PROCEEDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 265 
Mr. A. G. Butler read a paper containing descriptions of a collection of 
Lepidoptera made by Major Howland Roberts at Rokeran, near Kandahar, 
on the River Urgundab. 
Mr. G. French Angas read a paper containing further additions to the 
marine Molluscan Fauna of South Australia, with descriptions of six new 
species. A second paper by Mr. Angas contained the descriptions of three 
species of marine shells from Port Darwin, Torres Straits, discovered by 
Mr. W.J. Bednall, and a new Helix from Kangaroo Island, South Australia. 
—P. L. Scrater, Secretary. 
ENtTomMoLoGicaL Socimty or Lonpon. 
April 7, 1878.—H. T. Srarnton, F.R.S., Vice-President, in the chair. 
The following gentlemen were ballotted for and elected Ordinary Mem- 
bers :— George Carter Bignell, 7, Clarence Place, Stonehouse, Plymouth ; 
W. D. Cansdale, 4, Guithavon Terrace, Witham, Essex; Frank Crisp, 
LL.B., B.A., Sec.R.M.S., 5, Lansdowne Road, Notting Hill, W.; and the 
Rev. W. Fowler, M.A., F.L.S., Repton, Burton-on-Trent. M. Ed. André, 
21, Boulevard Brétonniére, Beaune (Cote d’Or), France, was ballotted for 
and elected a Foreign Member. 
Mr. John T. Carrington exhibited a pale variety of Arctia caja, bred 
by a gentleman at Croydon, who had been experimenting upon the 
effects of the rays of light transmitted through glasses of various 
colours upon the species. The variety exhibited had been reared under 
green glass, but there was no evidence to show that the variation was due 
to the green rays. 
The Secretary read the following communication from Mr. G. A. J. 
Rothney, of Calcutta, ‘‘ On Insects destroyed by Flowers *:— 
*T notice in the report of your proceedings for April 2nd, 1879, a letter 
from Mr. J. W. Slater, from which I copy the following extract :—‘ Whilst 
it is generally admitted that the gay coloration of flowers is mainly sub- 
servient to the purpose of attracting bees and other winged insects, whose 
visits play so important a part in the process of fertilization, it seems to me 
that one important fact has scarcely received due attention. Certain gaily- 
coloured, or or least conspicuous, flowers are avoided by bees, or, if visited, 
have an injurious and éven fatal effect upon the insects. Among these 
are the dahlia, the passion-flower, the crown-imperial, and especially the 
oleander. That the flowers of the dahlia have a narcotic action both upon 
humble-bees and hive-bees was first pointed out by the Rev. L. Jenyns, in 
his “ Observations on Natural History” (p. 262). He mentions that bees 
which visit these flowers are “soon seized with a sort of torpor, and often 
die unless speedily removed,” &c.’ 
“As regards the dahlia, this is so directly opposed to my recent 
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