280 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



The Secretary exhibited, on behalf of Mr. T. D. A. Cockerel], of Las 

 Cruces, New Mexico, four species of lac-producing Coccida, viz. Tachardia 

 gemmifera from Jamaica, T. pustulata, n. s., and T.fulgens, n. s., from 

 Arizona, and T. cornuta from New Mexico. In the discussion which 

 followed Lord Walsingham mentioned the fact that an American species of 

 Micro-lepidoptera, belonging to the CEcophoridm, feeds on the secretion 

 deposited by one of the Coccida ; this species, for which Dr. Clemens 

 created a genus (the name for which was found to be preoccupied and now 

 stands as Euclemensia), is the nearest ally to the lost (Ecophora ivoodiella, 

 taken many years ago in England. 



Mr. Roland Trimen exhibited some specimens of "Honey" Ants, 

 discovered at Estcourt in Natal about a year ago, by Mr. J. M. Hutchinson, 

 all with the abdomen enormously distended with nectar ; but other examples 

 presented to the South-African Museum by Mr. Hutchinson comprised 

 various individuals exhibiting different gradations of distention, thus indi- 

 cating that the condition of absolute repletion is arrived at gradually, and 

 may possibly be reached by some few only of those individuals who feed o* 

 are fed up for the purpose. Mr. Trimen remarked that while the occurrence 

 of "Honey" Ants in Southern North America, South Australia, and he 

 believed also in India, was well known, the Natal species now exhibited was 

 the first African one that had come under his notice. Prof. Riley said that 

 the American species referred to by Mr. Trimen was common from Colorado 

 to Mexico, and that the honey-bearing ants were often very numerous in 

 its communities ; he further pointed out the fact that many common species 

 of ants have the power of distending the abdomen with honey, and that this 

 was very evident in certain species of Formica. 



Dr. Sharp exhibited a series of Coleoptera, to illustrate the fact that great 

 variation in size of the individual, or of some of its parts, is very rare in 

 Coleoptera, and is observable most conspicuously in those species in which 

 the males possess unusual structures, the use of which is unknown ; such are 

 the BrenthidcB and the genus Rhina, the males of which possess enormous 

 rostra, which are of no direct use to this sex, though the corresponding organ 

 in the other sex is of great use, although less developed. The Lucanida 

 and the horned Lamellicornia also exhibit great variation in size of the 

 individual, more particularly in the male sex. The cases of variation in 

 size in the great group of Chrysomelida were chiefly remarkable in genera 

 like Sagra, where the males possess unusually developed hind legs, for 

 which at present no important use is known. 



Mr. Kirkaldy exhibited specimens of Cymatia coleoptrata, Fab., from 

 Morden, Surrey, an insect which had not before been recorded from the 

 London district.— W. W. Fowler, Hon. Secretary. 



