288 Zoological Society. 



the siik required by the insect for the formation of its cocoon, are 

 formed the earliest. The Malpighian vessels are completed at a later 

 period in these parasites than in the herbivorous larvae, in which 

 they are well formed almost from the moment of leaving the egg. 

 In conclusion the author states, " that in proportion to the more or 

 less early development of any structure or organ, the function or in- 

 stinct associated with that organ is more or less early evolved ; and 

 that in proportion to the completeness of a tissue, such is the degree 

 of perfection of each special function or instinct in the animal." 



Read also a paper by J. O. Westwood, Esq., F.L.S. &c, entitled 

 " Description of Melittobia Audouinii, a Bee Parasite." The follow- 

 ing are the essential characters of this genus, which belongs to the 

 family Chalcididce and subfamily Eulophides. 



Melittobia. 

 Antennae maris 9-articulatae ; articulo l mo maximo subtus ad apicem ex- 

 cavato, articulis 4 to 5 t0 et 6*o minimis ; foeminae simplices, 8-articu- 

 latae ; articulis tribus apicalibus in utroque sexu clavam ovalem for- 

 mantibus. Mas coecus. Foemina oculis ocellisque instructa. Ala 

 maris abbreviatae, foeminae magnitudinis ordinariae ; alae vena ordinaria 

 Eulophorum typicorum instructae. Tarsi 4-articulati. — Habitatio pa- 

 rasitica in nidis apum caementariarum. 

 Notices of this insect (first observed by the late M. Victor Au- 

 douin) had been published by Mr. Westwood in his 'Introduction to 

 the Modern Classification of Insects' and in the Journal of Proceedings 

 of the Entomological Society, and it was also considered by Mr. West- 

 wood as identical with the insect described by Mr. Newport in the 

 preceding paper under the name of Anthophorabia retusa, although 

 different from the description published of that insect by Mr. New- 

 port in the ' Gardener's Chronicle ' in the major part of its characters, 

 some of which, as the possession of a furcate median vein and 

 5 -jointed tarsi, are foreign to the family and subfamily to which it 

 belongs ; whilst the asserted possession of stemmatous eyes by the 

 male was regarded as erroneous, there being no instance of such a 

 structure throughout the whole range of winged insects, whilst it is 

 essentially a character of some of the wingless tribes. 



Mr. Westwood also exhibited specimens of the larvae of Eulophus 

 Nemati, which are parasites on the outside of the body of the larvae 

 of Nematus intercus, but which are nevertheless destitute of hairs on 

 the surface of the body, although the external parasitism of the larvae 

 of Monodontomerus was considered by Mr. Newport as indicated by 

 the hairs on the surface of their bodies. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Nov. 14, 1848.— Wm. Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. Notes on the Anatomy of the Male Aurochs (Bison europaus). 

 By Prof. Owen, F.R.S., F.Z.S. etc etc. 



It was with much concern that I received notice at the latter part 

 of September last of the sudden failing of health of the male Aurochs ; 



