178 



" A paper was read (No. 5) from Mr. Wilkin, on the genus Geotrupes of Latreille 

 and Dumeril, defining its characters and dividing it into sections. 



" A pitper was read (No. 6) from Mr. Wilkin, on the Linnaean species of the Carahi, 

 with observations resiilling from an examination of the original specimens labelled by 

 Linnaeus, and preserved in the Linnaean collection now in the possession of Dr. Smith. 



" Some remarks were made on the suhject of Mr. Ctirtis's paper, in opposition to 

 the hypothesis proposed by him, viz. that the sound produced by Cur. fuliginosus and 

 others when captured arises. from the friction of the abdominal segments on each other. 

 The majority rather attributed the sound to friciion of the edges of the elytra. 



" Mr. Wilkin communicated to the Society the result of an experiment which he 

 had made on Blaps letbifera. The ammoniac scent attributed to the insect by Mr. 

 Sparshall suggested that possibly some cryslailizatiou of ammonia might be obtained 

 from it. But after destroying a large number of specimens by hot water in a confined 

 vessel, and thereby obtaining a strong solution of the juices of the animal, Mr. P. 

 Taylor (who assisted Mr. W. in the experiment) ascertained by the test of a strong 

 solution Inhere a blank occurs] that there was not the smdllest portion of ammonia. 

 By dissection, the discriminating characters of the sexes were ascertained, the male 

 being considerably broader and shorter, the mucro of the elytra is shorter, and at the 

 base of the abdomen is seated a small tuft of yellow hairs. In size and punctatioa 

 this species varies considerably. Some specimens are smooth, others much more roughly 

 punctured. In the collection of the late Mr. Beckvvilh is preserved a specimen of the 

 male having one elytron smooth, the other so deeply punctured as to be ruf>ulose. 

 And among the specimens captured at the Horse Barracks by Mr. W. he was fortunate 

 enough to meet with the female of this singular variety, which, together with some of 

 the Carahi mentioned in No. 6, were exhibited. 



"At the request of Rev. W. Kirby, of Barham, we elected him a Member of the 

 Norwich Entomological Society." 



Professor Westwood exhibited specimens of two new Coleoptera, each of such sin- 

 gular form as to necessitate the creation of a new genus for its reception : they were 

 remarkable for the large size of the head in the males, and were characterized as 

 follows : — 



Genus Cephaloncus, Weslw. 

 Genus (vel potius subgenus) novum in familia Malachiorum, Cefihahigoniae, PFoWas/., 

 proximiim ; differt capite in maribus pruthorace fere duplo latiori, poslice exca- 

 vato, excavatione lata, antice trisinuala, in medio tuberculo minuto obscuro in- 

 structa ; fticie in uiroque sexu antice brevi, nee coiiica; antennae bieviores, sim- 

 plices, articulo 2do minuto, 3io et 4to sequentibus baud multo brevioribus. 

 Proihorax brevis, late cordatus. Palpi labiales articulo ultimo subovali (nee 

 subsecuriformi). Elytra modice elougala, apice in singulo rotuudato. 



Cephaloncus Capito, Westw. 



Lutescens, nigro-varius. Caj)ite nigro, excavatione $ luteo variegata. Prothorace 

 fulvescenti, macula niiigna media, allerisque duabus parvis laleralibus (interdum 

 conflueniibus). Elytiis luteis, hunieris late cum scuteilo maculisque duabus 

 maguis subapicalibus nigris. 



Long. Corp. f lin. 



Habitat in Insula Canariensi. D. WoUastou. 



