July 21. 
distribution amongst the subscribers to bis excursion, 
he having for several years past made similar joimiies 
on that plan. Last year, however, the weather proved 
so unfavourable that the subscribers did not receive so 
many novelties as had been expected, but they will be 
amply remunerated this season. Amongst the Beetles 
are numbers of the rare Lycus aurora, Lamia cedilis, 
Boletophagus crenatus, Pytho depressus, &c. 
Mr. Jansen exhibited various rare Coleoptera, cap¬ 
tured on the 25th ultimo, in the neighbourhood of 
Mickleham, during the first annual excursions of the 
Society. Unfortunately the weather was very adverse 
to the pursuits of the Entomologist on that occasion, 
but still several very rare species were collected, such 
as Claviger testaceus (the Blind Beetle, found in Ants’ 
nests), the little Sphcerosoma quercus, Pachetria leuco- 
phcea, &c. 
Of other rare species exhibited may be mentioned 
Notodonta trepida, captured at Highgate by Mr. Tebbs, 
it having been attracted to a light after dusk; Aptota 
palpella, reared by Mr. Weir, from larvae on the Genista 
tinctoria; the caterpillar and chrysalis of the White 
Admiral Butterfly, Limenitis sybilla, which feeds on the 
Honeysuckle, by Mr. Hunter; Hydrella caliginosa, from 
the New Forest, by Mr. E. Bond; a bred specimen of 
the splendid Noctua Delphinii, by Mr. S. Stevens, as 
well as Plinthus caliginosus —the latter from Wickham; 
several living Mole Crickets, by Mr. Waring,—six had 
been placed in the box during the day preceding, but 
only two remained, four having been devoured by their 
voracious companions; a specimen of Cucullia umbra- 
ilea, with a bundle of the pollen of some plant attached 
to its head, by Mr. Carter; Aphelia pratana, a small 
moth, infested by a thread-like worm (Gordius sp.), 
which had protruded a considerable distance out from 
the extremity of its body ; and the rare Laverna setra- 1 
ceella, of Curtis, reared from caterpillars which fed upon 
Epilobium hirsutum, by Mr. Douglas, who also exhibited 
specimens of a species of Bruchus, in all its states, 
which has recently done much damage in the London 
Docks, by feeding on mace, the larvae eating out the 
interior, and leaving the skin entire. Mr. Edwin Shep¬ 
herd exhibited Madopa salicalis, and Ketinia Turionana, 
from Darentli. 
A note from Professor Hagen, the German entomolo¬ 
gist, addressed to Mr. Staunton, was read, on the insects 
figured in Hill’s “Decade of Curious Insects,” published 
in 1773, and which had been stated by Fabricius to be 
entirely fictitious, but which the professor considered, 
although extremely rude, might be recognised. Two of 
them were evidently intended for species of Thrips 
(Linn.), and one was the more remarkable as the speci¬ 
mens were said to have been ejected from the nostrils of 
a person who had been suffering considerable pain for 
some time previously. It was stated, further, that some 
flowers of Mignonette were also in the room, and it 
seems evident enough that the person in question had 
been smelling at the flowers, which are often greatly 
infested with these little Thripsidae. 
Mr. Samuel Stevens mentioned a circumstance which 
297 
he had recently observed whilst collecting moths, which 
is likely to prove of much benefit to the moth collector. 
Having sugared the trunks of various trees, in the usual 
manner for enticing moths, he had noticed that, instead 
of greedily frequenting the sugar, they assembled in 
great numbers on a thistle growing near, which Mr. 
Stevens found to be greatly infested with aphides, the 
saccharine secretion from which (so much prized by the 
ants) had proved a greater attraction than the sugar. | 
Honey dew, so eagerly sought after by the honey bees, 
was also the same secretion; and a French entomologist 
has discovered that there is no better plan for enticing 
moths than to hang festoons of string, or rope, in 
gardens, daubed over with honey water. 
A note addressed to Mr. Westwood was read from 
Mr. Lowell, Her Majesty’s Inspector of Small Arms, 
on the ravages of a small beetle on walnut-wood gun- 
stocks kept in store in the Ordnance Depots, and 
requesting information and advice on the subject. Some 
of the beetles had been forwarded to Mr. Westwood, 
j which proved to be Latridius porcatus. As the habits 
1 ascribed to this insect by Mr. Lowell differed materially 
from those recorded concerning it by De Geer and 
| others, further information was needed on the subject. 
Mr. Westwood also exhibited a beautiful little Moth, 
Xamproma corticella, which he had reared from a small 
scarlet larva, which, in the spring, does much injury to 
the young shoots and buds of the Raspberry by gnawing 
away the interior, and so causing the shoot to wither; 
also specimens of Hylobius abietus, a large Weevil, 
ordinarily found on Fir trees, but which had this year 
done much injury in Scotland by gnawing the leaves 
and shoots of Plums and Peaches; A sty ages Luscini- 
I pennella, a little Moth reared from a case-bearing 
Caterpillar, which infests Roses, and the chrysalis of the 
Swallow-tailed Moth, of which he described the peculiar 
structure overlooked by Curtis and Hubner. 
It was announced that the next field-day of the 
Society would take place on the 9th July, at West 
Wickham and Addington. 
The prices for Shanghae Fowls continue as high as 
heretofore. One cockerel, brother to Captain Snell’s 
prize chickens, sold, at Mr. Stevens’ Auction Booms, on 
the 5th instant, for T10, and a pullet of the same breed, 
hatched April loth, sold for T9. Some of the stock of 
the Bev. J. G. Hodgson, of Croydon, fetched excellent 
prices at the same sale. One very light buff cock, 
hatched in August, 1852, and which took a first prize 
at the West Kent Poultry Show, sold for T5 10s., and a 
light hen, which shared in that prize, and in first prizes 
at Bristol and the Great Metropolitan Exhibitions, sold 
for T9 10s. A buff pullet, belonging to J. B. Bodbard, 
Esq., Aldwick Court, Wrington, near Bristol, and a 
winner of the second prize at the Plymouth Show, j 
realized Til. There were 175 lots, and they were sold | 
for a total of T280. 
THE COTTAGE GABDENEB. 
