottles were found to be of a 

 much more commodious form than square spirit bottles. Rum and 

 arrack, on account of their saccharine qualities, ought not to be used. 

 It was also better to place layers of tow between the insects in 

 spirits, and to put but few of the latter together, as when much 

 shaken they easily broke to pieces. 



August 3rd. — The Rev. F. W. Hope, President, in the Chair. 



The President exhibited various new exotic Coleoptera, including 

 a new species of Trochoideus and one of Chiasognathus, both from 

 New Granada. 



Mr. A. White exhibited several interesting insects from S''^ Fe 

 de Bogota, including new species of Labidus, Pelecinus, &c. 



Mr. Westwood stated that he had recently observed a great num- 

 ber of the empty cocoons of the small garden ant sticking upon the 

 leaves of a nectarine tree trained against a wall, at a considerable 

 height from the ground, there being nests of the same species at the 

 foot of the wall. 



The following memoirs were read : — 



Observations on the genus TypMopone, and descriptions of several 



