4742 Society of British Entomologists. 



Wood, on the 19th of August last, his attention was drawn to the grass by observing 

 the insects attached in great numbers to its blossoms, and perfectly lifeless: in no in- 

 stance could he observe a living specimen ; and he added that while the heads of the 

 grass were thickly covered with the dead insects, the surrounding herbage, with but few 

 exceptions, was entirely free. 



Mr. Harding stated that he was with Mr. Miller on the above occasion, and was 

 greatly astonished at the thousands of dead specimens that covered every panicle of 

 grass: he considered the mortality was due to atmospheric influence, and read some 

 extracts bearing upon the subject from the seventh volume of Loudon's ' Magazine of 

 Natural History.' 



Mr. Jobson suggested that probably they had been feeding upon some plant of a 

 poisonous nature. 



Mr. Harding differed from this opinion, remarking that, if this were the case, such 

 a circumstance would be of common occurrence, whereas he had not, during his ex- 

 perience, noted a similar instance. 



Mr. Miller thought they had been attracted by some glutinous secretion of the 

 blossoms, from which they had been unable to detach themselves, and had thus been 

 starved to death, for, on examination, he found them to be firmly attached by the 

 proboscis, and requiring some slight degree of force to remove them. 



Offensive Fluid emitted by Melasoma Poputi. 

 Mr. Miller also stated that while in the same locality, at a later period of the year, 

 he observed a number of larvae of Melasoma Populi, from the sides of which, on the 

 slightest noise or on being touched, a white exudation took place, which gave out a 

 very disagreeable odour, but was withdrawn on the danger passing away. 



Habits and Food, of Tineidce. 

 Mr. Miller exhibited some mined leaves of a Geum, which Mr. Stainton informed 

 him he suspected were caused by the larvae of Nepticula aurella, and that similar 

 mines had been observed in the leaves of Fragaria vesca aud other plants, which were 

 most probably referrible to this species: also larvae of Elachista rufocinerea, E. atri- 

 comella, Solenobia inconspicuella, Gelechia tricolorella, &c. ; remarking of the former, 

 that although abundant, up to the spring of last year all attempts to discover the 

 larvae had failed, when it was observed mining the leaves of Holcus mollis. 



Natural History of the Tortricidce. 

 Messrs. Harding and Miller intimated their intention to investigate, during the 

 present season, the habits and transformations of the Tortricidae, so as to elucidate, as 

 far as possible, the natural history of this interesting family, and intimated that any 

 information upon this subject from friends or Members of the Society, accompanied, 

 when practicable, by the larva, would be highly useful and esteemed. 



May 1, 1855. — Mr. Haeding, President, in the chair. 



Captures of rare Lepidoptera. 

 Mr. Harding exhibited a box of beautiful insects, among which were Taeniocampa 

 munrla, some remarkable varieties of T. instabilis, specimens of Notodonta dodonea, 



