34 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



of these obtained from their larvae placed apart tor identification — were 

 found attached to the paper wherein the figs were enveloped, the flies 

 emerging about three weeks later in September. These figs were sent with 

 the object of possibly obtaining from that locality specimens of the Cynips 

 Psenes of Linnaeus, found by Hasselquist near Smyrna in the figs of the 

 " Ficus CariccB orientalist as described in his 'Iter Palaestinum,' edited by 

 Linnaeus in 1757, and therein adverted to under the names of C. Ficus 

 and C. Caricm. The types of G. Ficus exist in the Liunean Cabinet at 

 Burlington House, but no one appears to have met with it since that period. 



Mr. M'Lachlan remarked that he had lately examined the Linnean 

 Collection, in company with a German botanist interested in the fig insects, 

 and had failed to find the types of Cynips Psenes. 



In reply Sir Sidney Saunders stated that the specimens of C. Ficus in 

 the Linnean Cabinet, although unlabelled, correspond with Hasselquist's 

 description, in their rufous colouring. 



Mr. H. T. Staiuton exhibited some curious cases said to be constructed 

 by lepidopterous larvae found by Dr. George Hay, Port-Surgeon at Aden. 



Mr. Stainton said it was remarked in the ' Proceedings' of this Society 

 (p. xxii) that " no other insect [than Dolerus palustris, Klg.] was known to 

 feed on Fquisetum." He was requested by Mr. Buckler to refer to his 

 description of a larva of Hydnscia micacea, Esp., found feeding on the 

 roots and stems of Equisetum arrense and later on E. fiuviatile (cf. Ent. Mo. 

 Mag., vi. 164). 



Mr. Stainton exhibited a specimen of Centra vinula, L., which had 

 been bred by Mr. Piffard from a larva found in Hertfordshire, and which from 

 the description (more especially of the larva) in Kirby's ' European Butter- 

 flies and Moths,' p. 186, had been referred by him to C. erminea, Esp. 



Mr. A. G. Butler communicated the completion of his " Descriptions of 

 new Genera and Species of Heterocerous Lepidoptera from Japan," treating 

 of the Py rales and Micros. 



Prof. J. 0. Westwood communicated a memoir entitled " Notae Diptero- 

 logicae. No. 6. — On the minute species of dipterous insects, especially 

 MuscidcB, which attack the different kinds of cereal crops"; giving a resume 

 of the descriptions and habits of the various species. Special reference was 

 made to a species (Oscinis avence, Bjerk.) which this year had proved very 

 destructive to housed oat grains, near Winchester. 



Mr. Fitch remarked that Curtis's Oscinis granarius was most probably 

 synonymous with this species, and the same which the Rev. 0. P, Cambridge 

 had found in great numbers in Dorsetshire in a loft where barley had been 

 stored. Mr. Fitch also mentioned that on the heavy clay-laud of Essex it 

 was remarkable that wheat after a whole summer's fallow was almost in- 

 variably attacked by the young stein-feeding larvae of 0. vastator, Curt., 

 locally known as " white maggot." — E. A. Fitch, Hon. Sec. 



