PROCEEDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 77 



descriptions of some new species of Shells in the collection of Mr. J. Cosmo 

 Melvill. 



Prof. F. Jeffrey Bell read descriptions of several new or rare species of 

 Asteroidca contained in the collection of the British Museum. 



A communication was read from Mr. W. L. Distant, containing the 

 characters of some undescribed species of Cicadida from the Australian 

 and Pacific regions. — P. L. Sclater, Secretary. 



Entomological Society, of London. 



December 7, 1881. — H. T. Stainton, Esq., F.R.S., &c, President, in 

 the chair. 



A. J. Scollick, Esq. (Albion Lodge, Putney, S.W.), was balloted for and 

 elected a Member of the Society. 



Mr. W. C. Boyd exhibited a variety of Ennomos tiliaria, Bkh., captured 

 last autumn at Cheshuut. 



Mr. C. 0. Waterhouse exhibited specimens of Scenopinus fenestralis, 

 Latr., with their pupa-cases, bred from dried roots of Aconitum ; a specimen 

 of Phora rufipes, Meign., bred from Nematus ribesii, and specimens of 

 Oscinis pusilla, Zett., bred from stems of barley. 



Mr. G. H. Verrall expressed surprise that the larva of Scenopinus should 

 be found feeding on the Aconitum roots. This species was commonly known 

 as "the carpet fly," and its larva mostly fed on old cotton or woollen 

 materials, frequently on old greasy horse-cloths, the fly being a general 

 inhabitant of stable- windows ; hence its name. 



Mr. E. A. Fitch remarked that he had bred Phora rufipes in some 

 numbers, also a specimen of Phora minor, Zett. ?, from the larvae of 

 Nematus salicis. 



Mr. Verrall stated that he once boxed a living hornet [Vespa crabro) and 

 several specimens of one of the Phorida emerged from it, after death. 



Mr. F. P. Pascoe exhibited the larva of an ant-lion, taken alive by a 

 London grocer from a barrel of currants received from Zante. Mr. Pascoe 

 said that it had lived in his possession for more than a month, but apparently 

 in a semi-torpid state, and he could not induce it to eat anything. 



Mr. R. M'Lachlan exhibited a curculionideous larva found by Mr. G. F. 

 Wilson, of Weybridge, feeding in the bulbs of lilies (probably from Japan), 

 which had proved very destructive to some of those plants grown in pots. 

 It resembled an Otiorhynchus larva, but was probably more closely allied 

 to that of a Brachycerus (cf. Ann. Soc. Ent. France, 1875, pp. 95-6; 

 1874, pi. iv. fig. i.). 



Mr. A.. S. Olliff exhibited a specimen of Harpalus cupreus, Dej., captured 

 in the Isle of Wight by Mr. A. C. Horner, of Tunbridge. 



Mr. H. B. Pim exhibited a specimen of a Telephones which he captured 



