THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



183 



Forest and from Suffolk, Prof. Westwood, the Eev. W. W. Fowler, Mr. 

 Fitch, and Mr. Champion, made some remarks on the species. 



The Eev. W. W. Fowler announced that a series of specimens of Eomalium 

 rugulipenne (Eye) had been received from Dr. Ellis, of Liverpool for distribu- 

 tion among members of the Society. 



Mr. White exhibited a group of three specimens of Lucanus cervus, con- 

 sisting of a female and and two males. The female was in copula with one of 

 the males, which, while so engaged, was attacked by the second male. 



Mr. E. A. Fitch read a paper, communicated by Mr. G. Bowdler Buckton, 

 " On the occurrence in Britain of some undescribed Ap/ddes." The paper 

 was illustrated by coloured drawings. 



Prof. Westwood read a paper " On a tube-making homopterous insect 

 from Ceylon." 



Mr. Theodore Wood read a paper "On Bruchus infested Beans." A dis- 

 cussion ensued, in which Prof. Westwood, the Eev. W. W. Fowler, and 

 Messrs. Weir, Fitch, Triinen, and others took part. — H. Goss, Secretary, 



LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIEE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



The usual monthly meeting of the above Society was held in the 

 class-room of the Free Library, William Brown Street, the President (Mr. 

 S. J. Capper, F.L.S.) in the chair. Amongst the objects of interest 

 exhibited during the evening, were two specimens of a caterpillar brought 

 from New Zealand by the Eev. J. W. Walker, and presented to Mr. 

 S. J. Capper. These animals are called by the natives "Aweto," and form 

 the root of a bulrush (Sphcsria rohertsia). This singular arrangement comes 

 pass in the following fashion. When the caterpillar buries itself in the 

 ground to pass into the ehrysalis stage, the minute spores of the fungus* find 

 lodgment in the neck plates of the caterpillar. There they vegetate, and 

 strike root inside the horny case of the animal, living on its tissues. The 

 animal dies, forming simply a root for this plant, whieh thus lives on flesh. 

 The bulrush attains a length of about ten inches, its apex in a state of fructi- 

 fication, resembling the common club-headed bulrush of our own ditches. 

 When fresh these plants taste like a nut, and are eaten by the natives, w r ho 

 also burn them and use them for tatooting. When newly dug up, 

 the caterpillar's body is soft, and on being divided longitudinally the 

 intestinal channel is plainly seen. The vegetating process commences 

 during the life of the caterpillar, for decomposition has not set in, 

 nor is the skin expanded or contracted in any way. This forms one 



* We print this report as it reaches us, but the bulrush is not a fungus, 



