220 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



[October 



of the seed heads of the Aster trip olium, for the obese looking larva of 

 C. tvipoliana is now to be found inside feeding on the seeds, from which 

 a most variable series, from pale buff to almost black may be bred. 



Shepherdess Walk, City Road. 



Erratum. — For August'^ in first line of last month's article read 

 Set>temhery 



Reports of Societies. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 



September 2nd, 1891. — Mr. Frederick DuCane Godman, M.A., F.R.S., President, 

 in the chair. 



Mr. \V. H. Blaber, of Groombridge, Sussex; Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell, F.Z.S., of 

 Kingston, Jamaica; Mr. R. E. V. Hanson, B.A., of Tunbridge Wells, Kent; and Mr. 

 R. C. Wroughton, of Poona, India, were elected Fellows of the Society. 



Mr. G. F. Scott-Elliott exhibited a series of various species of Diptera collected 

 on Kanunculaceo', Papaveracea, and Cviicifera. He said that during the past summer he 

 had studied about forty species of plants belonging to the orders named, and that 

 they had all been visited by insects which were probably necessary for nectariferous 

 flowers. The majority of the Diptera caught were not confined to one species or even 

 genus, but in view of the unmodified character of the flowers in the orders named 

 this was only to be expected. Mr. Verrall observed that certain insects affected 

 ^ertain plants, but that the Geraniacea were seldom visited. The discussion was 

 continued by Mr. M'Lachlan, Mr. Kirby, and others. 



Mr. \V. L. Distant exhibited a specimen of the orthopterous insect Hemisaga 

 hastata, De Sauss., which, in the Transvaal, he observed to attack and feed on 

 Danais chrvsippus, a butterfly well known from its protective character and distasteful 

 qualities to have a complete immunity from the usual lepidopteral enemies. The 

 Hemisaga lurked amongst the tops of tall flowering grasses, being consequently 

 disguised by its protective resemblance to the same, and seized the Danais as it settled 

 on the bloom. From close watching and observation Mr. Distant could discover no 

 other danger to the life of this well-known and highly protected butterfly. 



Mr. T. R. Billups exhibited four species of Diptera, which he believed to be 

 respectively Oxycera terminata, Meg., Pipizella anniilata, Meg,, Clidogastra pnnctipes, 

 Meg., and Oxyphora arnica, L., taken at Oxshott, Surrey, on the iith July last. He 

 mentioned that all of them were recorded in Mr. Verrall's list only as "reputed 

 British." He also exhibited a specimen of Hypoderma bovis, Deg., taken at Plumstead 

 on the 2gth July last 



