9384 Entomological Society. 



Hemiptera, and to place it amongst the Homoptera in a genus of the family of Gall- 

 insects. I would propose to call it Gasteralphe, a name which perfectly designates 

 the most prominent peculiarity of its external form." 



Professor Westwood remarked that it was perfectly clear, from the description and 

 from the plates, that the insect which Dr. leery supposed to be the male of the Coccus 

 was not a Coccus at all ; it was a species of Coccophagus, a Hymenopterous (Chalci- 

 ditic) parasite upon Coccus. The female described was doubtless a true Coccus, the 

 male of which was, he presumed, still unknown. The action which the author had 

 mistaken for the impregnation of the female Coccus was, in fact, the deposition of the 

 eggs of the female Coccophagus in the body of the Coccus. Dr. Icery's observations 

 on the effect of different Quids on the larva? were, very interesting, particularly as to 

 the powerlessness of water and the rapid action of spirits of wine, which might he 

 explained by the fact that the downy matter surrounding the larvae, heiug of the nature 

 of lac, was insoluble in water and soluble in spirit. 



Mr. W. W. Saunders mentioned that for some years he had used spirits of wine in 

 his greenhouses for cleausiug plants aud clearing them from insects; he mixed the 

 rectified spirits and pure water in equal proportions, and this mixture, which was found 

 to answer better than undiluted spirit, was applied with a brush. It was very effica- 

 cious in the destruction of the common mealy bug (especially when young) and other 

 common pests, and he recommended it as worthy of application in the greenhouse 

 generally. 



Professor Westwood called attention to the Report of a Commission which had 

 been appointed by the Committee of Council for Education to enquire into the causes 

 of decay in wood carvings, aud the means of preventing and remedying the same. 

 The insects which in this country were found to be the most injurious, from their 

 habit of burrowing into the wood of furniture, were three beetles of the family Ptinidffi, 

 viz., Ptilinus pectinicornis, Anobium striatum and A. tessellatum. Numerous experi- 

 ments had been made with carbolic acid, chloroform aud benzine, specimens of furniture 

 attacked by the worm being submitted to the action of the vapour of these different 

 substances; other specimens were saturated with corrosive sublimate dissolved in 

 methylated spirits of wine. The conclusions at which the Commission arrived were 

 (1), that the action of the worm may be arrested aud the worm itself destroyed by 

 vaporization, more especially by the vapour of benzine ; (2), that carved work may be 

 completely restored by an injection of vegetable gum and gelatine, in order to fill up 

 the worm holes and strengthen the fabric of the carvings ; and (3), that after the worm 

 has been destroyed, further attacks from it can be prevented by treating the carved 

 work with a solution of corrosive sublimate, either in methylated spirits of wine or 

 parchment size, according to the character of the surface of the wood-work ; the 

 streugth of the solution being sixty grains of chloride of mercury to a pint of fluid, 

 whether methylated spirit or parchment size. 



Paper read. 

 Mr. J. S. Baly read a paper entitled " Descriptions of new Genera and Species of 

 Phytophaga," in which sixteen new species were described, and four new genera 

 established under the names of Euphcene, Sophraena, Nisotra and Glycernia. — 

 J. W. D. 



PRINTED BY EDWARD NEWMAN, 9, DEVONSHIRE STKEET, BISHOPSGATE, N.E. 



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