Microscopical Society. 3405 



asserted he had discovered ; but being confident from the habits of the larva, and 

 other circumstances, that it is a distinct species, he had sent it to the President for 

 inspection. He had accordingly examined it, but the specimen had been mutilated 

 in the endeavour" to make the legs apparent, and he was therefore not able to pro- 

 nounce so decisively as he wished, but it appeared that there were, or rather had been, 

 three pairs of membranous, cylindrical [appendages ; the first close to the head, the 

 second adjoining, and the third, posterior. He would not assert that these were legs, 

 for they were not articulated, but they were certainly tubuliferous and not merely 

 membranous appendages. The insect was destitute of antennae, in which also it re- 

 sembled some other species of Psychidae and the Oiketici. 



Mr. J. F. Stephens thought that the insect in question did not differ, as regarded 

 its legs, from females of P. opacella, which the President said he had not had an 

 opportunity of examining. 



Mr. Adam White exhibited a small collection of insects, chiefly Coleoptera, made 

 by Dr. Joseph Hooker during his late Botanical researches in the Khasya Hills 

 He enumerated Cercidocerus Hookeri, White, Broscus Nepalensis, a new species of 

 Morirnus allied to M. tristis, Dictyoptera Javetiana, Coryphocera tibialis, Rhomborina 

 amethystina, Lema 4-maculata, Urophora Hardwickii, Gray, a Coccinella allied to 

 7-punctata, and Geotrupes orientalis, remarkable as a species of a genus rare every- 

 where but in Europe and America. Several species, Mr. White observed, were espe- 

 cially interesting as confirming the views of the geographical distribution of insects 

 propounded by Mr. Hope in Royle's ' Himalaya.' 



In the collection of insects from Shanghae on the table, Mr. White pointed 

 out a new species of Lamia, and a Pontia almost identical with a common British 

 species. 



The President read a Memoir on the Neuropterous genus Mantispa, including 

 descriptions of several new species. 



Mr. Dallas read a Memoir on some new species" of Hemiptera. 



Mr. Curtis read some observations on the syuonomy of the British species of 

 Acanthosoma. 



Mr. F. Smith read a note on the Pediculus Melittae of Kirby, tending to show 

 that it was not the larva of any insect as had been supposed. — /. W. D. 



Proceedings of the Microscopical Society of London. 



December 21, 1851. — Dk. Lankester in the chair. 



A paper by J. H. Huxley, Esq.,*entitled ' Lacinularia socialis, a Contribution to the 

 Anatomy and Physiology of the Rotifera,' was read. The author commenced by 

 stating that the Lacinularia socialis, a very singular and beautiful Rotifer, was found 

 by him in great abundance, on leaves of Ceratophyllum, in the River Medway, a little 

 above Farleigh Bridge ; and as, on account of their relative large size, their transpa- 

 rency, &c, they present especial advantages for microscopical investigation, he had 

 availed himself of an opportunity which occurred to him, of inquiring somewhat mi- 

 nutely into their structure. He proceeded to mention their general appearance and 



