190 (Janniry 
McLachlan suggested that the spot in which the bird was said to have been shot | 
should be searched, in order to find the Ant’ if possible. Professor Westwood 
and Mr. F. Smith remarked on the evidence of the bird being British; and Mr, 
Bond said that all, or nearly all, the recorded instances had been fourd to be 
erroneous. Professor Westwood promised to furnish further evidence. ; 
Mr. Bond exhibited a series of a peculiarly small and pale form of Lasiocampa 
trijolit bred for a number of consecutive years by Mr. Mitford from larve feeding 
on a species of grass on the shore at Romney Marsh; and he also stated that Mr. 
Mitford had bred Lithosia caniola from the same locality. He further exhibited 
malformations of Clisiocampa castrensis. 
Mr. Stainton exhibited, on behalf of Mr. D’Orville, a variety of Agrotis comes 
(Triphena orbona of our old lists), from the neighbourhood of Exeter. 
Mr. McLachlan exhibited a remarkable instance of mimetic resemblance 
between two common species of North American dragon-flies, viz., Libellula 
pulchella, of Drury, and Plathemis trimaculatus, of DeGeer. The 2 of the 
jatter mimicked either sex of the former, though the ¢ was very dissimilar. 
Mr. Bates thought it might be a case in which the markings repeated themselves, 
rather than one of actual mimicry. The matter was referred to the observation of 
American entomologists, in order to, suggest a reason for the apparent mimicry. 
The question of the liability or non-liability of dragon-flies to the attacks of birds 
having been raised, Mr. F. Smith stated that he had seen swallows devouring 
Agrionide ; and Mr. Briggs had observed a fight between a large species (Zischna ?) 
aud a sparrow in the streets of London, in which the former beat off its aggressor. 
Mr. Jenner Weir incidentally remarked that he had seen the 2 of a species of 
Agrionide descend beneath the surface of the water in order to deposit its ova. 
Mr. F. Smith exhibited the cocoons of Tiphia tarda, Say, given to him by Mr. 
Riley, and avowed his belief that the larvze of Tiphia devoured those of Aphodius. 
Mr. Miller called attention to the fact that the larve of a Thrips were destruc- 
tive to green peas, of which they devoured the exterior portion of the pods. 
Mr. McLachlan read notes on the identification of M yrmeleon formicaleo, 
formicarium, and formicalynz of Linné, pointing out the confusion existing in 
Linné’s descriptions, and their mis-application by later writers. 
Mr. Smith’s catalogue of British Hymenoptera Aculeata was on the table. 
4th December, 1871.—The President in the Chair. 
Mr. S. Stevens exhibited, for Mr. Shearwood, a remarkably dark variety of 
Argynnis Aglaia from Teignmouth. 
Mr. Bond exhibited, for Mr. Doubleday, varieties or malformations of various 
British Lepidoptera. 
' Mr. Janson exhibited a collection of insects (principally Coleoptera) from the 
diamond fields of South Africa. 
Mr. Higgins exhibited Tetracha crucigera of McLeay, sent to him from Sydney. 
Professor Westwood exhibited a series of drawings and specimens with a view 
to identify Papilio Thersonder of Fabricius, and remarked that Donovan’s figure had 
been evidently made from a mutilated copy of the figure of the Papilio in Jones’ 
‘Icones,’ completed from Charazes Fabius. 
Mr. Miller stated that Natterer had observed the attacks of one of the Brazil- 
ian Falconide upon dragon-flies, which formed its habitual food. Mr. Horne had 
not seen these insects attacked by birds in India. 
Major Parry communicated a note upon the genus Lissapterus of H. Deyrolle. 
Mr. W. F. Kirby communicated a continuation of his synonymic notes on 
Lepidoptera. 
