296 ; (May, 1872 
insects had induced him to examine specimens of the common hornet from Europe, 
Siberia, and North America, and he had found them absolutely specifically identical, 
even in the form of the genital organs. 
Mr. Miiller read notes on Serropalpus striatus, which he used to take near Basle 
in the neighbourhood of the timber-rafts, and stated that M. Knecht had taken 200 
examples from pine-wood in Alsatia. In Switzerland it had also been obtained 
from alder. He considered its occurrence in a bundle of hose in Leicester (cf. Ent, 
Annual, 1872, p. 76) as purely accidental. 
The Secretary read a long account of the ravages of Locusts in South Australia 
in December, 1871, as detailed in the ‘ South Australian Register’ for January 2nd, 
1872. The insects were described as appearing in swarms that darkened the air, 
eating everything in their way, and preyed upon by birds that accompanied them. 
The leaves of the castor-oil plant were extremely fatal to them, and larkspur was 
also inimical. The introduced thistle was left untouched. Mr. Horne related his 
experiences of the ravages of locusts in India, where they were preyed. upon by 
every animal, including domestic cattle and man. The castor-oil plant had no 
effect upon the Indian species, but the leaves of the tamarind-tree acted as a 
powerful purgative upon them. 
1st April, 1872.—Prof. J. O. Westwoop, M.A., F.L.S., President, in the Chair. 
The death of Prof. Pictet, one of the Honorary Members, was announced. 
Prof. Westwood exhibited a large woody gall found on the ground under an 
oak (which Mr. Miiller considered the production of Cynips radicis). He also 
alluded to the specific differences existing in the genital organs of various species 
of Cynips, and exhibited drawings of the same from microscopic examination, He 
further exhibited drawings of the antenne of various species of Fleas, which 
showed remarkable differences of structure, and, in expressing his conviction that 
the Aphaniptera formed a distinct order, remarked that they were as nearly 
allied, in his opinion, to the Coleoptera as were the Strepsiptera. Finally, he exhi- © 
bited drawings of a minute parasite, belonging to the genus Coccophagus, which 
had been bred by a correspondent from the Coccus so common on the rind of 
oranges: he remarked that now was the best time to obtain the male of Coccus, 
and especially of the species that infested espalier pear-trees. 
Mr. Muller read notes on the habits of Anaspis maculata, which he had bred 
from woody excrescences in the truuks of birch. 
Mr. Butler read additional notes on the Pericopides, referring especially to 
those recently described by Dr. Boisduval. 
Mr. McLachlan read a paper on the external sexual organs of the genus 
Acentropus, in connection with the question of specific differences in the genus, and 
exhibited drawings of the apparatus, made under the microscope. After having 
detailed the slight differences existing in specimens from various parts of England 
and the Continent, he came to the conclusion that there were not sufficient 
characters in these organs alone to warrant the opinion of a multiplicity of species, 
especially if compared with the differences existing in allied species of Newroptera ; 
but he reserved an opinion on the remarkable discrepancies of alar development 
shown in both sexes, and especially in the females, from different localities. 
END OF VOL. _ VIII. 
1§ § > | A) 
