8500 The Zoologist — April, 1873. 



Exhibitions, dc. 



Mr. Howard Vaughan exhibited a box containing about two hundred 

 specimens of Japanese Lepidoptera, collected near Yokohama by Mr. Henry 

 Pryer ; many of the species being apparently new. Some also were re- 

 markable as bearing a close resemblance to British species. Mr. Moore 

 noticed a strong Indian character in several of the insects. 



The President remarked that Mr. Higgins had shown him a specimen of 

 a Cremastocheilus from Japan, which was identical with a species that had 

 been taken by Mr. Lord on the West coast of North America. 



Mr. F. Smith exhibited some insects bearing a most remarkable re- 

 remblance to each other, although belonging to different orders. Thus, 

 Euglossa dimidiata and another Euglossa, a Genus of Apidae, bore a striking 

 resemblance to two species of the Dipterous family AsilidjB, namely, 

 Dasyllis hsemorrhoa and Mallophora tibialis, all from South America. 

 Also, Abispa splendida, one of the Vespida;, and an insect of the Dipterous 

 genus Lachites(?), both from New Holland. Also, a bee of the genus 

 Megachile, and one of the Asihdae, Mallophora calida, Wied., from South 

 America. With regard to the two last-mentioned insects, Mr. Smith noticed 

 that the Asilus not only resembled the bee in its general appearance, but 

 that also it was furnished on the under side of the abdomen with a brush 

 similar to the pollen-brush of INIegachile ; although it was not apparent for 

 what purpose the insect required it. 



The President remarked that when lie was at Casa Brucciata, near 

 Ancona, he observed several insects of the genus Osmia extracting the black 

 pollen from poppies ; and on the sandy shore he noticed the same insects 

 collecting the sand on their ventral brushes. He therefore concluded that 

 the brushes were used, not only for collecting the pollen, but also for 

 carrying the grains of sand to their nests, which he observed them in the 

 act of constructing on walls. 



Mr. Champion exhibited specimens of Bagous brevis, Schaum ; taken in 

 this country by Dr. Power, altliough not hitherto observed in Britain. 



Mr. MiiUer directed attention to an article in the last number of the 

 ' Petites Nouvelles,' explaining \a method of obtaining silk from cocoons 

 which had been eaten through by the insects ; and that the silk so obtained 

 from tbe damaged cocoons was equal in quality to that obtained from the 

 perfect cocoons, and did not require to be carded. 



The President remarked that the library at the new Museum at Oxford 

 had been very much infested, of late, with Authreni ; and he was very glad 

 to observe that there was a paper by Dr. Emery in the ' Bulletino della 

 Societa Entomologica Italiana,' on a new method of preserving collections 

 from theh" ravages. — F. G. 



