ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS, 



~*~ 



FEBRUARY gth, 1899. 



Mr. A. Harrison, F.L.S., President, in the Chair. 



Mr. Russell exhibited a specimen of Plusia moneta, which 

 he had captured on the wing at dusk in his garden at South- 

 end, near Catford, July 17th, 1898. 



Mr. Tutt remarked that he knew of no new species which 

 had spread so rapidly as this. 



Mr. Hall said that the young larvae fed in a web two or 

 three together, but that when larger they fed independently, 

 and could be easily shaken out of their food-plant. 



Mr. Robert Adkin exhibited a short series of Hadena pisi 

 from Aberdeenshire, with specimens of the same species from 

 South England for comparison. The Aberdeen insects were 

 very dark, with the white submarginal lines showing in strong 

 contrast with the ground-colour, giving them a very blackish- 

 brown appearance in comparison to the dull reddish colour 

 of the English examples. Both series were bred, but he 

 believed not in either case from selected parents. 



Mr. W. J. Lucas exhibited a short series of Rhyparobia 

 (=• Panchlora) maderce, and contributed the following note : 

 " The four specimens, which arrived at Kew Gardens alive 

 on October 18th, 1898, in a package from the Belgian Congo 

 State, are rather above the usual size, and the elytra are 

 spotted with white, which, I believe, is not usually the 

 case. The species is occasionally introduced into this 

 country in shipping, and has been taken more than once in 

 the London Docks and in Covent Garden. Mr. C. A. Briggs 

 has two from the latter place. As with so many cockroaches, 

 increased intercourse betweencountries is causing it to spread. 

 It is a native of Madeira and the West Coast of Africa, and 

 from the former locality obtains its specific name." 



Mr. Main exhibited specimens of the brilliant metallic- 

 coloured coleopteron, Aspidomorpha sanctce- cruris. They were 

 taken on the island of Elephanta in December, 1897, brought 

 to England, and lived till September, 1898, when they were 

 preserved in a dilute solution of formalin. It was stated that 



