Entomological Society. 



6473 



Mr. Westwood exhibited the larva of Anohium striatum commonly known as the 

 " bookworm,'' and a living larva of Phlogophora meticulosa, found feeding on 

 southern-wood, which he considered a very extraordinary food-plant for the insect. 



Entomology of the Cape of Good Hope. 



Mr. Adam White read the following extracts from a letter addressed to him by 

 R. Trimeu, Esq., dated Knysua, Cape of Good Hope, November 15, 1858 : — 



" My experience in this part of the world since last July tends to show that the 

 entomologist in South Africa must not expect an abundance of active insect life; as 

 yet I have not in any place seen as many insects congregated and visible at one time 

 as in the woods of England in June or July. As far as the Lepidoptera are concerned, 

 I have found it hitherto almost impossibte to discover the metropolis of any species ; 

 with the exception of some common Pierida? and Hipparchiae, which are to be found 

 everywhere, the butterflies appear to be scarce. In this district the entomologist 

 requires a great deal of patience, for the nature of the woods — with their rotting stumps, 

 fallen logs, stones and immense variety of thorns — renders chasing insects an impossi- 

 bility, and the only way is to stand quietly in some sunny nook, and catch them as 

 they successively visit the spot. The following will show you the respective pro- 

 portions of the several genera of butterflies, as far as I have been able to obtain 

 them, up to this time, and as well as I can make out the number of species: — 



Papilio 



. 3 



Euploea 



1 



Colias 



I 



Acrsea 



. 2 



Pieris 



. 3 



Polyommatus . 



8 



Anihocharis 



1 



Chrysophauus 



• 1 



Erebia 



. 3 



Zeutis 



7 



Mycalesis (?) . 



1 1 



Thymele 



. 2 



Euryteia 



. 1 



Steropes 



2 



Cynthia . 



1 



Pamphila . 



. 2 



Philognomes 



. 1 



? 



2 



Salamis . 



1 







" Of moths I have upwards of 120 species, of which Geometra and Pyrales form 

 the greater proportion ; of Sphingidai I have but live species, one Syntomis, two 

 Anthrocera, one Smerinthus and one Trochilium. Sugar does not seem to succeed 

 here in attracting them ; I sugared twice without the least success, and the third time 

 only found two moths, on sugared flowers. Light succeeds well on certain nights, and 

 I have obtained a good many in that way. 



" November 19. It has been very warm all the week and insects are visibly increasing 

 in numbers every day. I have taken another Anthocharis (I think Danae), Danais 

 Chrysippus, a beautiful Zygaena, intermediate between Procris and Syntomis, &c. 



" My collection of beetles comprises about ninety species of larger size and a good 

 number of small species. The Lamellicoms constitute the most numerous section of 

 the Coleoptera here, and many of the species are very curious and striking in their 

 appearance. The whole district is overrun by numbers of juvenile green and black 

 locusts, which hang in hundreds on the shrubs aud plants, and strip them of their 

 leaves and young shoots in a very short time. The day before yesterday I saw a 

 XVII. Y 



