1688 The Zoologist— May, 18C9. 



flanks of the protborax, with its edges serrate ; a species from Batchian, with the base 

 of the prothorax prolonged into a slender spine extending backwards half the length 

 of the elytra ; another from the same island without any claw-joiut, its tarsi therefore 

 only three-jointed; a species allied to Catasarcus, with a single claw; a peculiar 

 globose form from Cape York, allied to Tragopus ; a thick-set species from South 

 Africa, with the base of its prothorax ensconced in the elytra ; a species from Para, 

 of doubtful afiinity, with a distinct pronotum ; &c. 



Prof. Weslwood exhibited a male specimen, from ihe Oxford Museum, of the 

 Panorpa from Java, which was described at the previous meeting by Mr. M'Lachlan 

 as Panorpa nematogaster. Also specimens of Blatta melauocephala, which was found 

 very destructive in Orchid-houses, feeding on the buds of young shoots. 



Mr. Druce exhibited two male specimens of Papilio Zalmoxis, of Hewitson, Jrom 

 Old Calabar. 



Mr. Bond exhibited Sciaphila communana, of Herrich-Schieflfer, a moth new to 

 Britain, captured at Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire; also dried larvae of Myelophila 

 cribrella, in situ, within the stems of thistles. 



Mr. F. Smith exhibited several species of humble-bees with their respective para- 

 sites or cuckoo-bees. Bombus subierraneus varied from yellow to entirely black, and 

 the parasites Apathus camprestis showed the same variations in colour; the same was 

 true of Bombus muscorum, and its parasite. Bombus terrestris was not liable to 

 variation, its parasite Apathus vestalis was also constant; the same was true of 

 Bombus lapidarius and Apathus rupestris, though the parasite in this case had dark 

 wings. Bombus pratorum was the only moss-building species which was infested by 

 a parasite, Apathus barbabellus, and this did not at all resemble the humble-bee. 

 The first idea that suggested itself was that the cuckoo-bee bore resemblance to the 

 worker of the humble-bee in order to gain access to the nest ; but it was only in 

 the social species that the parasites resembled the humble-bees, and the parasite of 

 B. patrorum militated against the theory. 



In the course of the conversaliou which ensued, it was suggested that an entry 

 might be eflfected into the nest of a solitary bee, in the absence of the true owner, 

 without disguise ; whilst in the case of a social species, of which some of the colony 

 would always be at home, the entry of an undisguised stranger would be detected. 

 And in reply to inquiries, it was elicited from Mr. Smith that the moss-buildiug 

 Bombus pralorum was a placid bee, by the side of whose nest a person might sit with 

 impunity ; and hence it was to be inferred that this species, by reason of its different 

 mental constitution, might more readily admit a stranger into its nest without oppo- 

 sition, whilst stratagem or deception was necessary to obtain access to the nests uf 



species less peaceably disposed. 



Papers read. 



The following Papers were read: — 



" Descriptions of New Species of Diurnal Lepidoptera." By Mr. W. C. Hewitson, 



" Notes on Eastern Butterflies." By Mr. A. R. Wallace. 



" Descriptions of New Species of Phytophaga, belonging to the Families Cassididae 

 and Hispidae." By Mr. J. S. Baly. 



" A Revision of the British Species of Homaloia." By Dr. Sharp. One hundred 

 and fifty-seven species were described, of which twenty-nine were new. — /. W. D. 



