4112 Entomological Society. 



colour to a sickly yellow or whitey-brown ; but its introduction into a glazed house in 

 which ferns are cultivated, is quite fatal to the beauty of their appearance. It inserts 

 its short, strong, and acute rostrum into the parenchyma of the frond, and remains for 

 days in one position, apparently engaged during the whole time in extracting the sap, 

 after the manner of an Aphis. The result of this abstraction of the juices of the plant 

 is not, as in the case of the Aphis, a distortion of the leaf, but the production of whitish 

 or yellowish spots or blotches, which increase in number and size until the entire frond 

 is permanently although not uniformly discoloured. The injury is committed by the 

 insect in all its stages; but as its growth to maturity is extremely rapid, and as its life 

 in the imago state is usually prolonged, it follows that the injury caused by the insect in 

 its perfect, is much greater than that in its preparatory states. It is worthy of remark, 

 that all the species of ferns are not equally obnoxious to its attacks ; for of our Eng- 

 lish ferns, Osmunda regalis and Asplenium lanceolatum are rarely touched ; Lastrea 

 Filix-mas, L. spinosa, L. uliginosa, L. multiflora and L. rigida are greatly injured ; 

 and Asplenium Adiantum-nigrum and Polypodium vulgare are sometimes absolutely 

 killed. When disturbed, the insect leaps off the frond after the usual manner of the 

 Cercopidae ; but when once committed to the air, it flies about, and even hovers, with 

 all the facility of a Musca. The smoke of tobacco, if the greenhouse can be sufficiently 

 closed, is fatal ; but there is a great deal of difficulty in applying it effectually in a 

 large or imperfectly closed house. The nuisance may also be in some degree abated, 

 by burning the fronds in autumn, and thus, in all probability, destroying the eggs." 



Read, a " Description of a new Species of Lithocolletis, — L. irradiella." By John 

 Scott, Esq. It is very like L. lautella, but the anterior wings are darker, the streaks 

 more slender, and the spot at the anal angle not on the inner margin. The specimen 

 from which the description was made, was taken in July, in a damp wood near Ren- 

 frew, and was exhibited to the meeting. 



Read the following extracts from a letter to the Secretary, by the Rev. Joseph 

 Greene, of Wendover : — 



" No genus of moths that I am acquainted with is so subject to Ichneumons as 

 Notodonta. Of N. camelina, I should say seven in every ten are pierced. I found 

 five of N. trepida this year, four were pierced ; and the same with N. zic-zac, which 

 is common here in the larva state. N. dictaea and dictaeoides are apparently more 

 fortunate." 



" The singular epidemic of muscardine ? exists to a great extent among larvae this 

 year, arising, I imagine, from the extreme dampness of the season. The characteris- 

 tics of the disease are, that when the larva is fully grown, it suddenly, and without the 

 slightest apparent premonitory symptom, becomes stiff and rigid, with the fore part of 

 the body extended, and in a short time dries up. I have found it in zic-zac, Coryli, 

 antiqua, angularia, &c. My house being unfortunately very damp, I should not have 

 thought much of this circumstance, but it has, I believe, been noticed by others." 



The President drew the attention of the Meeting to the Rev. J. F. Dawson's pro- 

 spectus of his ' Monograph of the British Geodephaga,' recommending the proposed 

 work as worthy of their support, and stating that unless a sufficient number of sub- 

 scribers was obtained, it would not appear. — J. W. D. 



