Entomological Society, 6829 



Election of a Subscriber. 



E. C. Rye, Esq., of King's Road, Chelsea, was balloted for, and elected a Sub- 

 scriber to the Society. 



Exhibitions. 



Mr. Waterhouse exhibited, on the part of Dr. Power, two new British species of 

 Coleoptera, viz., Donacia obscura of Gyllenhal, Lacordaire, &c., determined by Mr. 

 Waterhouse ; and Philonthus fuscus, Gravenh., determined by Dr. Power. The Do- 

 nacia was sent to Dr. Power by Mr. Somerville, of Glasgow ; it is most nearly allied 

 to D. Lemnae, but is of an uniform bronze, inclining to lead-colour, has the posterior 

 thighs more strongly dentate ; the tarsi longer ; the third joint relatively rather longer, 

 the punctures of the strife of elytra finer; the form of the hinder tibite also differs, &c. 

 Of the Philonthus there are two specimens, one taken at Shirley and the other at 

 Merton, in July of the present year. 



Mr. Waterhouse then exhibited from his own collection : — 



1. A specimen of Philonthus fuscus, Grav., taken by him at Southend, at the be- 

 ginning of September, 1858 ; it differs somewhat from Dr. Power's specimens (which 

 have the thorax black, inclining to pitchy behind), in having the thorax red, with the 

 fore-half pitchy ; this, it would appear from the descriptions, is the raore common 

 colour of the part in question. In all the specimens exhibited the elytra are red, 

 with the apex pitchy. Mr. Waterhouse added that Mr. Douglas has also taken this 

 insect. 



2. Tachinus laticollis, Grav., Kraatz. Mr. Waterhouse stated that he is 

 indebted to Mr. Constantine for a pair of this insect, which, according to Mr. Con- 

 stanline, is not uncommon near Blackburn, in Lancashire. He had long searched for 

 this insect in vain, both in the neighbourhood of London and in the New Forest, sus- 

 pecting, from its range on the Continent, that it would be found here. By Erichsou 

 it is regarded as a variety of Tachinus marginellus, but it appears to Mr. Waterhouse 

 that Dr. Kraatz is justified in again separating it as a species. Mr. Constantine, 

 who takes both insects, states that he readily distinguishes them. 



3. Toraoxia bucephala, Costa, Mulsant. = Mordella fasciata, Payk., Gyll. Mr. 

 Waterhouse has seen this insect mixed with specimens of the Mordella fasciata, Fab., 

 in several of the London collections. The Tomoxia is distinguished by differences in 

 the structure of the antennas and by differences in the relative length of the inter- 

 mediate tibiae and tarsi ; but the most obvious distinction is in the large size and 

 nearly square form of the scutellum, which is emarginate behind. In Mordella the 

 sculellum is small and triangular. 



4. Byturus fumatus, Linn. Like the preceding, seems to be confounded with a 

 nearly allied species. It differs from M. toraentosus in having the elytra more elon- 

 gate and the eye much larger; the antennae also are inserted close to the anterior 

 angle of the eye, whilst in M. tomentosus they are somewhat remote from that organ. 



Tenebrio Molitor, specimens having deformities produced by injuries received by 

 the larvae. One specimen has the thorax shorter and broader than usual, and cor- 

 responds most closely with the insect upon which Mr. Stephens founds his Tenebrio 

 laticollis; this type-specimen is evidently deformed. One specimen, exhibited by 

 Mr. Waterhouse, had not the full number of joints to the antennae, and the joints 



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