12 
hair grass, Aira carsiiitosa. Mr. Tutt said the insect was known to 
have occurred at Elthani, the New Forest, &c. 
Ichneumon parasites on reetles. — Mr. Donisthorpe, ('liijnntniiion 
rcx/ianiiii, a hymenopteron, parasitic on wasps. It emerged from the 
abdomen of a wasp which had a jelly-like appearance, the head and 
thorax being untouched. Also Kphialtrs ciu-hnnarius, an ichneumon 
parasitic on the Longicorn beetle, ( '(dliiliniii riolarnnii, and which was 
known to attack t hi'rox, Ohnra ociilata, and Sapcyda pajudnca. 
In examining the borings of the beetle, ('(dlidinm riolacriini, he found 
a bee, ('hrlastoiiia d'lrisaiintc, Avhich had discovered and availed itself of 
them. 
P.APER. —Mr. Tutt read a paper “ Metamorphosis of Imsects.” His 
hrst point was that metamoi'phosis took place after and not simul¬ 
taneously with the first appearance of insects on the earth. He then 
spoke of the theory of Metamoi-phosis. It was originally suppofsed 
that tlie caterjiillar liad within it “ tlie germ of tlie future liuttertly,” 
throwing off a certain numlier of larval skins till it disclosed the pupa 
and the pupal skin liberated the imago. Although certain facts 
apiieared to lead to this vieAv. ilper and fuller knowledge led to Weis- 
mann’s theory of histolysis, i . r ., the complete destruction of the larval 
organs by a gradual ])rocess of degeneration, and the rebuilding of the 
new material thus produced by a process of histogenesis into the new 
organs, the germs of which he shoAved to exist Avithin the organism. 
There appear to be imaginal discs or buds for each part of the body, 
and the process of histolysis and histogenesis is continuous throughout 
the life of the caterpillar, there being no sudden or sharp break from 
larva to pupa, or pupa to imago, Avbicb are external conditions only. 
.\s to tbe initial cause of metamorpbosis, tbe existence of a period 
during Avhicb tbe insect can retire from its ordinary environment, 
already provided Avith an abundant supjily of stored food, and there 
undergo the changes Avhich Avill enable it to take at once to a neAV 
environment, biding itself at the most critical part of its life, has giA'en 
to holometabolous insects an enormous advantage in their competi¬ 
tion Avith other insects, and has ended in their becoming numerically 
the most successful type of life in existence. 
Nov. 15th, IHOH. — ]>RED Leucophasia sinapis. — Mr. A. Hacot, 
exhibited L. siiiajiix bred from the egg, the insect feeding on SAveet iiea 
and vetch. 
Okoyia i.eucostigjia from America.- — He also shoAved a species of 
( h-ijijia bred from ova sent from America as Icitroxti / iiiui , but Avhich he 
thought to be identical Avith (>. aiitirpia . Mr. Hate aatis of opinion that 
there Avas a decided difference, the insects being of a lighter broAvn in 
the ground colour, approaching .sepia; the Avhite spot Avas smaller and 
the Avings more mottled than those of <). ant ' iipia . 
CoEEopTERA FROM Eppino Forest. — l\[r. F. 1). Jonniiigs, three 
living beetles, 'rctratniiia finupiridii, from Epping Forest, found in fungus 
groAving on a tree, and a specimen of Itlnint nins lijiiiaritis, a Avood-boring 
Aveevil, and a piece of elm-bark slioAving excavations made by this 
species. 
Aberrations of Antiirocera eonuerae. — j\lr. Tutt, on behalf of 
Mr. W, IIcAvctt, of York, tAVO A. lniiiccrac, being the types of tAvo 
