688 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 



The structure of the iusect's foot is very remarkable and beautiful as 

 seen under the Microscope, being fiu'nished with a singular comb-like 

 branching apjiaratus facing the two ordinary claws. The habits of the 

 insect are also peculiar, as the males, which are furnished with a power- 

 ful pair of anal forceps, are in the habit of using these for the purpose 

 of seizing the females by the back of the neck and dragging them along, 

 seemingly much against their will, while stopping ever and anon to 

 allow their spouses to oviposit among the weeds or in minute crevices in 

 the bare rock. Not having had time to wade through the bibliography 

 of this tribe of insects he deferred describing it until its novelty had 

 been fully ascertained. It evidently belongs to the division Nemoccra- 

 Tijjulana, having six joints to the antennae. Its details can only bo 

 studied with advantage under the Microscope, as its total length does 

 not exceed 1/4 in. Mr. C. Waterhouse of the British Museum stated 

 that the insect did not exist in the collection, but that it is very like the 

 Halirijius of the Eev. A. Eaton, found in exactly similar conditions at 

 Kerguelen Island. The European insect is in consequence most 

 probably generically and specifically new to science. 



Mr. Deby also exhibited a series of sections of the Myrmecophilous 

 jilants, JSLjrmecodia tuherosa and Hydnopliytum formicarium, from Java, 

 brought back in spirits by himself from Buitenzorg, through the kindness 

 of Dr. Treub who gave him the living plants. The stained sections, of 

 unusually large size, were beautifully prepared by Mr. A. Cole. 

 Natural size drawings of the plants and of the sections of their tubers 

 executed by the late Mr. Draper (being the last performances of this 

 artist before his death) were also shown. 



These sections seem to demonstrate successfully that the cork lining 

 of the cavities is always quite continuous, and that lenticellfe, or some 

 similar structures, exist abundantly within them. This, Mr. Dcby 

 thought, demonstrates that the ants have had really little or nothing 

 whatever to do with the formation of these curious meandering excava- 

 tions in which they live. Thus Mr. Deby considered that Dr. Treub in 

 his original communication published in the ' Annals of the Botanical 

 Garden of Buitenzorg,' was nearer the truth in this matter than were 

 MM. Beccari, Forbes, Huth, Moseley, Wallace, and J. Brittain. The 

 ant infesting both these plants in Java is the Iridomyrmex cordata Sm. 

 var. Mijrmecodix Emery. In many specimens of floui-ishing plants, 

 not a sign of ants was to be seen, while in many they were very few in 

 number ; thus contradicting the assertion that the plants cannot live 

 without the ants. 



Prof. Stewart said that Mr. Deby's observations showed how im- 

 portant it was to use one's eyes, even in places where it might be 

 supposed that the fauna and flora were thoroughly well known. The 

 question now seemed to be whether if the original cavities had been made 

 by ants it might in course of time have come to be a race peculiarity. 



Mr. H. B. Brady said that in confirmation of the remark as to the 

 desirability of collecting under all circumstances he might mention that 

 having to visit the cinchona plantations he found there an insect 

 pest which was said to be Eelopeltis Antonii, and w^as supposed to be 

 the same insect as that which ravaged the tea-plantations of Assam. 

 On inquiry, he afterwards found that there was no specimen at the 

 British Museum, and on further investigation it turned out not to be 

 Heliopcllis at all, but another species altogether. 



