458 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
as in the specimens from Eigg which I have described elsewhere. It would 
be gratifying to know whether our British form of the Shearwater ever 
assumes a dark breast in nestling plumage. ‘lhe Higg men hold that the 
young birds, which they constantly cook, always wear the white breasts of 
.the adults—H. A. Macrumrson (3, Kensington Gardens Square, W.). 
SCIENTIFIC SOCIETTES: 
ENTOMOLOGICAL Society or Lonpon. 
October 6, 1886.—R. M‘Lacutay, Esq., F.R.S., President, in the chair. 
Mr. W. Bartlett Calvert, of Santiago, Chili, was elected a Fellow. 
Mr. M‘Lachlan exhibited a number of seeds of a Mexican species of 
Euphorbiaceae, popularly known as ‘jumping seeds,” recently received by 
him from the Royal Horticultural Society. He stated that these seeds 
are known to be infested with the larve of a species of Tortricida, allied 
to the apple Tortriv; they were first noticed by Prof. Westwood at a 
meeting of the Society held on the 7th June, 1858, and the moths bred 
therefrom were described by him as Carpocapsa saltitans (cf. Proc. Ent. Soc., 
2nd series, vol. v., p. 27). These seeds have since from time to time been 
referred to both in the United Kingdom and America. A discussion ensued 
in which Mr. Pascoe, Mr. Poulton, Mr. Roland Trimen and others took part. 
Mr. Roland Trimen exhibited and read notes on some singular seed- 
like objects found in the nests of Termites, and also in those of true ants, 
in South Africa. They were apparently of the same nature as those from 
the West Indies, described in 1833 by the Rev. L. Guilding as Margarodes 
formicarius, which was usually referred to the Coccid@, as allied to 
Porphyrophora. They were of various shades from yellowish pearly to 
golden and copper colour, and were strung together by the natives like 
beads, and used by them as necklaces and other personal ornaments, as, 
according to Mr. Guilding, was the case with the West Indian species. 
Mr. W.F’. Kirby exhibited, on behalf of Mr. John Thorpe, of Middleton, 
a long series of buff and melanic varieties of Amphitasis betularia, and 
read notes on them communicated by Mr.Thorpe. Mr. Kirby also exhibited, 
on behalf of Mr. Nuuney, who was present as a visitor, a dark variety of 
Argynnis aglaia from Caithness, and a tawny-coloured variety of Vanessa 
urtice from Bournemouth. 
Mons. Alfred Wailly exhibited a fine series of Saturnias and other 
Bombyces, mostly bred by him, from South Africa: also specimens of 
Dirphia tarquinia, Attacus orizaba, Platysamia cecropia and P. ceanothi, 
Callosamia angulifera, C. promethea, Philosamia cynthia, and other species 
from Central America. He also exhibited ova of Saturnia tyrrhea, pup® 
of this and other South African species, and a cocoon of Bombyx ochadama 
from Madagascar. Mons. Wailly stated that several of the large South 
poss 
