3272 Society of British Entomologists. 



yellow colour, and thickly covered with black dots of different sizes, most of which, 

 when closely examined, are discovered to be symmetrically arranged, and forming 

 rows lengthwise of the insect. It continues to feed and to increase in size until near 

 the middle of June, when, being fully grown, it is about % of an inch long and ^ of an 

 inch in diameter. It then descends to the ground, and burying itself slightly under 

 the surface, changes to a pupa of a shining black colour, about thrice as long as broad, 

 and measuring about i an inch in length. The pupa is not inclosed in a cocoon, nor 

 surrounded with any other covering, but lies naked in contact with the earth ; in this 

 state it continues but a few days." 



" For at least three years past the currant and gooseberry bushes of particular 

 gardens in this district have, in June, been stripped of their leaves by these worms so 

 completely, that they would be bare as in winter, but for the dead stems and blighted 

 fruit adhering to them. A second growth of leaves begins within a week after the 

 worm has disappeared, but no fruit is yielded, and this annual destruction of foliage 

 cannot but prove most pernicious to the shrubs." 



" On first examining the larvae of this insect, I felt confident that they would pro- 

 duce moths congeneric with the European gooseberry-moth. But an inspection of 

 the perfect insect rendered it apparent that they could not be included in the genus 

 Abraxas, as defined by its founder, Dr. Leach, without a modification of its charac- 

 ters, which must be made, or a new genus must be constructed to receive our insect. 

 This is also the opinion of Dr. Harris, but I decline availing myself of it, and have 

 therefore placed the insect doubtingly in the genus Abraxas. 



" Abraxas ? Ribearia. Nankin-yellow ; body immaculate ; wings with two brown 

 bands, the outer composed of sub-confluent dots, whereof three in the midst of the an- 

 terior pair are more conspicuous and permanent. Wings expand slightly over l£ inch." 



A detailed description follows, illustrated by a coloured plate of the larva, pupa, 

 and imago. — /. W. D. 



Proceedings of the Society of British Entomologists. 



September 2, 1851. — Mr. Harding, President, in the chair. 



Mr. Sequerie exhibited a box of insects, some of them rare, taken at Darenth dur- 

 ing the past month. 



Mr. Harding exhibited a most splendid box of Lepidopterous insects, amongst 

 which were Nonagria neuvica, and the variety with the black spot, Eupithecia palus- 

 traria, Erastria uncana, Lobophora polycommata, and Lithosia flava. 



Mr. Harding observed that the economy and localities of Lithosia flava were but 

 little known, and consequently it was but rarely captured. In all the entomological 

 works he had perused its habitats were erroneously given ; and he strongly suspected 

 that two species were confounded together, but it would require another season to 

 prove if such were the fact. 



Mr. Briant observed he had seen two specimens of Colias Hyale taken near Graves- 

 end, on the 1st instant. 



Mr. Oxley informed the members that Mr. Shield had gone to Ireland, partly for 

 the purpose of making entomological collections ; and was in the hope of capturing 

 some rare or little-known species in a part of the British Isles hitherto neglected as 

 regards its Entomology. 



Mr. Geo. Briant was admitted as a subscriber to this Society. — J. S. N. 



