320 The Zoologist — August, 1866. 



their ordinary rale, and it was wiih difficulty the labourers could be induced to work. 

 More than 300 persons were bitten by this venomous insect, but only three cases were 

 reported to have proved fiital, and these deaths, it is supposed, are not to be attributed 

 solely to the bite of the spider. Fortunately this visitation was restricted lo one part 

 of the town lands, otherwise the consequences might have been very serious. From 

 some villages in this district news was received that the spider had also visited them. 

 The bite of this insect was indicated by a hard while sput. The first symptoms expe- 

 rienced were alternate violent heat and cold, shortness of breath bordering on suffoca- 

 tion, an increa'-ed pulsation of the heart, and pains in the ciiest and back, then we;ikness 

 in the legs and dizziness in the head. After a few hours these symptoms diminished, 

 and in two days the patient was able to resume his work. TLe general remedy employed 

 was lo cup the poisoned part and liberally wash it with cold water. Some cauterized the 

 place, but this remedy was not so efficacious, and it created, besides, a fresh wound. 

 The first time this spider was seen at Berdiansk was in 1864, but very few persons 

 were bitten by it. List year, however, il increased to a most alarming extent. It was 

 remarked that the spider was very active in killing locusts, on which it seemed princi- 

 pally to feed, and il was only when disturbed that it stung persons. The niiijority of 

 the persons bitten did not know the cause of their illness, and il was only the same 

 symptoms in each case thai proved it to be the sting of the spider." 



Mr. M'Lachlan exhibited the case of a caddis-worm which was found attached to 

 a rush about two feet above the level of the adjacent water; it was of the genus 

 Limnephilus, and he conceived that when, in accordance with the usual habit, the 

 larva had fixed its case prior to the assumption of the pupa-form, the instinct of the 

 creature had been at fault, and the larva had omitted to make allowance for the growth 

 of the plant, by means of which the case had been raised above the water, and the 

 pupa had consequently perished. 



Mr. Stainton mentioned that from the galls on Gypsophila saxifraga, found at 

 Mentone, of which he had exhibited a drawing at the previous Meeting (ante, p. x.), 

 there had emerged two moths of the genus Gelechia, belonging to what he supposed 

 he must call a new species allied to G. leucomelanella. The group of Gelechia, how- 

 ever, which fed on the CaryophyllacPiJe were most difficult to deal with ; new forms 

 were continually discovered, intermediate between what have hitherto been considered 

 distinct though closely-allied species ; it was not improbable that other intermediate 

 links would be supplied until the whole series, thus made continuous, would require to 

 be united — should he say, into one species P 



Mr. M'Lachlan thought the group in question was a good illustration of the 

 " phyiophagic species" of Mr. Walsh. 



Mr. C. A.Wilson communicated a further instalment of his "Notes on ihe 

 Buprestids of Soulh Australia." 



Prof Westwood exhibited drawings of several species of Goliath beetles, which he 

 proposed lo describe, and for some lo create new subgenera. 



Mr. Pascoe exhibited two new species of Articerus, and read the following note 

 respecting them: — 



" Of the eight known species of Articerus, five are from Australia ; three of these, 

 described by Prof. Westwood, have short thick antennse; another, described by the 

 same author, has them remarkably curved ; the species recently described by Mr. 



