Society of British Entomologists. 4387 



The Chairman said that very recently a gentleman, residing near Geneva, had 

 asked his aid to procure some Indian silk cocoons, such as were exhibited by the 

 East India Company at the Great Exhibition of 1851, in order to carry on some ex- 

 periments of unwinding hard cocoons, in which he had hitherto been successful ; and 

 now that, by the extension of the cultivation of this valuable silk by its introduction 

 into Malta (Zool. 4276), the supply would be increased, it was highly desirable that 

 the difficulties of drawing off the threads should be conquered, and he trusted his 

 correspondent would be successful with this kind also. 



Mr. Boyd exhibited specimens of Elachista Treitschkiella, reared from the 

 curious larvae destitute of true legs, some of which were exhibited by Mr. Douglas 

 at the Meeting of this Society in September last (Zool. 4066). 



Goliath Beetles. 



Mr. Westwood read a Memoir on Goliath beetles, describing several new species, 

 and others of which one sex only was hitherto known. — J. W. D. 



Society of British Entomologists. 



June 5, 1854. — Mr. Harding, President, in the chair. 



The President exhibited a pair of Cloantha conspicillaris, taken at Darenth Wood. 

 The female laid some eggs, which had hatched, and the young larvae were now feed- 

 ing. He also exhibited some specimens of Trochilium culiciforme, Pompelia Per- 

 fluella, and other Lepidoptera. 



The President related a remarkable circumstance connected with Abrostola Urticae : 

 last July he took a number of the larvae of this insect ; about the 20lh of last month 

 the perfect insects began to make their apppearance, and from that time until the 3rd 

 of the present month, being a succession of fourteen days, they have come out one 

 each day : in no instance had there been a day missed, nor did two appear on the same 

 day. 



The President also exhibited some specimens of the new Elachista which he had 

 discovered last year, about this time, feeding on Poa aquatica, and which he saw Mr. 

 Douglas proposed to call Elachista Poae. He, however, proposed to call it Elachista 

 aquaticella, a name he considered much more in accordance with its habits. 



Mr. Miller exhibited a specimen of Leptura sexguttata taken at Darenth Wood ; 

 also specimens of Ephyra trilinearia, Lithosia flava, Eupithecia abbreviata taken at 

 Loughton, Pyrochroa coccinea, &c. 



