480 TPIE ZOOLOGIST. 



of Hipparchia semele, captured near Ramsey, Isle of Man, and a series of 

 Plusia bractea, bred from ova laid in July last. The eggs and larvae had 

 been subjected to forcing treatment, with the result that the moths 

 emerged in October. 



Dr. Sharp called attention to Mr. Ernest Green's plates of the Coccidce 

 of Ceylon, which were exhibited on a screen in the room, and said that he 

 was inclined to consider the Coccidce as a distinct order of insects, though 

 at present the evidence was hardly sufficient to warrant this. He asked 

 if Mr. Green could give any information with regard to the development 

 of the wings in the male. Mr. Green stated that in the males of the 

 Coccidce the wings first appeared in the penultimate stage as small 

 projections on the sides of the thorax. These wing-pads grew to a certain 

 extent without any further ecdysis. Though the insect was then quite 

 inactive, and took no food during this stage, the rudimentary wings and legs 

 were free from the body, and were capable of some slight movement. 

 After the final ecdysis the wings of the imago were fully expanded, and 

 assumed their natural position before the insect left the sac, or puparium, 

 in which the resting stage had been passed. Mr. McLachlan and others 

 continued the discussion. 



Mr. Bethune-Baker exhibited a yellow spider from Orotava, which was 

 of the exact colour of the flowers that it usually rested upon, and which 

 had been observed to catch Vancssce which settled on these flowers. 

 Mr. Barrett said he had noticed a spider with the same habit on the ox-eye 

 daisy in Surrey. 



Professor Meldola stated that it had been of late found difficult to store 

 bristles in the city, owing to the ravages of a moth, of which he exhibited 

 living specimens of the larvae and pupae. Mr. Barrett said the moth was 

 Tinea biselliella. Mr. Blandford stated that the bisulphide of carbon 

 treatment might be found of advantage if it were practicable, but more 

 would have to be ascertained with regard to the extent and character of the 

 ravages before anything could be determined upon. Mr. Merrifield, 

 Mr. Green, and others took part in the discussion which followed. 



Mr. Biandford called attention to the use of formalin as a preventive 

 of mould, and said that it would probably be found of use in insect 

 collections ; an object once sprayed with this substance never became 

 mouldy afterwards. Professor Meldola said that formalin was another 

 name for a solution of formic aldehyde : it is now much used in the colour 

 industry and is, therefore, produced on a large scale. 



Mr. Newstead communicated a paper entitled "New Coccidce collected 

 by the Rev. A. E. Eaton in Algeria." — H. Goss and W. W. Fowler, 

 Hon. Secretaries. 



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