4306 THE ZooLoGisT—JANUARY, 1875. 
of Coleoptera formed by M. Melly, being on the upper floor, were in good 
order. 
Mr. Bird exhibited specimens of the following rare Lepidoptera, viz. :— 
1. Sesia culiciformis. Bred from pupe obtained at Rowhill Wood, near 
Bexley. The usual type with the red baud across the body is not un- 
common, but those exhibited had the band yellow. Mr. Bird had bred 
several this and last year, and in both years the proportion was almost 
exactly the same, viz. one yellow to every twenty-five with the red 
band. 
2. Limacodes asellus, with pupa-case. Bred (for the first time) from pupa 
found by a friend at Marlow, Bucks, attached to the leaves of the ne 
3. Nola albulalis. Taken near London. 
4. Nonagria brevilinea. Taken at Horning Fen, Norfolk. This appears 
to be a scarce insect; two of the specimens exhibited were without the 
characteristic short line at the base of the wing. 
5. Pterophorus rhododactylus, with pupa-case. Bred. 
Mr. Jenner Weir exhibited specimens of Mantis religiosa, with two 
of the egg-cases, taken by himself at Meran, in Tyrol, in September 
last. 
Mr. M‘Lachlan exhibited a printer’s block (such as is used for printing 
posting-bills) attacked by a species of Anobium, and he was informed that 
the insect was causing serious damage to the printer's stock of these blocks. 
The wood was believed to be pear-tree’ He had recommended soaking the 
blocks in a mixture of carbolic acid and water. 
Papers read, de. 
Dr. Sharp communicated “ Descriptions of New Genera and Species of 
Pselaphide and Scydmenide from Australia and New Zealand.” The-:paper 
contained descriptions of forty-four new species, three of them belonging to 
the family Scydmenide. Of the forty-one species of Pselaphide, twenty-six 
were from Australia and fifteen from New Zealand, the latter being the first 
specimens of Pselaphide that had, as yet, been obtained from New Zealand. 
He believed that the islands would prove to be rich in Pselaphide, and 
alluded to the great scientific importance of an accurate knowledge of the 
New Zealand fauna, and to the special importance of gaining as rapidly as 
possible a knowledge of the existing Coleoptera, as such knowledge would 
contribute largely to the solution of many important scientific questions ; 
and asa large proportion of the species were confined to small areas of 
distribution there was great reason to fear they would be easily killed out, 
and thus the fauna itself would disappear with the changes caused by 
colonization and the cultivation of the soil. 
Mr. Darwin communicated a paper containing remarks by Mrs. Barber, 
of Griqualand, South Africa, on the colour of the pupa of Papilio Nireus, in 
