228 tHE Zoologist* 



Mr. R. F. Lewis, ou behalf of Mr. W. M. Maskell, of Wellington, 

 New Zealand, exhibited and read notes on about twenty-five species of 

 Coccidce from that colony. He also exhibited some specimens of the larvas 

 and imagos of Icerya Purchasi, Maskell, obtained from Natal, where the 

 species had proved very destructive to orange, lemon, and other fruit trees. 

 He also showed specimens of the larvae of an allied species from Natal, 

 originally assigned by Mr. Douglas to the genus Ortonia, but which Mr. 

 Maskell was inclined to regard as a new species of Icerya. Mr. M'Lachlan 

 and the Chairman commented on the interesting nature of the exhibition, 

 and the importance of a knowledge of the parasites of injurious insects, in 

 connection with which special mention was made of the researches and 

 discoveries of Prof. Riley. 



The Secretary exhibited, on behalf of Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell, of 

 Colorado, a large collection of insect-galls, and read a letter from Mr. 

 Cockerell on the subject. Dr. Mason said he should be happy to take 

 charge of these galls, with a view of rearing the insects and reporting the 

 results. 



Mr. H. W. Bates communicated a paper entitled " On new Species of 

 Cicindelida." — H. Goss, Hon. Sec. 



NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS, 



Our Cats : and all about them. Their Varieties, Habits, and 

 Management, and, for show, the standard of excellence and 

 beauty described and pictured. By Harrison Weir, Presi- 

 dent of the National Cat Club. Post 8vo, pp. 248. 

 Tunbridge Wells : Clements & Co. 



Mr. Weir is an enthusiast, and as President of the National 

 Cat Club (which in conjunction with Messrs. Wilkinson and 

 Wilson, of the Crystal Palace, he originated twenty years ago) 

 knows more than most people on the subject of the domestic Cat 

 and its varieties. The result of his experience is embodied in 

 the present volume, and although the materials which he has 

 collected are perhaps not so skilfully arranged as they might have 

 been, his book is, nevertheless, very pleasant reading. On the 

 question of origin (which we should have expected to see dealt 

 with on page 1 instead of on page 1G4), we are disappointed at 

 not having a definite expression of Mr. Weir's own opinion, 

 instead of a statement of the views of others, although we infer 

 from the extracts quoted, that he endorses the notion that the 



