92 



should the head spines cut the cocoon, or if, as is possible, 

 they always do so, the groove or hollow in front of it will 

 catch the cut margin and hold it against the tibial pressure, 

 whilst the spine itself is a ridge preventing the cut margin 

 of the cocoon passing backwards and cutting into the neck. 

 When the opening is large enough the tibiae are brought 

 forward, all strain is removed, and the moth freely emerges. 

 As the moths often or usually spin up gregariously, these 

 structures are also probably of use in clearing a way out 

 amongst the cocoons and their loose surrounding silk." 



OCTOBER 25th, 1900. 



Mr. W. J. Lucas, B.A., F.E.S., President, in the Chair. 



Mr. MacArthur exhibited three specimens of Lcucania 

 vitellina, taken this year at Shoreham, near Brighton ; a 

 specimen of A mphipyra tragopogonis, having a series of light 

 marginal patches and blotches on the fore-wings ; and an 

 example of Tliymclicus {Hcsperia) ihainnas of a straw colour, 

 but much paler towards the base. 



Mr. Lucas exhibited a specimen of the cockroach, Rhypa- 

 robia maderce, taken in a desk in Covent Garden Market. 



Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell sent for exhibition a photograph 

 of a hollyhock plant, showing the ravages of the larvae of 

 Pyrauieis cardiii, and contributed the following note : 



" I send for the Society a photograph of hollyhock leaves 

 injured by Pyrameis cardui at Raton, New Mexico, this year. 

 The hollyhock is a favourite garden flower at Raton, but 

 this year all I saw were thus injured by P. cardui. It is 

 not often that we hear of this butterfly as a pest, though 

 it is very common in New Mexico." 



Mr. West exhibited a series of the Homopteron, Acocephalus 

 brunnco-bifasciatics taken at Blackheath. They were all males, 

 and were taken at the roots of grass and by sweeping. 



Mr. Robt. Adkin exhibited a series of plain and banded 

 forms of Acidalia aversata, bred during September last from 

 ova deposited by a banded female taken at Lewisham on 

 July 1st, and made the following remarks : 



" Many of the species of the genus Acidalia will, especially 

 in confinement, produce brood after brood so long as the 

 summer lasts, the limit to their continuous broodedness 

 being fixed apparently only by the advent of cool weather 

 in autumn; but this is not so with A. aversata, at any rate 



