Insects. 7451 



The structure was one of great beauty, both with reference to shape and also in the 

 distribution of the colours, which were exceedingly rich and varied. From the cir- 

 cumstance of the nest on its first removal being found to contain a specimen of Velleius 

 dilatatus in the perfect state, I had great hopes of being able to obtain larviE of lliat 

 insect at the close of the season. In this, however, I was disapi)ointed, for upon a 

 close examination neither larvae nor any trace of the parasite could be discovered; it 

 would therefore appear that the creature at the period of its capture had not found 

 time to deposit its eggs. Among the refuse which accumulated underneath the nest, 

 two or more species of Dipterous insects found means to deposit their eggs, the larvse 

 peoduced therefrom feeding upon the offal which chanced to fall from the combs. A 

 number of these larva were exhibited at the February meeting of the Entomological 

 Society, by Mr. Walker, on the part of Mr. F. Smith of the British Museum, to whom 

 I sent them, when some were pronounced to be those of Anthomyia canicalaris, while 

 it was considered doubtful what the others might prove to be. Ii was amusing to 

 observe the cool way in which numbers of the common house-fly, blue-bottles and other 

 species would enter the box and take their places round the dish containing the sweets 

 upon which the hornets were regaling themselves, feeding with apparent unconcern 

 close beside the latler-named insects. Occasionally an unlucky individual was made 

 to pay dear for its temerity, but by far the greater number dexterously contrived from 

 day to day lo evade all attempts on the part of the hornets to catch ihem. — S. Stone ; 

 Siiykthampton, near Witnci/. 



Inquiry respecting the Name of a Larva. — I should be much obliged if you would 

 inform me of the name of the grubs of which the following is a description : — They 

 were found by the woodman on cutting down a rotten elm tree in a gentleman's 

 garden, December 1 1th. There were three in number ; they were whitish, verging to 

 a bluish purple towards the tail : the largest was about three inches in length and 

 ]| inch in circumference ; it had small brown spiracles, one for every joint in its body, 

 of which there were foui teen ; it had six brown and serrated legs behind ils head, 

 which was brown and hard, having immense, strong and deeply serrated mandibles, 

 and correspondingly large maxillEe, very small black eyes, and antennae with five 

 joints. At first it might be mistaken for a goai-mnth caterpillar, but the colour is 

 different; the jaws of the latter are much smaller ; and it had none of those sucker 

 legs which the godi-moth caterpillar possesses. — H. G. Percy ; Albury Park, Sur- 

 March 26, 1861. 



[Certainly the larvse of the common stag beetle (Lucanm Cervus). — E. Newman.'] 



Proceedings of Societies. 



Entomologicai, Society. 



March 4, 1861. — J, W. Douglas, Esq., President, in the chair. 



Donations. 



The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be presented to 

 the donors: — 'On some Oceanic Enlomostraca collected by Captain Toynbee,' by 

 John Lubbock, Esq., F.R.S., F.L.S. ; presented by the Author. ' The Journal of the 



