X Xlll 



Prof. Westwood exhibited drawings of the pupa of a trichopteruus insect 

 [AnaboUa nervosa), which swam about in water lil^e a Notonecta, but used 

 its middle legs as swimming apparatus. Prof. Westwood also made 

 remarks upon the structure and situation of the mouth organs of the 

 pupae of Trichoptera, and stated that the mandibles of the pupae were 

 unlike those of the larva, while these organs were quite aborted in the 

 imago. The Professor suggested that the mandibles of the pupa were for 

 the purpose of enabling the insect to eat its way out of the case in which it 

 had undergone its transformation, and in which, after cementing down the 

 mouth, it was obliged to turn itself completely round, so as to escape at 

 the opposite free extremity. 



Mr. M'Lachlan confirmed this view of the function of the mandibles of 

 the pupae. 



The President next exhibited a small lepidopterous insect from Lake 

 Nyassa, apparently a species of Psyche, which had been sent in a paper 

 packet with a pupa-case of a Tachina, from which it was stated that the 

 moth had been produced. Prof. Westwood was inclined to believe that 

 the larva of the moth might have simply made use of the empty pupa-case 

 to undergo its transformation in. 



Prof. Westwood read a post-card from Mr. Albert Miiller announcing the 

 formation of an entomological station at Basle. 



The President then referred to the lepidopterous larva attached to a 

 specimen of the homopterous Eurybrachys sjnnosa, which had been handed 

 over to him by Mr. Wood-Mason at the last meeting, and exhibited drawings 

 of both insects, the former being evidently identical with the species formerly 

 described as being parasitic upon Fuhjora candelaria (Trans. Ent. Soc. 

 187G, p. 519). In the absence of direct observation, the President vras 

 inclined to believe that the relation of the lepidopterous larva to the 

 Homopteron was one of true parasitism, the former insect feeding on the 

 waxy secretion of the latter, it being well known that certain lepidopterous 

 larvae of the genus Galleria feed upon wax, 



Mr. Wood-Mason stated that the interesting specimen which he had 

 handed to Prof. Westwood at the last meeting consisted of a lepidopterous 

 larva clinging by its anal pair of prologs to the free extremity of a stout, 

 tough, flaccid cord, which was firmly fastened to the dorsal surface of the 

 abdomen of the Homopteron. The specimens were captured in August or 

 September, 1876, at Bangalore, South India, by Mr. G. Nevill. The 

 caterpillar was closely allied to Epipyrops (West.). The cord to which it 

 was clinging, Mr. Mason considered to be the wet and matted remains of a 

 case or sac, from the imperfectly closed aborul or free end of which the 

 caterpillar had suddenly withdrawn itself (the case-bearers, as well known, 

 readily being able to turn in their cases) on immersion in alcohol, and on 

 whie-h its anal ])air of prolegs had closed in their death-grasp. The end of 



