95 
ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION. 
Tuesday, December 11th. — Mr. S. Barton, President of the 
Section, in the chair. 
The President exhibited a species of Helceus, belonging to the 
division of Heleides, family Tenebrionites, from Natal. Also Morpho 
Adonis, from South America, which, although not a rare species, was one of 
the most brilliant of all the diurnal Lepidoptera. 
Mr. Barber then read a short paper on the genus Quedius. This 
genus was represented on the continent by 32 species, 28 of which had 
been met with in this country ; 19 species were exhibited by Mr. Barber. 
The genus might be described as follows : — Body elongate, Head roundish, 
sometimes oval ; Labrum transverse, Mandibles slender, slightly dentate in 
the middle; Palpi filiform, maxillary palpi four-jointed, last joint more or 
less acuminate ; labial palpi three-jointed, nearly truncate ; Antennas eleven- 
jointed, straight, slender, first joint elongate, the last nearly truncate or 
sloping, acuminate beneath ; Thorax nearly always straighter than the 
elytra, round at the base, truncate before, posterior angles obtuse or round, 
having nearly always rows of punctures ; Scutellum triangular, Elytra 
truncate, Tarsi five-jointed, Abdomen of six distinct segments. The genus 
might be divided into two sections, in the first of which the thorax had no 
punctures. There was only one British species in this section, Quedius 
brevis, with red elytra, antennas, and legs. This species was found fre- 
quenting ants' nests. The other section, which comprehended all the 
other species, had upon the thorax two series of thin punctures, and might 
be subdivided as follows : — 1st division: — Elytra nearly smooth, having a 
series of punctures ; Species, impressa and lsevigatus, the first being of a 
brilliant black colour, the other a brilliant brown black, and found amongst 
decayed leaves. 2nd division : — Elvtra having an uniform punctuation,with 
the scutellum punctured ; Species — molochinus, rufipes, semi-obscurus, 
attenuatus. Mostly found under dung. 3rd division : — Elytra having a 
uniform punctuation, Scutellum smooth. This comprehended the remaining 
species. Cruentus and seitus were subcortical species. Auricomus was 
found in wet moss in or near waterfalls ; the abdomen of this species 
was striped with silvery or golden pubescence. The other species might 
principally be found among dead leaves or in haystacks. 
CHEMICAL AND PHOTOGRAPHIC SECTION. 
Wednesday, December 12th. — Mr. P. J. Worsley, F.C.S.^ 
President of the Section, in the chair. 
The Secretary announced that several members had not paid their 
subscriptions?, and it was therefore agreed to strike off the names of those 
whose subscriptions were more than a year in arrear. 
