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A Ld) {Hp ic na ‘Ty ha a A he Me nye } bf! be ie ee ERAS ie j r es vi at ‘

THE

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CONTENTS:

PAGE

Officers Of (he (SOC van ce ce Ga Ray: Scan ioc ekisg & 3) sue. sj ale

Enicevot theslransactionsis i han a.m rene) Oe eemieunicl ee cutee LNG

Explananon ofthe Blatess % 'a)e. Go et oe eee ee tml

HEEACAS wi 6) “6 : : . 170

Additions to the Library fi from the Ist of ae 1854, to the 31st =

December, 1855 ... . SP Stee “eos Mem) ioe el

Additions to the Collections from the Ist January, 1854, to the 31st

December sUSoat Ws! ts Maw. |e pele ees ce tigen ae lular even ee

List of Members, April, 1856. . . . Ae ec NE

Journal of Proceedings from February, 1854, to January, 1856. . .~ i

TL ENPRNS Dott ese ices ids ture Tan ica a ube igh ng Bad 5, Resa. say, See CHE

MEMOIRS,

I. Notice of a Sackbearing Bombyx, found by Mr. Bates near

Santarem, on the Amazons. By Epwarp Newmay, Esq.,

Leg fe ae eh ee ee eee A a. re eee p

II. Description of a new Species of Lithocolletis. By Joun Scorv,

III. Critical Remarks upon the British Elateride, with Descriptions

of some of the Species. By Joun Curtis, Esq., F.LS.,

Ser a tetas ee Ei ee ae eee on = eee

IV. Some Observations on the Excrement of Insects; in a Letter

addressed to Wituiam Spence, Esq., F.R.S., &c. By

Joun Davy, Esq., M.D., F.R.S., Inspector-General of

Army Hosnitals’ «pig Wye 2. MARR ee Son ee TS

V. Descriptions of some Coleopterous Laryze, &e. By Joun Curtis,

Riatt, WARS e Sew 26. SRR bats: Ce) Ree 8S

VE.

Wir,

VEIL.

IX.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

XV.

VIL:

XVII.

XVIII.

CONTENTS.

Observations on the Economy of Pompilus punctum, and other

Hymenoptera. By F. Smirn, Esq.

Description of a New British Species of Ichneumon. By

Tuomas Desvienes, Esq. . . . . « «

Characters of undescribed Lucanide, collected in China, by

R. Fortune, Esq. By W. Wixson Saunpers, ne

F.R.S., &c. Se AEM ePigie Caee a Mae See aL. 2%,"

Descriptions of two Species of the Genus Hemerobius of Lin-

nzeus, new to this country, with Remarks on the Nor-

menclature of Coniopteryx, and on Orthotenia Buoliana,

&c. By Joun Curtis, Esq., F.L.S,&c.. . . . .

. Supplemental Descriptions of Species of African, Asiatic, and

Australian Cetoniide. By J. O. Wesrwoop, Esq.,

F°ES:,-ccc:, : : ot

Notes on the Species of Amycterus, and allied Genera, with

Descriptions of some new Species. By G. R. Water-

HousSE, Esq., F.Z.S.

Descriptions of four new Species of Beetles, belonging to the

Family Pausside. By J. O. Westwoop, Esq., F.L.S.,

On some of the Difficulties of Entomological Students, as ex-

emplified by recent Experience in the Genus Elachista.

By H. T. Stainton, Esq.

Description of a New Genus of Coleopterous Insects inhabit-

ing the interior of Ant’s Nests in Brazil. By J. O.

Westwoop, Esq., F.L.S., &e. .

Essay on the Genera and Species of British Formicide. By

Freperick Samira, Esq.

On the British Species of the Genus Stenus. With Notes on

the Species of Stenus described by Kirpy, and in the

“Illustrations of British Entomology” by Mr. Steruens;

together with Observations upon the Specimens in Mr.

Stephens’s Collection. By Messrs. G. R. Waternovuse

and E. W. Janson. 5 ae

Descriptions of some Species of Brazilian Ants belonging to

the Genera Pseudomyrma, Eciton, and Myrmica (with

Observations on their Economy, by Mr. H. W. Bares).

By Freverticx Suit, Esq. gifs.

Monograph of the Australian Species of Chrysomela, Phyllo-

charis, and allied Genera. By J. S. Baly, Esq.

PAGE

. 136

- 156

Sie

XIX.

XX.

XXI.

XXII.

XXIII.

XXIV.

XXV.

XXVI.

».O. 2 Aili

EX VEEL:

CONTENTS. vil

F . PAGE

Observations on the Honey Bee, in Continuation of the Prize

Essay of the Entomological Society, for the Year 1852.

By J. G. Desporoven, Esq. . . »- 18%

Descriptions of some New Species of Exotic Lucanide. By

J. O. Westwoop, Esq., F.L.S., &c. nce Souen oa

Observations on the Species of Elateride, described by Mr.

Curtis in the First Part of the Third Volume of the New

Series of the Transactions of the Entomological Society

of London. By E. W. Janson,Esq. . . . . . '. 222

Memorandum on the Wing-Rays of Insects. By Epwarp

Newman, Lsq., F.L.S., &c.

On the Fresh-Water Entomostraca of South America. By

VOHN-MUBBOCK, uSq,, Eudes. « 1 6!) oe a. mam

Monograph of the Australian Species of Chrysomela, Phyllo-

charis, and allied Genera (continued from page 186). By

De eS AES SG a ts Vee aris cok oe a ele me ors ta eee

Characters of two undescribed Species of Thrips, Lin. By

Epwarp Newman, Esq., F.L.S., &c. . . 1 we Ce 264

Descriptions of various Species of the Coleopterous Family

Pselaphide, natives of New South Wales and South

America. By J. O. Westwoop, Esq., F.L.S., &c. . . 268

Characters of a few Australian Lepidoptera, collected by

Mr. Tuomas R. Oxtey. By Epwarp Newman, Esq.,

EEE SiiQ@Cs 5 aie os ss sets a a 28

Descriptions of Three Species of Indian Micro- Lepidoptera.

Bm OPALNTON. PIS .s se cs oe Reon (ame OL

6 ola iubiipiniak 1h 2h jad Gdt i) jllbaaadth

Play Esl wh i iaek Javic Mi uom ude le. et

Le ian er wt gape AA hdl A) ha

PV para, \- Ot ing tye —_ Wie, a0y We a igh vie

oo ee a Eth pod tw red tboh

3 ih ee an

hi dal a 4 ' hi é LPR) a | ie dual id

Vo ely i ' [ | ee a) at

Myla, He ait 1 4) REIN | ;

dAaul oh oiis' i's 1 Pl ibd age iat bt

i Wi tae

re a ! a fica A

Aud

iow ) 4paeehd. vid te ere

aie § phy

Peate.

Il.

Ill.

IV.

Wile

EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES.

——

Fic.

1. Lithocolletis irradiella, Scott..... aioteravelel sia)sievel sieieteitiel sie

2. Perophora Batesii g, and details........0e..-eee-e>

3. 5 » @, and antenna .......esccccveees

4,5& 6. or a MEINE eRe cosr Slots atravoletencreterWsterelercreners

Ue # »» venation of wing........ee. Sooor oo

1. Ectinus aterrimus, Linn., Curt., and details ........ 50

Dos . 1 gagates, Curt.; and detailse.s 0... cece cece vice

3. n. g. puncto-lineatus, Pelerin, and details..........

4. Elater nigrinus, Payk., and details .....2..sscesssee.

5. Aplotarsus maritimus, Curt., and details ....0s00...00.

6. Cardiophorus formosus, Curt. .-++se0006 SOeCOD

7. Aplotarsus ? cothurnatus, Curt.....-.++.. OC ae

WiicemeowmcanseHonturers: Larrys hy ATL Oireiee) «{o) jase) esisie) evel lela

3. Cladognathus gracilis, Saund. ...... 20+... ceceeeeeee

4 & 5. Odontolabris emarginatus, Reiche, $ and Q ........4

Ge OUsipiLn clio en mOallN dan cfetetsicicucleie oicvel sleteveitsrsieccteloreits

%. Platyprosapus platymelus, Saund. . <.« «0243. s 0+ ++. «1

8. is Fonet, Sawn acrcyevs sys. ore sy cho evel eloncisreroretaete

MeO dontolabrzsinitidiis, Saundra ci cjtetteyteroteke aieteret orate

2&3. ae StNTCIUS \TLEICHE arcierenore: sielelenccrarcns la cinteien ae

AS Doncustisincatussaunden secs eercteren ie ioe citer ore

Den JOTCUs StntatO- DUNCLOLUSH ss «/arsieiorele isis) cleis ohereterere aieeeke

Oop Dorcis)maroinalts, SAunds.ts ence cs ais crete eerie tone aut

Uo JOT RCS GliceunnG, SE Geen ao es toueos boo co sues

OUP UsHLEVICOLLE sy SAUL aelerelaiecoratsieeiclarciae cisrie einai cteretoitte

Dh, UD TREnS Cred nS; Seni lioo honosuesbapdbboonesnooeuce

1 to 8. Velleius dilatatus, larva and details...... slo peisyers 5

9 to 12. Athous rhombeus, larva and details ........ aloufstalleretsianets

13 to 22, Bolitophugus reticulatus, larva and details ........0%

23 to 32. Prostomis mandibularis, larva and details....2....2.0+

33 to 40. we Fe imago and details ......... os

Is Goliathus micans, Drury, details <<< «st lejsleletes er eleieteisre

2. Ceratorhina Passerinii 9, and details....... PIOISOOU Ce

3. Goliathus Smithii 9, and details ........0.c0ccceces

4, Asthenorhina Turneri, Westw. 9, and details.........

5. Tmesorrhina Saundersii, Westw., and details..... A

6. Gnathocera Angolensis, Westw., and details

4 EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES.

Pate. Fic. PAGE

VII. 1. Heterrhorhina bicostata ¢, Schaum, and details ....-- 66

2. Narycius Hamiltoni 9, Westw....essceeceeneeececs 67

3. Dicronocephalus Wallichii, Hope, and details.........- 69

4. Cosmiomorpha setulosa, Westw. ss cerecececececes Aco (fl)

5. Macronata fraterna, Westw. «+..seeeees aera isioheseteistele 7\

6. i. repia, BAW. woe ccdoe eves Ata SALT carey 72

file 55 setipes, WeStW.s.s.sccscccecccsccccsscces 73

8. Eupecila ochracea, Westw., and details ..0+.... 00008. 73

9. = succinea, Hope, and details....... Aiea Babe eels 74

VIII. 1—21. Gnostus formicicola, Westw., and details........++.. 90—94

Ix. 1—28. For explanation, see.... 2... ee ceceseecssccreccecce 135

X. 1. Colophon Westwoodii, Gray, and details .......... 197, 198

oe 5 Thunbergii, Westw., and details ....... - 198, 199

3. Lucanus Thibeticus, Westw., and details.......... 199, 200

4. ss biplagiatus, Westw., and details ........ 200, 201

5. Odontolabris Evansii, Westw., and details ........ 201, 202

6. Cladognathus piceipennis, Westw., and details. .... 202, 203

XI. 1. Streptocerus speciosus, Fairm., 9, details ............ 204

2. Sclerostomus hastatus, Westw., and details ........ 205, 206

3. 5s Neotragus, Westw., and details ...+....+2 207

4. fp Ditomoides, Westw., and details ...... Sosy Au

6. * costatus, Burm., and details..........eeee 209

6, 7. Cacostomus squamosus, Newm., and details........ Qi le

8. Scortizus maculatus, Klug, details ......eeeeeeeeeene 210

XI. 1. Lissotes Menalcas, Westw., and details ......--...0-- 214

2 » subtuberculatus, Westw., and details ...... 215, 216

3. » ?crenatus, Lat, MSS., and details ........ 216, 217

4. Dorcus? luteus, Westw., and details. ......++ee.- 218, 219

5. Figulus Lilliputanus, Westw., and details ........ 219, 220

6, 7. Sclerostomus caviceps, Westw., and details ..--.... 212, 213

9. > femoralis, Guérin, details .......+.. 209, 210

XIII. 1—19. For explanation, see .....+-++++eeee Bibs Gloom ao SOc OS 169

XIV. 1. Phyllocharis cyanipennis, Baly, and details .....+.++++ J74

2. Lamprolina eneipennis, Boisd., and details....+....++. 177

3. Eulina Curtisii, Baly, and details ..... etelcieieisielelametetcl 180

4. Chalcolampra thoracica, Baly, and details ....... Sees OS

5, Australica submetallica, vat... ..sccccscccsesececvoes 252

5a— 5c. 33 Curtisit, Kirby, details ....--..++2++ «e- . 243

6. Chalcolampra pustulata, Baly ...+..++eeeeeeees sseee 181

7. Chalcomela evimia, Baly ..--..-+e+e+> Reeteeoistenete crete - 260

8. + suleata, Baly, and details...........++- 2. 208

9. Cyclomela nitida, Baly, and detailse.....eeeeeeeeeees 257

XV. 1—9. For explanation, S€@.. sees ee ee eee cece ee ceees Food 20

AVI. 1. Bryazis strigicollis, WestW. ... +0. +e cece cece ener eens 269

2. »» quadriceps, WEStW... 6... +e cece ee eeeees eerie eO

3. 5» atriventris, Westw......ccecccreceeccseccee 210

4, Tyrus spinosus, WestW. ess cecere cere cecnneneneuens 271

Puarte.

XVII.

XVIII.

1G?)

Yr oerg

Yr ON AMS w

- Metopias Curculionoides, Westw..........- aislere

. Anesychia Stella, Newm. ........ jel sxehere)s

. Chimabacche Cinderella, Newm.

. Ecophora Marionella, Newm............

EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES.

See litnnttsy hiner a lisyn WVESUWe sts 'eleelstelel <teleler sls cree ie c/ejeie1e1s oe

Batrtswsianewlatus p Westwelerels oss icicle cls sieh<s « o/e.0\s1s 5/0

Pselaphus Antipodum, Westw..... Meveletareveiene(slere slefeies

Pe geminatus, Westw.*.........+.0. stolonefenerstare

Articerus angusticollis, Westw. .e+.ceesercccccccscae

F CUTDICOTNIS AV VESUaietsieie’ clole\s) sieleie cisleielsicrelstes

‘3 SCLUDESS WWESLWaslafere|e)a/slelel aie) ever e1- puipoobenes on

-. Orlaticornis;: WESLWa <rcisic eleidiclervelels'els «le etslete’s

% Brastliensiss, Wists <:s.cve cio.c «6 vietereie)s, 810 <:ooe

55 bellicasis Wiest wares! cate-crcie: oteieis: cfs siovein cislele are

9 pacificus, WestWs .0 0600 200. mfoforekohoieleherevors

Ccophora Paulinella, Newm. ....--....ce+seeceeees

a Isabella, New. 16.0 601s seiec00s aieteaohetels oisiele

#: Ellenella, Newm......... sfarel sf ofehioiehereletoheraere

‘3 Arabella, Newm......... dioknte! efalelol sfoisie, <iateic

Tortricopsis Rosabella, Newm............ cone

Teara Guenéi, Newm. ......0.-2.. mare ofeietciehsieurere share

», Edwardsii, Newm..... sie steteiebos Acosdc a

Termessa Shevherdi, Newm....... A50 DOODOSE fe

Comair )

ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY.

FROM THE Ist JANUARY, 1854, TO THE 3lst DECEMBER, 1855.

ihensim. 1854 andi le55-

Bacu, M. Kiferfauna fir Nord und Mitteldeutschland.

Boueman, Monagraphia Cassididarum.

BuRMEISTER, Bemerkungen wber den allgemeinen Bau und die Geschlechtsun-

tershied bei den Arten der Gattung Scolia, Fabr.

Catalogue of Birds in the Museum of the East India Company. Vol. 1.

CHEVROLAT, A., Nouveau Genre de Carabiques, de la ‘Tribu des Carahides.

% Descriptions de Seize Espéces de Longicorns du vieux Calabar,

a la Céte occidentale d’ Afrique.

* Description de Vingt et une Espéces Nouvelles de Coleoptéres

Longicornes.

Curtis, J., Magasin des Thierreichs.

Notes on Four Galls from the Crimea.

On the Genus Myrmica, and other indigenous Ants.

- Remarks relative to the Affinities-and Analogies of Natural Objects,

more particularly of Hydrocephalus, a Genus of Coleoptera.

Dawson, J. F., Geodephaga Britannica. 8vo.

D’ALLON and BuRMEISTER, Zeitung fur Zoologie, Zootomie und Palaeozologie,

1848. 2 Quartal.

Dv VAu and MigneAvx, Genera des Coléoptéres d’ Europe.

FRAUENFIELD, G., Versuch die durch Insecten an den Pflanzen Verursachten

Auswitchse nach ihren Haupttypen und Wachsthumsverhaltnissen natur-

gemass ZU gruppiren.

Guyon, G., List of British Geodephaga.

Hewitson, W.C., Exotic Butterflies. Parts 10—16.

HumBoxuptr and BONPLAND, Recueil d’Observations de Zoologie et d’Anatomie

comparée. 4to.

Insecta Britannica, Diptera. Vol. 2.

s Pe Lepidoptera, Tineina.

ie FP Supplement to Lepidoptera—Tineina.

,, Saundersiana—Coleoptera, Curculionides.

JEKEL, H., Fabricia Entomologia. Part 1.

op Lettre addressée a M. Jacquelin du Val sur le Barypeithus rufipes.

XIV ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY.

Kocu, G., Die geographische Verbreitung der Europiiischen Schmetterlinge in

anderen Welttheilen.

LAcorDAIRE, T., Genera des Coleoptéres, &c. ‘Tome 2.

Lreuckant, R., Ueber die Micropyle und den feinern Bau der Schalenhaut bei

den Insekteneiern.

List of Specimens of British Animals in the Collection of the British Museum.

Part 14,

” ” », Dipterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum.

Part 5, sup. 1; Part 6, sup. 2.

”» a », Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum.

Heterocera. Parts 1—4.

Neuropterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum.

Part 4, Odonata.

Literary Gazette. 1854—1855,

Lonecuamps, Dk SEtys, Synopsis des Caloptérygiénes.

LuBBocK, J., On some Arctic Species of Calanide,

” ” ”

MeApbe, R. H., Monograph of British Phalangide.

MELSHEIMER, F. E., Catalogue of Coleoptera of the United States.

Muusant, E., Opuscules Entomologiques, Cahiers 2, 3, 4.

Natural History Review. Nos. 2—7.

PERROUD, B. P., Mélanges Entomologiques. Part 2.

Report of Board of Agriculture of the State of Ohio. No. 9.

Report of United States Patent Office (Agriculture).

Revue et Magasin de Zoologie. 1854, 1855.

Sansom, T., On the Illumimation of the Diatomacee when viewed under the

Microscope.

Saussure, H. T., Monographie des Guépes Sociales, Cahiers 6, 7.

ScuauM, Dr., Bericht uber die zur Bekanntmachung geeigneten Verhandlungen

der Konigl. Preuss. Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin im

Monat Juni, 1853.

Bericht uber die wissenschaftlichen Leistungen im Gebiete der

Entomologie wahrend des Jahres 1852.

+ Hemiptera and Orthoptera from Mozambique.

SMITHSONIAN Contributions to Knowledge. Vols. 6, 7.

Institution, Directions for Collecting, &c., Specimens of Natural

History. Second Edition.

Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Annual Reports of Board

of Regents.

¥ Registry of Periodical Phenomena.

i Natural History of the Red River of Louisiana.

List of Foreign Institutions in Correspondence with the Smith-

sonian Institution.

” ”

ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY. XV

SoctETIES—ANNALES, MEMOIRES, TRANSACTIONS, &c.

Académie Impériale des Sciences, &c. de Lyon, Memoires, &c. Tome 2me.

Academia Real de Ciencias, &c. de Madrid, Memorias, &c. 1847, 1848,

1849.

Académie Royale des Sciences, &c. de Belgique, Memoires, &c. 1853,

1854, 1855.

Akademie K6nigliche Bayerischen. Abhandlungen xvii, Pt.2; Bulletin 1853.

Art Union of London, Report of the Council. 1854.

Berwickshire Naturalists’ Club Proceedings. 1853.

Boston Natural History Society, Proceedings, &c. 1852—1854.

Literary and Philosophical Society of Liverpool, Proceedings. 1853—1855.

New Orleans Academy of Sciences, Proceedings. Vol. 1. No. 1.

PP a os Constitution and Bye-laws of ditto.

Société Entomologique de France, Annales. 1852—1855.

Société Impériale d’Agriculture, &c. de Lyon, Annales, &c. Tome 4, 5.

Société Impériale des Naturalistes des Moscou. 1852, Nos. 2—4. 1853,

Nos. 1—4. 1854, No. |.

Société Linnéenne de Lyons, Annales, N.S. Tome Ire.

Société de Physique et d’Histoire Naturelle de Genéve. Tome 13, 2me

partie.

Society of Arts, Catalogue of the Seventh Exhibition of Inventions.

3 Journal of. 1854, 1855.

Society, Linnean, List of Fellows. 1854.

» President’s Anniversary Address. 1854.

3 Proceedings, Nos. 52, 53.

a Transactions of. Vol. 21, part 3,

Society, Royal, List of Fellows. November, 1853.

Proceedings. Vol. 6, Nos. 100—J02. Vol. 7, Nos. 1—15.

ay Transactions. Vol. 143, part 3; vol. 144, part 1.

Society, Royal, of Van Diemen’s Land, Papers and Proceedings. Vol. 2,

part 2.

Society, Royal Agricultural, Journal of, Vol, 14, part 2; vol. 15, parts 1,2;

vol. 16, part 1.

Stettin, Entomologische Zeitung. 1854, 1850.

», Linnea Entomologica. Band 9.

Zoologisch Botanischen Vereins in Wein. VerhandJungen. 1853, 1854.

53 Mineralogischen Vereins in Regensburg. Korrespondenz. 1854.

STAINTON, H. T., Entomologists’ Annual, 1855.

Ap aA Ditto Second Edition.

o> Entomologists’ Companion. Second Edition.

1 List of British Tineina.

Pr Natural History of the Tineina. Vol. 1.

Stimpson, W., Descriptions of new Marine Invertebrata from the Chinese and

Japanese Seas.

WALKER, F,, Nomenclature of Neuroptera.

Westwoop, J. O., Contributions to Fossil Entomology.

WoLLASTON, T. V., Insecta Maderensia.

Zoologist, 1854, 1855.

ZuCHOLD, E. A., Bibliotheca Historico-Naturalis, 1853, 1854.

(Cwexv1es)

ADDITIONS TO THE COLLECTIONS.

FROM THE Isr JANUARY, 1854, TO THE 3lsr DECEMBER, 1855.

—»—

COLEOPTERA.

Mr, F. Bates .......- Trachodes hispidus, one specimen ; Lina enea two specimens:

Rev. H. Clark ...... Bembedium Clarkii, six specimens ; B. obliquum, eight spe-

cimens.

Mr. J. Foxcroft...... Various, from Scotland.

Mr. F, Plant.......«+rachodes hispidus, one specimen.

ORTHOPTERA.

Mr. J. P. Edwards ..Gryllotalpa vulgaris.

HYMENOPTERA.

Mr. F. Smith........ Various species of Formica and Myrmica.

Mr. G. A. Drew ....Sirex gigas.

LEPIDOPTERA.

Mr. T. H. Allis ..... British, various.

Mircette Bond «cic si. 2 Do. do.

Mr. H. Doubleday .. Do. do.

Mr. J.W.Douglas.. Do. do.

Mr. J. Foxcroft ..... Do. do.

Mr. A. G. More ....Anthrocera Minos, specimens.

Mr. T. J. Stevens.... Various, from Bogota,

Mr. G. Wailes....Plutella annulatella, two specimens; Tinea ochraceella, two

specimens.

MISCELLANEOUS INSECTS.

Major Hamilton ..... Two boxes from Burmah.

x Pr », A box from Northern India

Mr. S. P. Pratt .... Various, from the Himalayan district.

Mr. Thwaites ...... .- Various, from Ceylon.

Herr Pretsch ........ Specimens of the silken fabric worm by the larve of Saturnia

Pavonia-media.

Mr. W.Spence...... Various, from Ceylon.

Hist of Mlembers

THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY

OF LONDON,

A PREL, tse:

VOL, III, N.S. PART VIII.— APR. 1856, b

LIST OF MEMBERS

THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY

OF LONDON.

HONORARY MEMBERS.

Honorary Crglish Member.

“WitiiAM Spence, Esq., F.R.S. F.L.S. 18, Lower Seymour Street, Portman

Square.

Honorary sForeiqgn Members.

Epwarps, M. Milne. Le Musée d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris.

Gravenhorst, Prof. J. L. C. Breslau, Silesia.

Hammerschmidt, Herr L.

Kollar, Herr. Royal Museum, Vienna.

Lefebvre, M. Alexandre. Bouchevilliers, prés Gisors, Département de 1’ Eure.

Passerini, Signor Carlo. Professor of Zoology, at the Royal Museum, Florence.

Pictet, Professor J.C. Geneva.

Zeller, Professor P. C. Gross-Glogau, Silesia.

Zetterstedt, Professor J. W., Ph. D. &c. University of Lund.

(One vacant.)

xa)

ORDINARY MEMBERS AND SUBSCRIBERS.

Date of

Election.

1849

1855

Marked * are Original Members.

Marked + have compounded for their Annual Subscriptions.

Marked S. are Subscribers.

Autis, T. H. Esq. York.

Ansell, Henry, Esq. Tottenham.

Atkinson, William, Esq., F.L.S. 8, Taviton Street, Gordon Square.

Babington, C. C., Esq., M.A. F.L.S. F.G.S. St. John’s College,

Cambridge.

Baly, J. S., Esq. 18, Southampton Terrace, Kentish Town.

Barlow, F., Esq. Cambridge.

Bates, F., Esq. Leicester.

Beale, 8. E. Esq. Ivy Court, Tenterden.

Beaumont, Alfred, Esq. Huddersfield.

Bedell, G., Esq. 10, Gloster Terrace, Old Kent Road.

Bell, Thomas, Esq., Pres. L.S. F.G.S. 17, New Broad Street, and

Selborne, Hants.

Bell, William, M.D. 19, Sackville Street.

Birt, Jacob, Esq. 80, Sussex Gardens, Hyde Park.

Bladon, J., Esq. Pont-y-Pool.

Bond, F., Esq. 24, Cavendish Road, St. John’s Wood.

Bowerbank, J. S8., Esq., F.R.S, F.G.S. F.L.S. 3, Highbury Grove.

Boyd, Thomas, Esq. 17, Clapton Square.

Brown, Edwin, Esq. Burton-on-Trent.

Brownell, G. Esq. Shaw Street, Liverpool.

Burlington, W. Earl of, M.A. F.R.S. F.G.S. 10, Belgrave Square.

Burnell, E. H., Esq. 82, Bedford Row.

Buxton, E. C., Esq. Myddleton Hall, Warrington.

Cambridge, O. P., Esq. Bloxworth House, Blandford, Dorset.

Charlesworth, E., Esq. York.

Christie, Arthur, Esq. 9, Stanhope Street, Hyde Park.

Clark, Rev. Hamlet. Northampton.

Cooke, Henry, Esq. 8, Pelham Terrace, Brighton,

Cox, Capt. Charles James. Fordwich House, near Canterbury.

Curtis, John, Esq., F.L.S., &c. 18, Belitha Villas, Barnsbury

Park, Islington.

Dale, Wm. C., Esq. 31, Gordon Square.

Dallas, W. S., Esq., F.L.S. 23, Crane Grove, Holloway Road.

Darwin, Charles, Esq., M.A. F.R.S. Down, near Bromley, Kent.

b 2

Date of

Election.

1849

1852

1855

1851

1845

1849

1851

1853

1838

1855

18538

1849

1858

Ss.

ORDINARY MEMBERS AND SUBSCRIBERS.

Dawson, John, Esq. Carron, near Falkirk, Stirlingshire.

Dawson, Rev. J. F., LL.B. The Woodlands, near Bedford.

Desvignes, Thomas, Esq. Fir Tree Cottage, Woodford.

Dohrn, Herr C, A., Pres. Ent. Verein, Stettin.

Dossetor, T., Esq. 12, Poultry.

Doubleday, Henry, Esq. Epping.

Douglas, J. W., Esq., Secretary. 6, Kingswood Place, Lee, Kent.

Dunning, J. W., Esq. Elmwood Lodge, Leeds.

Dutton, James, Esq. Hammersmith.

Engleheart, N., Esq. Blackheath Park.

Evans, Henry, Esq. Darley Abbey, near Derby.

Evans, W. F., Esq. Admiralty.

Francis, Horace, Esq. 388, Upper Bedford Place, Russell Square.

Fry, Alexander, Esq. 56, Montague Square.

Garland, John, Esq. Dorchester.

Gear, Robert, Esq. 19, Oxford Square.

Goderich, Viscount, M.P. F.L.S. &c. Carlton Gardens.

Gould, J., Esq., F.R.S. F.L.S. F.Z.S. 20, Broad Street, Golden

Square.

Grant, Dr. Richmond, Surrey.

Gray, John, Esq. Wheatfield House, near Bolton-le- Moors.

Gray, J. E., Esq., Ph.D. F.R.S. British Museum.

Greene, Rey. Joseph. Brandeston, near Woodbridge, Suffolk.

Groves, W. Esq. 12, Morden Place, Lewisham Road.

Grut, F., Esq. 9, King Street, Southwark.

Guyon, G., Esq. Ventnor, Isle of Wight, and Richmond, Surrey.

Haliday, Alex. H., Esq. 23, Harcourt Street, Dublin.

Hamilton, Major T. India.

Hanson, Samuel, Esq. Botolph Lane, and Epsom.

Heales, G.S., Esq. Doctors’ Commons.

Hearsey, Major General John Bennet. India.

Hewitson, W. C., Esq. Oatlands, near Esher, Surrey.

Horsfield, Thomas, M.D. F.R.S. F.L.S. F.G.S. M.R.A.S. East

India House, and Chalcot Villas, Camden Town.

Hudson, F. 'T. Esq. Stockwell Street, Greenwich.

Hunter, John, Esq. 24, Bloomsbury Street.

Ingall, Thomas, Esq. 16, Park Road, Stockwell Park.

Janson, E. W., Esq., Curator. 61, Gracechurch Street.

Jekel, M. Henri. Paris.

Jenyns, Rev. L., M.A. F.L.S. F.G.S. Upper Swainswick, near

Bath.

Jobson, Henry, Esq. Carron, near Falkirk, Stirlingshire.

Jones, J. M., Esq. Welshpool, Montgomeryshire.

Kuper, Rey. C. 'Trellich, Monmouth.

Lamb, C., Esq. Beauport, Hastings.

Langcake, T. H., Esq. Beeston, near Leeds.

Lea, J. W., Esq. Augusta Terrace, Ramsgate.

Date of

Election.

1849

1835

1851

1849

1850

1851

1856

1850

1854

1850

1853

1849

1851

1841

1840

1854

1852

1851

1852

1849

N+t+ wD

+RNnnnn

ORDINARY MEMBERS AND SUBSCRIBERS.

Xxl

Lee, John, LL.D. F.R.S. F.S.A. F.R.A.S. Hartwell House, Ayles-

bury.

Lingwood, R. M., Esq., M.A. F.L.S. F.G.S. Lyston, near

Herefordshire.

Lodder, Capt. H., 47th Infantry. Malta.

Ross,

Logan, R. F., Esq. Hawthornbrae, Duddingstone, near Edinburgh.

Lowe, Dr. Balgreen, Slateford, near Edinburgh.

Lubbock, John, Esq. High Elms, Farnborough, Kent.

M‘Intosh, J. Esq. Bridge Road, Hammersmith.

Marshall, William, Esq. Springfield, Upper Clapton.

Meade, R. H., Esq. Bradford, Yorkshire.

Melly, Charles P., Esq. Liverpool.

Murray, Alexander, Esq. Shenley, Herts.

Moore, F., Esq. 4, Molesworth Place, Kentish Town.

Newman, Edward, Esq., F.L.S. F.Z.S. M.Imp.L.C.Acad. 7,

Grove, Peckham.

Newman, H. W., Esq. New House, Stroud, Gloucester.

Owen, Richard, Esq., M.D. LL.D. F.R.S. F.L.S. F.G.S.

College of Surgeons.

Parry, F. J. S., Esq., F.L.S. Steyne, Worthing.

Pascoe, F. P., Esq., F.L.S. Campden Hill, Kensington.

Pickersgill, J. C., Esq. 36, Gordon Square.

Preston, T. A., Esq. Emmanuel College, Cambridge.

Quin, C. W., Esq. 25, Clarence Street, Islington.

Salt, G. M., Esq. Shrewsbury.

Saunders, 8. 8., Esq. Albania.

Saunders, W. F., Esq. East Hill, Wandsworth.

Saunders, W. W., Esq., F.R.S. F.L.S., &c., President. East

Wandsworth.

Saussure, M. H. F. de. Geneva.

York

Royal

Hill,

Schofield, R. G., Esq. Albert Cottage, Windsor Street, Lower

Norwoo.!.

Scott, John, Esq. South Stockton, Stockton on Tees.

Shepherd, Edwin, Esq., Secretary. 176, Fleet Street.

Shepherd, James, Esq. Brown Street, Blackburn.

Sheppard, Augustus F., Esq. Kingston, Surrey.

Sheppard, Major E., F.L.S. ditto.

Sheppard, Edward, Esq. 5, Ladbroke Place, Notting Hill.

Signoret, M. Victor. Paris.

Smith, Frederick, Esq. British Museum.

Solly, Professor Edward, F.R.S., &c. 15, Tavistock Square.

Spence, W. B., Esq. Florence.

Spinola, le Marquis Maximilian, Genoa.

Stainton, H. T., Esq. Mountsfield, Lewisham.

Stevens, S., Esq., F.L.S., Treasurer. 24, Bloomsbury Street.

Syme, John T., Esq. 11, Gower Street, Bedford Square.

Tapping, Thomas, Esq. 43, Gloster Place, Kentish Town,

XXll

Date of

Election.

1841

1836

1853

1854

1850

1856

1853

1845

1838

1853

1854

1850

1849

1854

1850

pre

ORDINARY MEMBERS AND SUBSCRIBERS.

Tatum, T., Esq. 3, George Street, Hanover Square.

Taylor, R., Esq., F.L.S. F.S.A. F.G.S. M.R.A.S. Red Lion Court,

Fleet Street.

Tebbs, H. V., Esq. Southwood Hall, Highgate.

Thompson, Miss. Barn Hill, Stamford.

Thompson, Thomas, Esq. Hull.

Thomson, James, Esq, 23, Rue de l’Université, Paris.

Thomson, William, Esq., F.L.S. 11, Dartmouth Villas, Forest

Hill, Sydenham.

Thurnell, Charles, Esq. Duxford, Cambridgeshire.

Thwaites, G. R. H., Esq. Ceylon.

Tompkins, H., Esq. Worthing.

Turner, J. A., Esq. Cross Street, Manchester.

Tweedy, J. Newman, Esq. 47, Montague Square.

Vaughan, P. H., Esq. Redland, near Bristol.

Vines, Mrs. Lyndhurst.

Wailes, George, Esq. Newcastle on Tyne.

Walker, John, Esq. Chesterfield.

Walker, Francis, Esq., F.L.S. Rectory House, Angel Row,

Highgate.

Walton, John, Esq., F.L.S. Byard’s Lodge, Knaresborough.

Ward, S. Nevill, Esq. Hon. E. I. C. Civil Service, Madras.

Waring, S. L., Esq. Norwood.

Waterhouse, G. R., Esq., F.Z.S. British Museum.

Weir, J. J., Esq. 20, Maismore Square, New Peckham.

Were, R. B., Esq. 385, Osborne Terrace, Clapham Road.

Westwood, J. O., Esq., F.L.S., &c. St. Peter’s, Hammersmith.

White, Adam, Esq., F.L.S. British Museum.

Wild, W. J., Esq. Herne Hill, Camberwell.

Wilkinson, S. J., Esq. 7, Jeffrey's Square, St. Mary Axe.

Winter, John N., Esq. Sussex County Hospital, Brighton.

Wollaston, T. V., Esq., B.A. F.L.S. 25, Thurloe Square, Brompton.

Yarrell, W., Esq., F.L.S. F.Z.S., &c. Ryder Street, St. James’s.

Zuchold, Ernst A. Halle, Prussia.

CORRESPONDING MEMBERS.

INSTITUTED NOV. dru, 1888.

LILI ww

Date of

Election.

1842 Boys, Capt. India.

1844 Buonaparte, Prince Lucien.

1844 Barnston, George Esq. Hudson’s Bay.

1846 Blagrove, Lieut. Thomas. 26th Bengal Infantry.

1846 Bowman, John, Esq. Bombay.

1846 Brain, T. H., Esq., Principal of Sydney College, New South Wales.

1847 Bowring, J. C., Esq. Hong Kong.

1847 Bowring, L. B., Esq. Bancoorah, near Burdwar, Bengal.

1849 Blair, Daniel, Esq. Surgeon General, British Guiana.

1850 Bach, Herr M. Boppard-on-the-Rhine.

1854 Bates, H.W. South America.

1839 Cantor, Dr.

1844 Costa, Signor Achille. Naples.

1844 Chiaga, Signor Stephano Della. Naples.

1852 Cox, F., Esq. Van Diemen’s Land.

1839 Downes, Mr. Ezra.

1850 Dalton, H. G., Esq. George Town, Demerara.

1846 Elliott, Walter, Esq. Madras.

1841 Fraser, Louis, Esq. H. M. Vice-Consul, Whidah.

1839 Griffith, W., Esq.

1847 Gilbert, G. A., Esq.

1847 Gray, W., Esq. St. Petersburg.

1849 Goding, F., Esq.. M. D. Barbadoes.

1844 Harris, Dr. Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.

1846 Layard, F. P. Esq. Bengal Infantry.

1846 Layard, E. L., Esq.

1846 Leconte, Major. New York.

1848 Low, Hugh, Esq. Labuan.

1839 M‘Lelland, J., Esq. Calcutta.

XXIV LIST OF CORRESPONDING MEMBERS.

Date of

Election.

1846 Pope, John, Esq. Hong Kong.

1846 Peters, Francis, Esq. Zanzibar.

1839 Schomburgh, Sir R.

1839 Sayers, Lieut.

1842 Stevenson, —.

1846 Smith, Dr. G. Madras.

1852 Stevens, T. J. Esq. Bogota.

1849 Thomas, Grant, Esq. Barbadoes.

1841 Wiegand, Sir F.

1845 Wilkinson, Sir J. Gardner.

1847 Wilson, C. A., Esq. Adelaide, South Australia.

1849 Wallcott, R. B., Esq. M.D. Barbadoes.

1854 Wallace, A. R. Borneo.

1841 Younger, Lieut. John Robertson.

TRANSACTIONS

OF THE

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY

LONDON.

I, Notice of a Sackbearing Bombyx, found by Mr. Bates

near Santarem, in the Amazons. By Epwarp Newman,

Imp. L. C. Acad. Memb., F.L.S., &e.

[Read April 3rd, 1854. ]

As a preliminary observation I take the liberty of remarking that

in arranging the following notes I have in no instance mingled de-

finitions that may possibly belong to different objects. Each de-

scription of larva, pupa or imago is made directly from an indivi-

dual, and has no reference whatever to any other description

published or unpublished.

The genus Saccophora was proposed by Dr. Harris, the well-

known American Entomologist, in a letter addressed to our late

inestimable Secretary, Mr. Edward Doubleday, and published by

that excellent Lepidopterist in ‘‘ The Entomologist” for May, 1841;

it was founded on a single species, which Dr. Harris then called

Saccophora Melsheimeri, in honour of Dr. Melsheimer, who was

the first to find its cocoon and record observations on its habits.

‘I propose,” says Dr. Harris, ‘to call the genus Saccophora, and

the species Melsheimeri.”’

Subsequently Dr. Harris, in bis admirable Treatise on Insects

Injurious to Vegetation, published in 1842, gives the same insect

a second generic name, namely, Perephora. ‘I call it,”’ writes

Dr. Harris, ‘ Perophora Melsheimerii, Melsheimer’s sackbearer.”

No allusion whatever is made to the earlier name. The name

of Perophora will certainly be adopted in the United States, as

VOL. III, N.S. PART I.—JULY, 1854, B

2 Mr. E. Newman’s Notice of

that given by the author who instituted the genus, and it seems

courteous to follow him, under the supposition that he had a suf-

ficient reason for renouncing the prior name.

The second species was found in May, 1853, by my friend

Mr. Bates, in the Valley of the Amazons, and I propose to name

it after that indefatigable collector, as an humble tribute to his

untiring zeal.

Genus Peropuora, Harris.

Imago.—Maxille obsolete; palpi maxillares nulli; palpi la-

biales breves, porrecti, squamosi; antennze basi approximate,

breviores, subgeniculate, i. e. articulo basali incrassato, por-

recto, ceteris divaricatis, 44-articulatee, bipectinate, a lmo ad

1lum ramulis longitudine sensim crescentibus, inde ad 25um

sensim descrescentibus, ceeteris paribus, brevissimis, omnibus

ciliatis: seawum amborum ale ample, anticee subfalcatee, pos-

ticee abdomine breviores: maris abdomen manifesto bifur-

catum.

Larva involucro mobili foliis constructo vitam deget : involucrum

trahit: folia devorat.

Pupa involucro, apice affixo, mutat.

Sp. 1. Perophora Melsheimeri.

Tota pallide rubro-cinerea vel isabellina: alis punctis minutis

nigris undique irroratis, fascia lineari fuscé communi obliqua

ante anticarum apicem retrorsum angulata, punctoque majori

nigrescenti mediano signatis.

Saccophora Melsheimeri, Harris, ‘‘ Entomologist,” p. 101.

Perophora Melsheimeri, Harris, “ Insects Injurious to Vegeta-

tion,” Ist ed. p. 299; Id. 2nd ed. p. 319.

Hab. Sylvis apud Cambridge (Mass.), Americze Septentrionalis,

larva involucro vitam degens, Quercuum folia devorans.

Larva of Perophora Melsheimeri, of Harris.

A case of this insect, containing a living caterpillar, was brought

to Dr. Harris, towards the end of September, by a student of

Harvard College, Mr. H. O. White, who found it on an oak tree

in Cambridge. This case was nearly an inch and a half long, and

about half an inch in diameter. It was not regularly oval, but

a Sackbearing Bombyx. 3

somewhat flattened on its lower side. It consisted externally of two

oblong oval pieces of a leaf, fastened together in the neatest manner

by their edges, but the seams made a little ridge on each side of

the case; this had become dry and faded, and was lined within

with a thick and tough layer of brownish silk, in which there was

left at each end a circular opening, just big enough for the larva

to pass through. The larva was cylindrical, of a light reddish

brown colour, with a paler line along the back; it was rough,

with little elevated points; its head and the top of the first ring

were black, hard and rough also. The head was provided with

a pair of jointed feelers, which the insect extended and drew in at

pleasure, and which, when they were out, were kept in continual

motion. On each side of the middle of the head there was a

black and flexible organ, like an antenna, very slender where it

joined the head, and broader towards the end, like the handle of

aspoon. The first three pairs of legs were equal in length, and

armed with stout horny claws. The other legs, if such they

could be called, were ten in number, and so short that only the

oval soles of the feet were visible, and these were surrounded by

numerous minute hooks. The anal extremity of the body was as

blunt as if it had been cut off with a knife; it sloped a little

backwards, and consisted of a circular horny plate, of a dark

gray colour, which, when the larva retired within its case, exactly

fitted and closed one of the holes. This larva ate the leaves of

the oak, and fed mostly by night; while eating it protruded half

its body out of its case, and in moving laid hold of the leaf with

its fore legs, and then shortened its body suddenly, so as to bring

its case after it with a jerk; and in this way it went by jerks

from place to place. When it had done eating it moored its case

to a leaf by a few silken threads fastened to one, and sometimes

to both ends; and before moving again, it came out and bit off

these threads, close to the case. It could turn round easily

within its case, and go out of either end as occasion required. So

tenaciously did it cling to the inside of its case with the little

hooks of its false feet, that all attempts to make it come wholly

out, except by a force which would have been fatal to the insect,

were without effect.

Pupa of Perophora Melsheimerit.

This kind of caterpillar prepares for transformation by fasten-

ing both ends of its cocoon to a branch, and then stops up each

of the holes in it with a little circular silken lid, exactly fitting

4 Mr. E. Newman’s Notice of

the orifice, and made about the thickness of common brown

paper. There is no great difference in the size or form of the

chrysalids which produce the male and female moths; they are

about three-quarters of an inch in length; on both of them the

sheaths for the wings, antennee and legs are alike, and are as

plainly to be seen as on the chrysalids of other winged moths.

The chrysalis tapers very little, and does not end with a point,

but is blunt behind; and on the edge of each of the rings of the

back there is a transverse row of little pointed teeth, which shut

into corresponding notches in the ring immediately behind them.

These teeth are evidently designed to enable the chrysalis to

move towards the mouth of its case, and to hold with when it is

engaged in forcing off the lid in order to allow of the escape of

the moth.

Imago of Perophora Melsheimeru.

Both sexes leave their cocoons when arrived at maturity,

and both are provided with wings. Their feelers are of moderate

size, cylindrical, blunt, pointed, and thickly covered with scales.

The tongue is not visible. Their antennz are curved, and are

recurved or bent upwards at the point; the stalk is feathered in

a double row, on the underside, very widely in the males for

more than half its length, and beyond the middle the feathery

fringe is suddenly narrowed, and tapers thence to the tip; in

the females the antenne are also doubly feathered, but the

fringe is narrower throughout than in the other sex. The body

and the wings almost exactly resemble those of the foreign silk-

worm moth in shape; but the fore wings are rather more pointed

and hooked at the tip. There are no bristles and hooks to hold

together the wings, which, when at rest, cover the sides like a

sloping roof, and the front edge of the hind wings does not pro-

ject beyond that of the fore wings.

The neuration of the wings is very different from the typical

Bombycida, at east from that of the large Saturnie. The costal

nervure is faint, and terminates on the costal edge at two-thirds

length of the wings. Sub-costal throws off its first and second

nervures before the end of the cell; the second nervure being the

strongest vein in the costal part of the wing. The upper disco-

cellular nervure is very short and nearly transverse to the wing;

the middle is of the same length as the lower; the middle imper-

fect in its middle part, the lower perfect. The maxilla are ap-

parently wanting, and the middle spurs of the hind tibize are im-

perceptible, showing that the character, together with the an-

a Sackbearing Bombyx. 5

tennz, are more constant for the larger groups of Lepidoptera than

the wing neuration, which in the Bombycide varies much.

I cannot find that Dr. Harris mentions in what month the imago

made its appearance in Massachusetts: Mr. Edward Doubleday

took both sexes in Virginia in July.

Spi 2. Perophora Batesii.

Tota testacea : oculis nigris, alis punctis nigris irroratis, fascia

lineari, saturatiori, communi, obliqua ante anticarum apicem

retrorsum angulata, lunulaque apertd centrali, signatis.

Corp. long. g ‘9 unc,; @ 1+] unc. Alar. dilat. g 1:4 une.;

Q 2°2 unc.

Hab. Sabuletis apud Santarem Americee Meridionalis larva in-

volucro vitam degens, Byrsominarum et Melastomarum folia de-

vorans.

Larva of Perophora Batesii.—The larva is enclosed in a some-

what spindle-shaped case, which has a circular aperture at each

end: it is constructed of portions of two leaves joined together

along the sides with admirable nicety; a slight seam is visible,

but it is almost impossible to detect the mode in which the junc-

tion is effected. ‘The head and dorsal surface of the protho-

rax are black and rough; the dorsal surface of the meso- and

metathorax are yellow, with two longitudinal black vitta; the

abdomen is ovate and bulky, of a yellowish or olivaceous colour

above, and sprinkled or marbled with dusky atoms, and a yellow

vitta running along each side just below the stigmata. The under

surface of the head, three thoracic and two next following abdo-

minal segments is black, that of the remaining abdominal segments

is a ruddy flesh colour. There are six thoracic legs as usual,

and ten very short prolegs or claspers, viz. a pair on the 6th, 7th,

8th, 9th and anal segments. Mr. Bates found a considerable

number of these larve in their cases, each attached by two or

three strong threads to the leaves of low bushes of Byrsomine and

Melastome, and also to blades of grass in open sandy situations,

near Santarem, in May last, towards the end of the rainy season.

Pupa of Perophora Batesiii—Mr. Bates records that the trans-

formations of the pupa are completed within the case, but he gives

no description of the pupa; neither does he seem to have trans-

mitted one for examination.

6 Mr. E. Newman’s Notice of

Imago of Perophora Batesii.

Male.— Antenne short, bipectinate, the first joint (scape of

Kirby) large and expanding outwards into a cup, the opening of

which is placed obliquely with the head, and to its centre the

second joint is attached, and this, as well as the remaining joints,

is directed outwards, so that the antennz may be said to be geni-

culated at the first joint: the remaining joints are forty-four in

number ; their branches gradually increase in length from the Ist

to the 11th, and then as gradually decrease to the 25th; the rest

are uniformly short, all the branches are delicately ciliated to their

extremity. Eyes prominent, black, marbled with brown, Maxillee

apparently wanting. Palpi minute, closely appressed and entirely

concealed by the somewhat projecting face. ‘Thorax simple,

without any crest; abdomen tapering, rather longer than the hind

wings, terminating in two long, hirsute parallel porrected processes.

Legs short, protibie densely clothed with long setiform scales ;

joints of tarsi cup-shaped; claws stout, short, strongly uncinate ;

spurs not observable, probably wanting.

Female.—Antenne as in the male, but the cilia of the branches

less distinct, and the branches themselves somewhat shorter ;

palpi somewhat more produced, their apex observable from

above. Eyes slightly smaller than in the male, black and beau-

tifully reticulated ; each area of the reticulation includes from fifty

to one hundred facets; possibly the mode of killing may have

caused the appearance of the eyes in both sexes. Legs as in the

male, but the protibize not so densely clothed. Abdomen robust,

longer than the hind wings; its apex undivided, but there is a

short tuft on each side.

Male and female much alike, both amply winged, but the wings

of the female more ample than those of the male; fore wings

subfalcate, the apical wings acute, their anal angle obtuse, their

outer margin sinuate ; hinder wings rather short, their outer angle

rounded, their anal acute and slightly produced, their outer margin

sinuate. ‘The entire colour of body and wings testaceous and

sprinkled over with minute black dots, each of which is composed

of a single scale, differently shaped from the rest. There is a

transverse linear angulated fascia common to both wings, and of a

darker colour; this commences on the costa of the upper wings,

at about two-thirds of its length, and runs diagonally towards the

outer margin, but before it has reached half the distance between

its origin and the margin, it turns backwards at a right angle, and

then traverses both wings in a direct line, ceasing on the ab-

a Sackbearing Bombyz. 7

dominal margin of the lower, about half way between its base and

anal angle; within the angle of this fascia, and near the centre of

the upper wing, is an open, rather indistinct, lunule.

Although I feel that it would be an act of presumption on my

part to attempt to locate this curious genus, after such eminent

Lepidopterists as Dr. Harris and Edward Doubleday have de-

clined doing so, still I may venture to call the attention of the

Society to a few characters which are as strongly pronounced as

they are remarkable for their conflicting nature.

In the first place, it seems almost impossible, on a cursory exa-

mination of Mr. Wing’s admirable sketches of the larva in its

case, not to be struck with its great similarity to that of the Psy-

chides. The larva of Psyche Villosella, of Ochsenheimer, Herrich-

Scheeffer and Bruand, found by Mr. Dale on Parley Heath, offers

points of similarity that at the first blush seem almost conclusive :

not only is the general character as regards figure, the short pro-

legs, the structure of the anal segment, &c. very similar in the

two, but the distribution of colour, the roughness and blackness

of the head and protborax, and the vittated meso-and metathorax,

are very nearly identical.

The pupa, judging from Dr. Harris’s very minute description,

possesses a character distinctive of a very different section of the

Bombyces: the abdominal segments are banded with a series of

minute claw-like processes, which make it rough to the touch, and

by means of which the insect can force its way out of the case,

cocoon, gallery, or other situation, in which its unerring instinct

may have placed it; such a character I find in Xyleutes, Zeuzera,

Hepialus, Aigeria, and Trochilium.

The Imago has several characters, which are not only conflict-

ing with those of the preparatory state, but which are also con-

flicting among them; thus the antennz of the male greatly

resemble those of the male Zeuzera, those of the female differing

from those of the female Zeuzera; and the venation of the wings

in both sexes differing entirely from that of Zeuzera. The divided

and divaricating extremity of the abdomen in the male is a marked

and notable character: this character gives its name to Edward

Doubleday’s genus Schizura (Entomologist, p. 59), and the de-

scription of the male antennz in Schizura closely agrees with the

male antennze in Perophora, while the female antenne totally differ

in the two genera; those of Perophora being pectinated, those

of Schizura setaceous. In Lochmceus, Heterocampa, and other

American Bombyces, we find points of similarity and discre-

pancy equally conflicting. /eterocampa, in very many charac-

8 Mr. E. Newman’s Notice of a Sackbearing Bombyx.

ters, approaches Cerura, and its tapering abdomen, raised when

at rest, suggests a close affinity to that genus; but Abbott,

whose drawings of Georgian Lepidopterous larvae are worthy

of all praise, represents a larva of this genus grasping a twig of

Styrax grandifolium with anal prolegs: the species to which this

belongs is known, but has not received a name. As far as regards

the male antennz, the palpi and the maxilla, Perophora closely

approaches Heterocampa, but nothing can be more discordant than

the two larva. Dr. Harris very properly contrasts the genus

with Dryocampa and Oiketicos, but concludes that it has but

slender affinities with either. The characters of Lochmeus, Hete-

rocampa and Schizura had not been published when Dr. Harris

studied the insect in 1840; and his work of 1852 does not men-

tion them, perhaps considering the object of that work rather

utilitarian than scientific.

Among British insects, the nearest approach we have to Pero-

phora is the perfect female of Odonestis potatoria; the similarity

extends to colour, distribution of marking, and venation of wings ;

but the antennz and palpi are very different; the male of pota-

toria has, like that of Perophora, a bifid apex to the abdomen.

These slight resemblances are, however, more than balanced by

the total discrepancy between the larvee of the two genera.

The result of these observations seems rather to be that Lepi-

dopterists are right in grouping together the infinitely varied genera

of Bombyces ; since they show that the characters are intimately

interwoven, crossing each other at a vast number of points, like

the threads of which a net may be constructed; but I think that

the difficulty of reconciling or harmonizing these peculiarities to

such an extent, as to obtain anything approaching to a perfectly

natural linear series of the objects themselves, is quite insuperable.

I may also venture to express an opinion, derived from a very

careful study of Bruand’s admirable Monograph of the Psychides,

that the connexion of Perophora with that interesting group is

not so close as the primd facie characters of the larvae would lead

one to suppose.

EXPLANATION OF PLATE I.

Fig. 2. Perophora Batesii, &.

2a, head and antenna of male; 2, portion of antenna of male mag-

nified ; 2c, abdominal appendages of male.

Fig. 3. Perophora Batesii, Q.

3a, antenna of female.

Figs. 4, 5, 6, Perophora Batesii, larva.

Fig. 7, Venation of wing.

Mr. John Scott on Lithocolletis. 8)

II. Description of a new Species of Lithocolletis. By

Joun Scorr, Esq.

[Read 3rd October, 1853.]

Lithocolletis irradiella. (Pl. 1. fig. 1.)

Ar first sight this insect much resembles LZ, lautella, but is easily

distinguished from it by its darker anterior wings, the streaks

being more slender, and the spot at the anal angle not being on

the inner margin.

Expansion of the wings 4 lines.

Tuft of the head black, face and palpi shining, silvery ; antennze

darkish, with a broad white ring near the tip, which last is black ;

thorax blackish; abdomen blackish, beneath white; the four an-

terior legs have the femora and tibize white; the posterior legs

have the femora black, tibiae white; tarsi of all the legs white,

except the basal joint of each, which is black above, throughout

nearly its whole length.

Anterior wings olivaceous-brown, with three silvery white

streaks along the costa, nearly equidistant from each other, and

two on the inner margin. The first costal streak is placed con-

siderably before the middle of the wing, it nearly reaches the fold

(rather obliquely) and points towards the anal angle of the wing ;

the second costal streak is situated rather more than halfway

between the first and third, somewhat crescent-shaped, broadest

at its base, and also terminates a little short of the fold; the third

costal streak is nearly uniform in thickness throughout, and is

much more curved than the preceding. The first inner marginal

streak lies a little in front of the first costal one, the exterior point

of the base of the latter being nearly in a line with the interior

point of the base of the former, its apex terminating a little be-

yond the fold of the wing, and beyond the apex of the first costal

streak, which it almost touches; the second inner marginal streak

lies opposite the end of the second costal streak, and forms with

it an interrupted fascia, not touching the inner margin, and beyond

the apex of the third costal streak, to which it points, is a minute,

nearly round, silvery-white spot. The basal streak, also silvery-

white, is narrow and short, and is rather nearer the costa than the

inner margin, and there is a small oblong spot on the inner margin

10 Mr. John Scott on Lithocolletis.

near the base. The tips of the anterior wings in some lights steel

blue. Dark margins enclose all these white markings. The

apical black spot is almost concealed in the deep ground colour

of the wings. Posterior wings purplish, cilia the same.

Taken in the beginning of July, near Renfrew, amongst birches

in a damp part of a wood.

III. Critical Remarks upon the British Elateride, with

Descriptions of some of the Species. By Joun

Curtis, F.L.S., &c.

{Read 6th February, 1854.]

Wuat is the Llater aterrimus of Linneus? This simple question

has led to numerous discussions, and before the genus later

was published in the “ British Entomology,” I spared no pains

to arrive at the truth, which one would think was easy enough

from our possessing the collections of Linnaeus: such, however,

is not the case, and, as [ have frequently stated, unless the spe-

cimens in the Linnean cabinet agree perfectly with the descrip-

tions in the “ Fauna Suecica” or the “ Systema Nature,” the

authority is worthless. It is not to be supposed that the collec-

tion is as the elder Linnzeus left it; for, owing to the natural

casualties attending such fragile and perishable objects as insects,

when neglected, and the various hands the property has gone

through during the greater part of a century, it could not be

expected to remain intact: moreover, at that early stage of natural

science, it cannot be controverted that species quite distinct

were included in cabinets under the same name, and Linnzeus,

no doubt, during his lifetime, left a great deal to be filled up by

his pupils and friends. Indeed, as far as nomenclature goes, no

collection that I have seen, of half the standing of Linnzeus’s, has

been worth much to identify species ; and this misfortune has been

daily increasing from the egregious folly which has been so pre-

valent of multiplying species, and, under the most frivolous

pretext, of superseding old and well-established names.

This is so important a subject, that I must be permitted to

guard the rising generation of Entomologists against being misled

by what is termed high authorities—indeed, not to put implicit

British Elateride. 11

faith in any collection, but to refer to standard books. For my

own part, if a specimen in any collection, however celebrated,

does not agree essentially with the author’s printed description, I

totally disregard it. I make no exceptions, being justified by my

own-experience of many years, as will be evident from the fol-

lowing facts.

The Banksian collection of insects, named by Fabricius, was in

such a state of confusion when bequeathed to the Linnean Society,

that some twenty years since the late Mr.C. T. Bennett, Mr. Vigors

and Mr. Haworth undertook, with the volumes of Fabricius before

them, to correct the nomenclature, assigning to each specimen the

name it was believed that Fabricius had given it—by no means an

easy task, where many must have been lost and others added.

Since then the specimens have got mouldy and have been cleaned,

which with the greatest care cannot fail to lead to alterations, to

say nothing of unavoidable accidents.

When I went to see Mr. Marsham’s collection before his death,

I found it in the possession of a naval officer, who kept it clean

by reversing the drawers and rapping the bottoms, by which

process heads, trunks and entire insects fell upon the floor, and

numbers of labels were changed or lost, or, what was worse, quite

different things were eventually substituted to replace them.

During my visit I picked up and restored to the drawers no in-

considerable number of specimens.

And even Mr. Kirby’s collection of British insects was entirely

neglected long before he presented it to the Entomological Society,

owing in a great measure to his attention being devoted to exotic

Entomology: he was also much in want of more drawers, and, to

make room for Captain Hancock’s fine Coleoptera from Brazil,

Mr. Kirby took out his entire collection of bees, so that when I

visited him at Barham in 1817 it was stuck on sheets of cork and

mounted on the top of a book-case, covered with dust and muti-

lated by the larvee of moths and spiders; and had I not volunteered

to clean the specimens and place them in security, that interesting

collection would never have reached its present destination—it

must have perished in a few months! As it was, many of the

typical specimens were destroyed, and it was necessary to transfer

the labels to duplicate specimens, whenever they could be found.

From this digression I will return to the laters. Having

purchased Mr. Charles Griesbach’s Cabinet of Coleoptera, I found

it very rich in Laters, and amongst them one quite new to me;

and wishing to give a figure of it in my ‘ British Entomology,” I

began to search for its name, and as it appeared to be the Elater

12 Mr. John Cuttis’s Critical Remarks

aterrimus of Linnzeus, I thought the point would be readily settled

by a visit to Soho Square. On consulting the Linnean cabinet

what was my surprise to find the only specimen to represent

Elater aterrimus was a greasy individual of EF. murinus! I

thought, however, that my insect agreed so well with the descrip~

tion in the “Fauna Suecica,’* that I might adopt the Linnean

name, which I did in June, 1838.4; Having since then received

specimens from Denmark and Germany of the species considered

abroad to be the true /. aterrimus, and having seen Mr, Stephen’s

collection, now deposited in the British Museum, I will give the

result of my researches.

Sp. 1. Ectinus aterrimus, Linn., Pauz. 101,15; Payk. 3, 6, 8;

Gyl. 1. p. 425 3 atratus, Ill. Mag. ; obscurus, Oliv. 2, Genus 31,

pl. 8, fig. 76.. (Pl. IL. figs.)

Long and narrow, shining black and minutely punctured ; an-

tennze as long as the thorax (fig. a); basal joint long and stoutish;

second and third of equal length, obovate, the following com-

pressed, a little longer and somewhat serrated. Head deflexed,

obtuse ; clypeus trigonate, truncate (fig. b). ‘Thorax linear, elon-

gated, with a channel down the centre, strongest at the base ; the

angles prominent, stout but acute; pectoral spine long, pointed,

depressed, convex at the base. Elytra twice as long as the thorax

and a little broader, punctate-striate, faintest at the base ; tarsi

simple, reddish-fuscous.

6 lines long, 13 broad.

The late Dr. Sturm, of Nurenburg, sent me this species labelled

E. aterrimus, Linn., and I have another from Denmark : it is of

course a native of Sweden, but I have never seen a British spe-

cimen. Mr. Stephens having copied Gyllenhal’s essential Latin

character verbatim, it answers to this insect, but it entirely dis-

agrees with his English description, and likewise with the spe-

cimens named in his collection Hetinus aterrimus, which belong to

a totally different section.

Sp. 2. LHctinus? gagates, Curt.; Elater aterrimus, Curt. Brit.

Ent. fol. and pl. 694. (PI. II. fig. 2.)

Long, narrow, depressed, dead-black; antennz scarcely so

long as the thorax (fig. c), serrated, excepting the basal joint, which

is short and stout, and the second and third, which are small and

obovate. Head short, semi-orbicular (fig. d); clypeus trigonate,

and extending a little over the labrum, the trophi nearly con-

* Page 206, No. 726. t Fol. and Pl. 694.

upon the British Elateride. 13

cealed, Thorax linear, extremely finely punctured, with a faintly

impressed line posteriorly; the angles well produced and acute,

forming a sharp ridge at the base; pectoral spine long, acute and

grooved at the base. Elytra not broader than the thorax, but

more than twice as long, slightly glossy, rather thickly punctured

and striated; the striz close together and rough at the apex,

which is emarginate. Legs very slender, knees slightly ferrugi-

nous; tarsi simple; claws ochreous.

5 lines long, 14 broad.

This fine and very distinct insect does not agree with any of

the genera with which I am acquainted, but for the present I

have placed it with Lectinus? rather than run the risk of imposing

a generic name unnecessarily. I have only seen the specimen in

my Collection, which was taken at Windsor, and another foreign

one in the British Museum. Mr. Stephens, relying on his me-

mory, has unluckily applied Paykull’s descriptions of Elater ni-

grinus? to this insect, with points of doubt which were most ne-

cessary, for they do not agree in any way, nor belong even to the

same genus. Our insect is not shining; the antennz are not so

long as the thorax; the tarsi are not pale, and it is very much

longer than Elater bipustulatus, which Paykull gives as the size of

E. nigrinus.

Sp. 3. N. G.? puncto-lineatus, Zool. Journ. iv. 524; aterrimus,

Stephens’ Cabinet. (PI. II. fig. 3.)

Robust, elliptical, very convex, slaty-black, glossy but dull,

being clothed with very short ochreous pubescence. Antenne

scarcely so long as the thorax (fig. e); basal joint small but stout;

second and third globose, the following compressed and subser-

rated, the joints being obtrigonate. Head and thorax thickly and

firmly punctured; clypeus short, scarcely convex in front and not

margined, projecting and not drooping over the mouth (fig. f).

Thorax semiovate, considerably broadest at the base, with a

smooth line down the centre, the angles forming triangular lobes,

not acuminated but slightly clawed ; pectoral spine rather short,

compressed and not concave at the base, scutel depressed, semi-

oval. Elytra a trifle broader than the thorax, and twice as long,

minutely punctured and firmly striate-punctate. Legs stout,

tarsi simple, compressed, brownish, tawny at the extremity.

63 lines long, 2 lines broad.

This is the Elater puncto-lineatus, as referred to above, in the

Zoological Journal. Mr. Stephens, in his Illustrations, refers

14 Mr. John Curtis’s Critical Remarks

also for this species to the “ Zool. Journal, vol. iv. p- 211, under

the name of Elater pilistriatus,”’ but this is altogether an unac-

countable mistake, for nothing of the kind is to be found. All

Mr. Stephens’ other synonyms being copied from Gyllenhal, they

do not belong to this species but to the Swedish naturalists’ £.

aterrimus.

My specimen of this very distinct species was taken at Dover

by the late Mr. Leplastrier, and two were captured in a meadow

near Twickenham, Surrey, June, 1827. I am also indebted to

Mr. T. Marshall for a fine female, which he discovered, with

twelve others and two males, last July, on a rush at Sandown, near

Deal in Kent.

As I have now shown that three distinct species, belonging to

different genera, have all been described to represent the Llater

aterrimus of Linneeus, it must be borne in mind that at present the

true type has not been detected as an inhabitant of our island ; that

the E. aterrimus of ‘British Entomology” is apparently a species un-

known and hitherto undescribed, except in that work ; and that the

E. aterrimus of Stephens’ “ Illustrations” is the Z. puncto-lineatus

of the Zoological Journal. It is possible the two last may have

been described in foreign works; but at present, not being able to

ascertain that such is the case, I have identified them by adopting

Mr. Pelerin’s name for one species, and applying my manuscript

name to the other.

I will now proceed to continue my remarks upon a few other

species of laters, which are either but little known or have been

described in miscellaneous works, where they have not met the

entomological eye, especially upon the Continent.

Sp. 4. Hlater nigrinus, Payk. iii. 89,44. (Pl. IL. fig. 4.)

Shining black, clothed with rather short depressed fuscous pu-

bescence. Antenne scarcely longer than the thorax (fig. g),

basal joint clavate, second and third smaller, the former subglo-

bose, the latter subovate, the following much broader, compressed

and obtrigonate. Head convex (fig. h), rather coarsely punc-

tured; clypeus subtrigonate and margined ; trophi nearly con-

cealed. Thorax semioval, convex, not very thickly punctured;

anterior margin concave, angles projecting and acute; pectoral

spine long, sharp and inflexed. Elytra a little broader than the

thorax, and more than twice as long, tapering considerably

beyond the middle, punctured, rugose when highly magnified,

deeply striated. Legs slender, pitchy; tarsi long, very slender,

simple, fibrous. Underside punctured.

3 & 4 lines long, 14 broad.

upon the British Elateride. 15

My three specimens of this rare species were bred at Windsor,

by Mr. C. Griesbach. This is the true E. nigrinus, which is in-

cluded in the group comprising E. sanguineus, and the other

scarlet and black species. They form the genus Ampedus of De-

jean, but in Eschscholtz’s works they represent the genus Later.

Sp. 5. Aplotarsus maritimus, Curtis in “ Annals of Natural His-

tory” for 1840, vol. v. p. 277. (Pl. II. fig. 5.)

Shining bluish black, sparingly and indistinctly pubescent. An-

tennze much longer than the thorax (fig. 2), basal joint stout, glo-

bose, second minute, the following compressed, elongated, obovate

and truncate; third and fourth nearly of equal length. Head

flattened, thickly but not regularly punctured, a circular impres-

sion above the clypeus, with a central channel; eyes not touching

the thorax; clypeus semicircular, margined, not concealing the

mouth ; palpi clavate-truncate (fig. k). Thorax suborbicular,

convex, thickly but faintly punctured, hinder angles prominent

and very acute, pectoral spine elongate-conic, cup-shaped at the

base, scutellum cordate. Elytra elliptical, depressed, broader

than the thorax and more than twice as long, thickly and minutely

punctured, and strongly striated. Coxe and trochanters ferru-

ginous and ochreous; legs slender, especially the tarsi, which are

simple and pitchy, the fourth joint not very short.

2 lines long, 2 broad.

I first discovered this very distinct little Hlater under rejecta-

menta at Broughton, on the Lancashire coast; this was on the

30th June, 1827: the Rev. Mr. Little subsequently took it at

Raehills, and I have heard it has also been found on Skiddaw,

the end of April.

Mr. Stephens gives this as a doubtful variety of Sericosomus

brunneus; it is therefore necessary to say that 4, maritimus will

not associate with that genus. It appears to be an Aplotarsus,

and it approximates to later rufipes and E. testaceus, Fab.; both

of which are included in the genus Cardiophorus by Dejean and

Redtenbacher, but they have a very different habit to the typical

species.

Sp. 6. Cardiophorus formosus, Curtis, in Ann. Nat. Hist. vol. v.

pa 27On (ele ths he.6,)

Black, shining; head small, with variolated punctures; clypeus

rounded, margined. ‘Thorax entirely red, somewhat bell-shaped,

thickly punctured like the head; the angles trigonate, but obtuse.

Elytra scarcely twice as long, with firmly punctured strize, very

deep at the base; before the middle is a double crescent-shaped,

16 Mr. John Curtis’s Critical Remarks

pale ochreous fascia, and a straight and broader one towards the

apex ; the legs (at least the anterior) are red.

31 lines long, 1} broad.

This beautiful insect is nearly allied to the Elater sex-punctatus

of Illiger, and the Cardiophorus ornatus of Dejean, both of which

species inhabit Spain. My specimen of C. formosus, which I

believe is unique, was given to me by Mr. Simmons. It was

taken from the roots of some celery in a cottage garden near

Wentworth House, Yorkshire. Unfortunately it was mutilated

after being captured, by which accident the antennz and some of

the legs are lost.

Sp. 7. Aplotarsus? cothurnatus, Curt. MSS. (PI. II. fig. 7.)

Flongate, narrow, shining black, not very thickly punctured,

but clothed with very short, depressed, ochreous pubescence.

Antenne stoutish, scarcely longer than the thorax (fig. /), shorter

in the female, basal joint clavate, second and third small, obovate-

truncate; the remainder longer, compressed, elongate, obovate, trun-

cated. Head semiglobose (fig. m), with a ridge down the centre,

most evident in front; clypeus bent over the mouth, and forming

a kind of lobe, coarsely punctured, not margined; palpi ferrugi-

nous, ovate, obliquely truncated. ‘Thorax very convex, longer

than broad, oval, truncated and broadest at the base, a short

channel or impression behind the middle, base transversely de-

pressed, the angles spreading, elongated, stout, trigonate and

carinated; pectoral spine long, acute, with a central groove, dilated

at the base ; scutellum depressed, ovate-conic. Elytra elliptic, a

little broader than the thorax and nearly thrice as long, depressed,

deeply striate-punctate, the apex with a flattened margin. Legs

testaceous, thighs pitchy, tips subcastaneous; tarsi simple and

very slender.

4 lines long, and 14 broad.

I possess a pair of this Elater, which was taken at Windsor by

Mr. C. Griesbach. It appears to be undescribed, but it is allied

to the L. longulus of Gyllenbal; and although at first sight it re-

sembles Limonius minutus and its congeners, it does not belong to

the same section, neither is it a true 4plotarsus I presume.

I have not yet had an opportunity of studying the genera of

Eschscholtz, but from casual observations I am led to believe they

are very arbitrary, and I therefore regret to see his system super-

seding the philosophic classification of Latreille, which was pub-

lished in the third volume of the “ Annales de la Soc. Ent. de

France.” I have elsewhere intimated that the larvae exhibit several

types of form which might possibly assist (when more generally

upon the British Elateride. 17

known) in the arrangement of this fine family.* There are also

characters to be derived from the trophi, the antenna, the ster-

num and the feet, as shown by Latreille; and if the antenne could

be depended upon, it would be most desirable to make them a

leading secondary character, as the mouth is often so concealed

that without dissection it is impossible to get a view of the palpi.

One objection apparently in adopting the antennz to furnish

generic characters is, that they not only vary specifically, but they

differ in the sexes. Such being the case, the female antennz

must not be disregarded; and I expect, if well analyzed, many of

the genera would subside into more useful sections. A mono-

graph on the Elateride would be an enterprise that would well

reward any one who had the leisure to undertake such a labour

of love, if the task were executed faithfully. I believe no one at

present has gone beyond parcelling the British species into some-

what imaginary groups; and the best sketch I have met with of

the sections of our British species was published in Mr. West-

wood’s Modern Classification.

I will only add, as it may not be generally known to Entomo-

logists, that in my Reports published in the “ Journal of the Royal

Agricultural Society of London,” I have entered at great length

upon the economy of the Wire-worms; and the better to illustrate

their history, figures and elaborate dissections are given of them,

as well as of ten species of Elaters, and several of their larve,

with the parasitic insects which infest them in the wire-worm and

the imago state.

* Vol. i. 3rd Series, p. 43, Pl. 2, No. 3.

+ Vol.v. p. 180—237, and Plates I and J. Vide also Morton’s ‘‘ Cyclopedia

of Agriculture’ and ‘ Catalogue des Larves des Coléoptéres,” par M. F. Chapuis

and M. E. Candéze, p. 141.

EXPLANATION OF PLATE II.

Fig. 1. Ectinus aterrimus, Linn.

la, the antenna; 10, front view of head.

Fig. 2. Ectinus? gagates, Curt.

2c, the antenna; 2d, front view of head.

Fig 3. Nov. Gen.? puncto-lineatus, Pelerin.

3e, the antenna; 3/;, front view of head.

Fig. 4. Elater nigrinus, Payk.

4g, the antenna; 4h, front view of head.

Fig. 5. Aplotarsus maritimus, Curt.

5i, the antenna; 5k, front view of head.

Fig. 6. Cardiophorus formosus, Curt.

Fig. 7, Aplotarsus? cothurnatus, Curt.

71, the antenna; 7m, front view of head.

N.B. All the figures are magnified and drawn from specimens in the Author’s

Collection; the cross lines showing the dimensions of the Elaters.

VOL. Ill. N. S. PART I.-—JULY, 1854, : c

18 Dr. John Davy’s Observations on

IV. Some Observations on the Excrement of Insects ; in a

Letter addressed to William Spence, Esq., F.R.S, §c. By

Joun Davy, M.D., F.R.S., Inspector-General of Army

Hospitals.

{Read January 2nd, 1854.)

My DEAR Sir,

Tur excrement of insects has not, I believe, had

that attention paid to it, chemically, which the subject deserves ;

especially taking into account the vast number of insect-species,

how they abound, the manner in which they are diffused, or the

part, as a class, which they appear to perform in the economy of

nature. This too being your opinion as expressed in a letter

with which you have favoured me, I am induced to collect and

submit to you such results as I have obtained in a limited number

of trials, with the request that you will communicate them to the

Entomological Society, should they appear to be of sufficient in-

terest to have the attention of that learned body.

The inquiry I commenced when I was in the West Indies,

between 1846 and 1849, and have since continued from time to

time as opportunites have offered.

I shall first bring under notice the results of the experiments

made on the excrement of insects in their first stage of develop-

ment, that of the larva or caterpillar. Even at the risk of being

tedious, for the sake of accuracy, I must be more particular than

I could otherwise wish, and shall have to describe individual in-

stances. I have to express regret at the same time for my in-

ability, without aid in those distant colonies, to give the specific

names of the specimens which yielded the excrementitious matter

examined.

1. The caterpillar of a butterfly, resembling Papilio Aphrodite,

Linn., common in Barbados, in December, voided excrement in

abundance when actively feeding, in the form of little green pel-

lets. A certain quantity of these, dried and acted on by proof

spirit, yielded a residue on evaporation, in which hippuric acid,

or a matter having similar properties, was detected; thus, to men-

tion one, with muriatice acid, on slow evaporation, it afforded pris-

matic crystals, shooting from a centre, and which did not deli-

quesce in a moist atmosphere.

2. A large caterpillar of a moth, resembling Sphinx Atropos

when yoraciously feeding, voided much excrement in the form of

the Excrement of Insects. 19

cylindrical masses of a dark olive green, some of which were par-

tially covered with a yellowish crust. The matter of this incrus-

tation was found to be chiefly lithate of ammonia. Under the

microscope it was seen to consist of spherical granules, most of

them about +5455 of an inch in diameter; these were dissolved

immediately in dilute nitric acid, and when heated (a drop of the

solution being placed on a slip of thin glass), acquired the rich

purple hue characteristic of lithic acid under this treatment.

3. A large caterpillar of a Sphinx, after it had ceased feeding,

about to assume the chrysalis state, put under a glass cover, in

less than twenty-four hours parted with its enveloping integu-

ments, and became completely incased; in doing so, it voided a

good deal of brownish fluid. This, tested for lithic and hippuric

acid, afforded no traces of the former, but pretty distinct ones of

the latter.

4, Another large caterpillar of a Sphinz, in a state very similar

to that of the preceding, was very restless in confinement, and

shortly voided some dark fluid excrement, which, on examina-

tion, gave results like those last mentioned.

This caterpillar was killed by immersion in spirits of wine,

Opened, its stomach was found to be the most conspicuous organ ;

it extended nearly the whole length of the abdominal cavity, and

was distended with a dark, mucous fluid. Under the micrescope

a tubular structure was seen contiguous to it, and connected with

it. Conjecturing that these tubes might be renal ones, the part

was taken out, and digested in water, to which a little nitric acid

had been added: the solution formed was found to contain lithic

acid; thus a drop of it evaporated, and heated on a support of

thin glass, acquired the rich purple tint distinctive of this acid.

5. A large caterpillar of another species of Sphinz, taken from

the leaves of the sweet potatoe on which it was feeding voraci-

ously (in confinement still feeding), voided a great deal of almost

black excrement, in cylindrical masses, rounded at their ends.

On none of them was there any appearance of incrusting matter,

as in the instance No, 2. They yielded a brownish solution to

proof spirit; and this evaporated, afforded an extract, which,

with nitric and muriatie acid, afforded crystals, some of them of

the form of hippuric acid similarly combined.

6. A silk worm actively feeding on mulberry leaves voided ex-

crement in the form of small black pellets: on one of them there was

a brown incrustation; this, agitated with a drop of water, rendered

the water slightly turbid. Under the microscope it exhibited

granules; these were soluble in dilute nitric acid, and afforded,

20 Dr. John Davy’s Observations on

when evaporated and heated, a slight but distinct trace, in the

color produced, of lithic acid.

These few are all the trials I have to notice on the excrements

of larvae. With the exception of the last, in this country, they

were all made in Barbados.

The next I have to mention were on the excrement of the per-

fect insect, immediately after quitting its puparium; these likewise

were made in Barbados.

7. The pupa of the caterpillar; number 1, I may premise, occurs

attached by a fine, short thread and hanging perpendicularly.

Before the escape of the imago the color of the chrysalis changes

from apple green to a dull blue, passing into brown; becoming

when empty of a light grey. On quitting its case the butterfly

adheres to it, its head upwards, its wings hanging down. Thus it

remains motionless, with the exception of occasionally expanding

its wings, till the intestine has been unloaded, fitting it for flight,

secure from its position of not being soiled in the slightest degree

by what it voids. The discharged matter I have found to vary

in different instances, and this at the same season, and when

voided by individuals similarly reared, and detached from the

same shrub. The excrement of one was a turbid liquid of a

purplish hue, as if tinged by the purpurate of ammonia. Under

the microscope, there were to be seen purple patches, some color-

less rhomboidal plates, as if of lithic acid, and numerous granules,

as of lithate of ammonia. By the test of nitric acid and heat,

manifest proof was obtained of the presence of lithic acid, a

strong purple color being produced. ‘The excrement of another

was of a brownish hue, and turbid. In it were detected traces

of hippuric acid, of lithic acid, and of urea, judging from the

form of the crystals obtained from an alcoholic solution, from

the effect of nitric acid, and of that of this acid and of heat.

The excrement of a third, also a brownish fluid, appeared to

contain little else than hippuric acid, with perhaps a trace of urea.

The extract obtained from the alcoholic solution of the dried

matter emitted, on the addition of nitric acid, an odour like that

of the urine of the horse, and afforded crystals on evaporation

similar to those from the same urine when treated in like manner.

8. A Sphinx from the larva number 4, on quitting its pupa-

rium voided a considerable quantity of brownish turbid fluid.

This excrement afforded distinct traces of lithic acid in the form

of lithate of ammonia, and also of hippuric acid; the former in

suspended granules, the latter in solution. The lithic acid was

indicated by the effect of nitric acid and heat; the hippuric acid

the Excrement of Insects. 21

by the crystals obtained on evaporation after the addition of mu-

riatic acid. On this addition being made, a smell was perceived

like that from the urine of the horse. The Sphinx shortly after,

and before it had taken any food, was killed and examined ;_ its

stomach and intestine were found empty.

9. A Sphinx from larva, No, 3, less than a month in under-

going its metamorphosis, voided, on leaving its puparium, a good

deal of turbid, reddish-brown fluid, which, subjected to examina-

tion, was found to contain lithate of ammonia, a trace of the pur-

purate of ammonia and of hippuric acid. Under gentle pressure,

when laid hold of, this Sphinx discharged pretty much semifluid

matter of a brick red color, which, under the microscope, was

found to be composed of spherical granules, varying in diameter

from s5455 tO shaq Of an inch. After standing a little while

many of them coalesced and formed larger granules. Tested by

nitric acid and a regulated heat, they had the character of lithate

ofammonia. I may mention further, that in the forsaken puparium

there was a good deal of whitish matter; this washed out with water

and collected, under the microscope was seen to consist of granules

of about +5455 of an inch in diameter; and tested, was found

likewise to be of lithate of ammonia. The quantity of excrement

accumulated in this moth during its change of state, and voided

on acquiring its perfect form, was truly surprising, and not less so

the abundance in it of lithate of ammonia.

I shall now pass to the results obtained from insects caught,

and consequently of uncertain age in relation to their last birth

or time of quitting their puparia.

10. A Sphinx, after about twenty-four hours’ confinement, under

glass, with a free supply of air, died without yielding any excre-

ment. On opening it the lower portion of its intestine was found

distended with a brownish opaque fluid. The opaque matter, it

may be inferred, was lithate of ammonia; for under the micro-

scope it exhibited the finely granular condition of this compound,

and when acted on by dilute nitric acid and heat, was first dis-

solved, and then acquired the rich purple color distinctive of lithic

acid,

On examining the abdomen, opening the Sphinx under water,

some minute cells, with delicate tubes proceeding from them—

part I believe of the renal apparatus—were observable by means

of the microscope; they contained an opaque matter, probably

lithate of ammonia, for, tested for lithic acid, proof was obtained

of its presence.

Whilst in Barbados other large moths of the Sphinx tribe were

22 Dr. John Davy’s Observations on

caught and placed in confinement; I have notes of six. From

all of them either excrement was voided during life, or was found

in the intestine on examination after death, and of a nature similar

to that last mentioned, composed chiefly of lithate of ammonia.

No other solid substance, no crystals were observable when sub-

mitted to the microscope. In one, as in the instance last de-

scribed, on opening the abdomen some delicate tubes were seen

ramifying on the intestine externally. These too contained an

opaque whitish matter, which, from the effect of nitric acid and

heat, appeared to be lithic acid; but, more probably, was lithate

of ammonia.

11. A yellow butterfly, in confinement, voided a little semifluid

brownish excrement. Seen under the microscope, diluted with

water, it exhibited many well formed rhomboidal plates, or low

prisms, as if of lithic acid, with which were jntermixed minute

granules, as of lithate of ammonia. Acted on by nitric acid and

heat the purple tint was produced indicative of lithic acid.

12. A black beetle, with suckers or cushions to its feet and

claws, voided a considerable quantity of fawn-colored matter, in

little grains about the size of mustard-seed. By the same test as

the preceding they were found to consist chiefly of lithate of

ammonia. No appearance of crystals was seen under the micro-

scope.

13. A Mantis (M. bicornis, Linn.), in confinement, yielded a

minute portion of excrement. This, mixed with a little water on

a glass support, exhibited under the microscope a few minute

rhomboidal crystals, and, acted on by nitric acid and heat,

acquired a pink tinge, denoting the presence of a little lithic

acid.

14. A fire-beetle (Lampyris ignita, Linn.) voided, in confine-

ment, a little brownish excrement. It appeared under the micro-

scope to consist chiefly of epithelium-scales and of granules; the

latter, of lithate of ammonia, being dissolved instantly by dilute

nitric acid, and acquiring when heated the color marking lithic

acid.

15. A light yellow moth, during the night, in confinement,

voided a large quantity of excrement, that is, large in proportion

to the small size of the insect: it was white and semifluid. Un-

der the microscope it was found to abound in granules of about

soup Of an inch in diameter; they were completely dissolved by

dilute nitric acid, and afforded on evaporation when heated the

rich purple hue distinctive of lithic acid.

16. A brown moth, with white spots, weighing 1°6 grain, voided

the Excrement of Insects. 23

a good deal of excrement in confinement, some portions of which

were whitish, some reddish. In the former, under the micro-

scope, a few crystals were seen, as of lithic acid, and numerous

granules, about 5,!55 of an inch in diameter, as if of lithate of

ammonia. The latter contained no crystals, only granules.

Heated with nitric acid, lithic acid was strongly indicated in

both.

17. A brown moth, of a lighter color than the preceding, of

about the same size, voided a pretty copious fawn-colored excre-

ment, which, mixed with water, under the microscope exhibited

agoregated masses as if formed of granules, and some crystals,

square plates, and one low four-sided prism. ‘The granulated

masses and crystals dissolved in nitric acid, and the rich color,

the mark of lithic acid, was produced by exposure to a regulated

heat.

18. A dark brown moth, of medium size, in confinement during

twenty-four hours, voided a good deal of reddish excrement,

partly in minute granules, and partly in little masses, probably

ageregates of the granules; such they appeared under the micro-

scope. No crystals were seen. By the nitric acid and heat test,

lithic acid was found to abound. Twenty-four hours longer in

confinement this moth was found dead, after having voided a good

deal more of red excrement, like the preceding, excepting that in

one small portion of it crystals of lithic acid (hexagonal and qua-

drangular plates) were observable. The nitric acid test gave the

same result as the last.

19. A small white moth, that died after being confined twenty-

four hours, voided a pretty considerable quantity of semifluid,

almost colorless excrement, composed chiefly of granules, which,

from the action of nitric acid, it may be inferred were of lithate

of ammonia.

20. A small grey moth voided a minute portion of brownish

excrement, consisting, as seen under the microscope, of little

granular masses, and dispersed granules without crystals: from

the effect of nitric acid and heat it would appear that they were

composed principally of lithate of ammonia.

21. A brown moth, about half an inch in Jength, in confinement,

before it died voided a portion of excrement so minute in quantity

that it was not easy to collect; notwithstanding, it afforded satis-

factory proof of the presence of lithic acid by the nitric acid test.

The rich distinetive hue was visible to the naked eye, and well

shown under the microscope.

22. A delicate white moth, with a tufted tail, deposited in con-

24 Dr. John Davy’s Observations on

finement three portions of semifluid excrement, each similar,

composed chiefly of granules of about 54,5 of an inch in dia-

meter, which, by the test of nitric acid, appeared to be of lithate

of ammonia.

23. A large butterfly supplied with syrup, which it sucked up

greedily, voided a drop of fluid excrement of a light brownish

hue. ‘This collected with care, after having been diluted with

water to increase its bulk, was allowed to evaporate spontaneously

on a glass support. Thus prepared, seen under the microscope,

it exhibited in a transparent medium some minute plates and fine

granules. A very little dilute nitric acid was added; on its

evaporation stellaform groups of crystals appeared, reminding of

nitrate of urea, and there was a urinous smell, not unlike that

from human urine with nitric acid. Heated carefully the purple

hue indicative of lithic acid appeared in specks fading from them

as centres.

24. A black beetle common in Barbados, about half an inch in

length, of impetuous flight, striking against objects, when it enters

a room at night, with a force, considering its size, almost incre-

dible, in confinement voided a large quantity of very light fawn-

colored excrement, in a semifluid state. It was composed of

spherical particles from sj!55 to galgq of an inch in diameter, as

seen under the microscope, without crystals or any other form of

matter. Tested, it was found to contain lithic acid, and, it may

be concluded, in combination, as lithate of ammonia, for it dis-

solved more readily in hot than in cold water, the hot solution in

cooling becoming slightly turbid, and the extract obtained on

evaporation, after filtration, acquiring when heated with nitric acid

the characteristic color due to lithic acid.

25. A brown grasshopper, found amongst Guinea-grass, in con-

finement, voided two kinds of excrement: one, it may be inferred,

feecal, in small cylindrical masses, almost black; the other urinary,

at least in part, of the same form, of a light fawn-color. These,

the latter, dissolved without effervescence in dilute nitric acid,

and acquired, when the solution was evaporated and subjected to

a regulated heat, the color denoting lithic acid.

26. A field-cricket, in confinement, voided some excrement in

small black pellets, in which no lithie acid could be detected, and

which was probably altogether faecal. Bread was given, which it

ate freely. During the following twenty-four hours it voided

more excrement: some, like the preceding, black ; some in oval

pellets, smeared with a semifluid matter, brown and with a

urinous odour. These, broken up and diluted with water, ex-

the Excrement of Insects. 25

hibited, under the microscope, spherical granules, as of lithate of

ammonia, globules like those of starch, and which were colored

blue by tincture of iodine, and irregular fragments as of vegetable

matter. The presence of lithic acid was detected by the usual

test. It was tested for urea; but the presence of this substance

was not demonstrated, which may have been owing to the small-

ness of the quantity subjected to experiment.

27. A cock-roach just killed, taken from the apothecary’s store

room, was found, on being opened, to have its stomach and intes-

tine distended with small dark fragments, amongst which were

some possessing the color and lustre of Spanish flies. A system

of tubes, containing a white opaque matter, was seen on each side,

and at right angles to the intestine. This matter examined was

found to contain lithic acid, and was probably in combination with

ammonia.

28. A large dragon-fly, in confinement, voided pretty much

reddish excrement, which, under the microscope, appeared in little

aggregate masses, with (when broken down and diffused in water)

some very thin colorless and transparent hexagonal plates. It

dissolved in part in nitric acid, and heated acquired a rich purple

color.

29. Another dragon-fly, a smaller species, voided in confine-

ment several small cylindrical masses, in part brick-red, and in

part blackish. Broken and mixed with water, under the microscope

they appeared to be composed of the debris of insects, portions

of wings, legs, &c., and of granules. Acted on by dilute nitric

acid, a partial solution was immediately effected, in which lithic

acid was clearly detected by the ordinary test.

30. A large Mantis (M. Siccifolia? Linn.), in confinement,

voided a good deal of excrement in small pellets, some blackish,

some brown. The latter, under the microscope, after admixture

with water, showed numerous granules larger than those of lithate

of ammonia commonly are, being about 5,5,5 of an inch in

diameter, yet having the properties of this compound, as tested

in the ordinary way.

81. A large humble-bee, its prevailing color black, in cenfine-

ment voided pretty much excrement in a semifluid state. Un-

der the microscope it appeared to consist chiefly of corpuscles,

reminding one of the pollen of flowers. Acted on by dilute

nitric acid and heat, the presence of a little lithic acid was demon-

strated.

32. Several wasps, together with their comb, placed under a

glass shade, were found dead on the fourth day of their confine-

26 Dr. John Davy’s Observations on

ment, after having voided some excrement, in which lithic acid

was detected by the ordinary test. During the first two or three

days it was remarked that they fed on their comb.

The cells of the comb contained larve nearly in a state to pass

into the perfect form. One taken out and killed was examined.

Its intestine, the lower portion, was found full of a chalk-like

matter, which on examination proved to be lithate of ammonia.

The comb, freed from the old wasps, was placed on a clean

plate and covered with a glass shade. In a few hours a young

wasp made its appearance, having broken down the lateral portion

of its cell. It soon voided some excrement, which was of two

kinds, one almost black, of an offensive smell, a kind of meconium;

the other of a light fawn color. This, the latter, had what appeared

mucous covering, within which was a fluid, and in that a little

mass of soft consistence, about the size of a barleycorn. The

fluid was brownish and transparent ; with nitric acid it emitted a

smell like that from impure urea or human urine similarly acted

on. The included little mass was found to consist principally of

lithate of ammonia.

53. Several flies, such as are common in Barbados within doors,

somewhat smaller than the common English house-fly, voided in

confinement a little semifluid excrement. By the ordinary

means a distinct trace of lithic acid was detected in it. The liquid

part afforded indications of urea, yielding a honey smell on the

addition of nitric acid, and minute crystalline plates on evapora-

tion in sunshine, which deliquesced in moist air.

34, Musquitos. These insects, averse to light, harbour in dark

places ; the case of my microscope was a favourite place of

resort: its brass stand became spotted with their minute drop-

pings, so minute, indeed, as hardly to be distinguishable without a

magnifying glass. The specks were nearly of the same size and

appearance, except that some were darker than others. A good

many of each color were collected ; heated apart with nitric acid,

both proved rich in lithic acid, judging from the purple color

produced.

A single musquitoe was confined under a wine glass, inverted

on a porcelain plate. Shortly after, on careful examination with

a magnifying glass, a speck of excrement was detected of a light

color and semi-globular form, as if voided in a semifluid state.

Removed carefully to a slip of thin glass, and nitric acid added, it

dissolved completely, and cautiously evaporated and heated, a dis-

tinct mark of the presence of lithic acid was obtained ; there was

a circular patch of a bright rose-hue, which was dissolved by

the Excrement of Insects. 27

water. A single musquitoe weighed was found equal to about

‘008 of a grain. The balance used was a delicate one, of Robin-

son’s construction.

35. A large fly (four white bars on its thorax, white spots on

abdomen, yellow about the eyes), in confinement, voided some ex~

crement, partly in small cylindrical masses of a fawn color, partly

spread out and semifluid, of a light brownish hue. In the former,

under the microscope, two forms of crystals were seen; one like

those of lithic acid ; the other like those of ammoniaco-magnesian

phosphate. In the latter, granules only were seen. Both acted

on by nitric acid and heat, afforded proof of the presence of lithic

acid.

36. A mason-bee, in confinement, voided avery minute portion

of excrement, semi-transparent, semifluid, and of a brownish

hue. By the usual test, it was found to contain lithic acid.

37. An elegant beetle with cushioned feet, in confinement,

voided several small pellets, some of them with a brownish incrus-

tation. ‘These, the incrusted ones, acted on by nitric acid and

heat, afforded distinct traces of lithic acid. Examined under the

microscope, they appeared to be composed principally of vege-

table matter. In those without incrustation, and of a darker hue,

no lithic acid could be detected ; they were, probably, entirely

faecal.

38. A brown speckled moth, its wings spotted white, in con-

finement voided a comparatively large quantity of brownish ex-

crement of soft consistence. Under the microscope, fine granular

matter—the granules about 5,/,5 of an inch in diameter—were

observable, and many crystals; of these, some were reddish

brown, some colorless ; some, the majority, were rhomboidal plates

of moderate thickness ; others nearly cubical; one plate, a color-

less one, was hexagonal. They varied in size; they were large

microscopical objects as seen with an 4th inch glass. A drop of

nitric acid added, the granules were instantly dissolved, the

crystals slowly. The solution evaporated and heated, acquired a

rich purple hue. The granules, it may be inferred, were of lithate

of ammonia; the crystals, probably, in most part, of lithic acid.

All these observations on perfect insects, with one exception,

were made in Barbados; the single exception was that on the

fire beetle, which was made in Trinidad. The observations which

I am now about to offer were made in this country, and the

greater number of them in the neighbourhood of Ambleside. In

recording these latter results, I have had the advantage in most

instances of being able to assign correct names to the insects, their

28 Dr. John Davy’s Observations on

species having been determined by Francis Walker, Esq., and by

J. W. Douglas, Esq., who, at your request, were so obliging as

to examine them.

39. A butterfly (Vanessa Urtice), on pressure being applied to

its abdomen when in a torpid state (it had been caught on the

wing), a comparatively large quantity of semifluid excrement was

ejected, of a rose color, as if from the presence of rosacie acid.

Under the microscope it was seen to be very uniformly composed

of spherical granules, of about +5459 of an inch in diameter. It

dissolved immediately in nitric acid, and when evaporated and

heated, acquired the rich purple hue indicative of lithic acid, or

of lithate of ammonia.

40. Another butterfly, of the same kind, voided in confinement

a small quantity of reddish excrement ; in which, besides granules,

as of lithate of ammonia, rhomboidal plates, more or less trun-

cated at their angles, probably of lithic acid, were seen under the

microscope. The granules dissolved rapidly in dilute nitric acid ;

the crystals slowly. The whole when evaporated and heated ac-

quired the color indicative of lithic acid.

41. A Vanessa Io, in confinement, voided some greyish excre-

ment, which under the microscope, and the action of nitric acid

and heat, was found similar to the first of the two preceding

instances.

42, A moth (Smerinthus Populi), in confinement, voided pretty

much reddish excrement, which was found to consist principally

of lithate of ammonia.

43. Another moth (Crambus culmellus), pressure being applied

to its abdomen, a minute quantity of light colored excrement was

discharged, which, on examination, proved similar to that last

mentioned.

44. A moth (Triphena pronuba), in confinement, voided a good

deal of fawn-colored excrement. Under the microscope, it ex-

hibited spherical granules, as of lithate of ammonia, with which

were intermixed low four-sided prisms or cubes of a pretty large

size. Acted on by nitric acid and heat, the rich purple, marking

lithic acid, was produced.

45. Another moth of the same kind as the last, in confinement,

during one night voided excrement in three separate portions ;

one reddish, one brown, one of a fawn color. They were found

to consist principally of lithate of ammonia. On pressing the

abdomen of this moth, a reddish brown fluid was obtained, which

had the smell of human urine, and which was changed to a honey

smell on the addition of a little nitric acid. On slow evaporation

the Excrement of Insects. 29

the solution yielded crystalline forms, rhomboidal plates, resem-

bling those of nitrate of urea.

46. A moth (Cerapteryx graminis) voided no excrement in

confinement. After its death, the anal portion of its abdomen was

detached and digested for a few minutes in dilute nitric acid; the

solution, evaporated and exposed to a graduated heat, afforded a

faint but clear trace of lithic acid.

47, A fly (Anthomyia platura), in confinement, voided a minute

portion of excrement; which, on examination, was found to con-

sist principally of lithate of ammonia.

48. Another fly (Calliphora vomitoria), in confinement, voided

a very little excrement, which was ascertained to be like the

last.

49. A butterfly (Pontia Napi) yielded in confinement some ex-

crement; found to consist chiefly of lithate of ammonia.

50. Two cow-dung flies (Scataphaga stercoraria), in confine-

ment, voided a little excrement in reddish patches, which, under

the microscope, exhibited the usual granular appearance of lithate

of ammonia, the granules about +5455 of an inch in diameter, and

was similarly acted on by nitric acid and heat.

51. Several small flies (Musca rudis), in confinement two or

three days, voided pretty much greyish excrement deposited in

patches. Under the microscope, after being diluted with water,

it exhibited, in addition to granules, some prismatic slender crys-

tals, as of phosphate of lime, and some scales, as of epithelium.

Acted on by nitric acid and heat, proof was obtained of the pre-

sence of lithic acid.

52. A honey bee (Apis mellifica) died in confinement without

voiding any excrement. On pressing its abdomen a colorless

drop of fluid was obtained, in which a trace of lithic acid was

detected.

53. Three bees, taken from their hive in October, presently

died at a temperature of about 40° Fahrenheit. The anal portion

of the abdomen of each was separated and digested in dilute nitric

acid ; on evaporating the solution at a graduated heat, a trace of

lithic acid was detected.

54, A wasp—the common English wasp—which in confinement

voided no excrement, yielded after death, the abdomen being

pressed, a drop of fluid, in which, under the microscope, a few

granules were seen, as of lithate of ammonia, and in which a trace

of lithic acid was found by the ordinary means.

55, A beetle (Geotrupes sylvaticus), in confinement, during one

night voided many small cylindrical masses of a brown color, with

30 Dr. John Davy’s Observations on

a sprinkling of a matter on their surface of a lighter hue. One

broken up, mixed with water, under the microscope exhibited

minute granules, as of lithate of ammonia, particles of an irregular

form, as of earthy matter, a few forms as of infusoria, and fibres,

&c., as of vegetable matter. The pellets, digested in dilute nitric

acid, separated into smaller ones, seeming to show casts of the

intestines. The solution (the greater portion of the excrement

remaining undissolved), evaporated and heated, afforded proof of

the presence of lithic acid.

After having been killed by the vapor of camphor, an opaque

filament was seen adhering to its anal extremity. This, digested

in water and slightly agitated, under the microscope exhibited

granules like those of lithate of ammonia, with a filamentous sub-

stance, probably mucus. The granules, about 5599 of an inch

in diameter, were immediately dissolved in dilute nitric acid, and

on the application of heat the purple hue was produced denoting

lithic acid.

56. A beetle (Geotrupes stercorarius), in confinement, voided

some excrement of a soft consistence, and nearly white, which was

found to consist principally of lithate of ammonia. Killed by

immersion in water, and opened, white vessels were seen on the

intestine containing an opaque matter, which, tested by nitric acid

and heat, proved to be lithic acid or lithate of ammonia.

57. A beetle (Blaps mortisaga), in confinement, voided some ex-

crement in the form of pellets of a dark grey colour, partially

covered with a crust of lighter hue. Broken up and mixed with

water, under the microscope the prevailing color was light green-

ish, from vegetable matter in fragments, amongst which were in-

terspersed many granules, as of lithate of ammonia. Digested

for a short time in dilute nitric acid, and the solution evaporated

and heated with care, proof, in the color produced, was obtained

of the presence of lithic acid.

58. A female Telephorus pilosus voided in confinement a little

excrement, which was found to consist principally of granular

lithate of ammonia.

59. A male Telephorus Melanurus(?) taken in company with

the preceding, and in the act of coitus, died in confinement

without voiding any excrement. The anal extremity detached,

acted on by nitric acid and heat, afforded a trace of lithic acid.

The trials on the four following insects were made about twelve

months after their death, kept, put by in a drawer, without any

care; they were some of those on which experiments had been

tried to show the effects of different agents on insects, as described

the Excrement of Insects. 31

in a letter which I had the honour to address to you in April,

1851, and which was published in the Transactions of the Ento-

mological Society for the same year.

60. Of a Musca lanio the anal portion was cut off, and digested

in dilute nitric acid; the solution formed, carefully heated gave

a distinct trace of lithic acid in the color produced.

61. A Musca domestica, similarly treated, afforded a like re-

sult.

62. A Musca stabulans, the like.

63. A fly (Heteromyza buccata) yielded a very slight trace of

lithic acid, requiring microscopic examination to distinguish the

color.

64. An Eristalis tenax afforded a slight but yet a distinct trace

of the acid.

On these, the preceding observations, having now described

all I have to offer, I would beg to make a few remarks in con-

clusion.

Considering the properties of the excrementitious matter exa-

mined, I apprehend it may be admitted that in almost every

instance a part of it, and in most instances the larger portion, was

urinary,—a renal secretion.

Adopting this conclusion, the urine of the insects in their earlier

stage, their larva state, would appear to differ considerably from

that of the same insects in their imago or perfect form. Thus, whilst

in the latter it was found to consist chiefly of lithate of ammonia, in

the former lithate of ammonia was sparingly detected, or not at all ;

what seemed to be hippuric acid being more abundant. Should

further inquiry be confirmatory of this, will not an interesting

analogy be established, viz. of one, the perfect insects, in their

urinary secretion, to birds, which they resemble in so many other

particulars ; of the other, the insects in their larva state, in rela-

tion to the same secretion, to the mammalia, to which also, espe-

cially in their mode of feeding, they bear a certain resemblance—

a resemblance that may be traced through several orders, accord-

ing to their diet? Even in their transition state, that is, when

passing from the larva to the imago, comparing the pupa of the

insect with the excluded ovum of the bird, the analogy seems to

be sustained—both, in the process of hatching to evolve the perfect

animal, being independent, with the exception of atmospheric air,

of any external material supply. The renal secretion of the foetal

bird is, I believe, always lithate of ammonia; at least, I am not

aware that any other has yet been detected, In the insect we

have seen how, when fully formed and quitting its puparium, the

same compound has abounded.

32 Dr. John Davy’s Observations, &c.

The proportional quantity of the urinary secretion of birds, and

the large quantity of lithate of ammonia which exists in it,—is

indeed its principal part,*—is remarkable ;—we have proof of it,

whether we examine the excrement of any single bird, or direct

our attention to the immense beds of guano, of which the urine

of birds, variously changed, appears to be the chief ingredient.

Nor is the urine of insects in relation to quantity less remark-

able. In examining it, I have often been surprised at its abund-

ance. In my notes, when mentioning the excrement of the moth,

No. 16, which weighed little more than a grain and a half, I find

the remark, that its excrement exceeded in quantity —it was

similar in kind—that of a humming-bird which I was examining

at the time, and which weighed 92°5 grains. The musquitoe,

and its urinary secretion, may be adduced as another illustration,

as well as of the delicacy of the test employed to detect the

organic acid. In your letter to me, that already referred to,

adverting to the importance of insects in the economy of nature,

after noticing their number, how probably 250,000 species may

be estimated to exist, you specially point to one function of this

great class,—the eating of plants and the converting them into

animal matter fit for the food of birds, fishes, &c. Another part,

in harmony with this, may be pointed out, viz. how by their

excrement, especially the urinary portion of it, they contribute to

manure and fertilize the earth for the production of plants, on

which so many of them depend for a subsistence. We have seen

in the examples last given—the four last—that the peculiar uri-

nary secretion may be detected in the dead insect, after many

months, in accordance with the character of lithate of ammonia.

This quality of endurance, I need hardly remark, fits it admirably

for a persistant manure.

I an,

My dear Sir,

Yours very truly,

Joun Davy.

Lesketh How, Ambleside,

Dec. 17, 1853.

* Without any exception, I believe the urinous secretion of birds is princi-

pally lithate of ammonia. “I have found it such in every instance that I have

examined it, whatever the kind of food; in the instance of the graminivorous

birds, such as the goose and the swan, the lithate incrusts the fecal excrement

commonly much in the same manner as I have found it incrusting the same

excrement from beetles.

( 33

V. Descriptions of some Coleopterous Larve, ¥c. By Joun

Curtis, Esq., F.L.S., &c.

[Read 3rd April, 1854, ]

I nave the pleasure of calling the attention of the Entomological

Society to a few interesting larva, of which hitherto no figures

have been published, with the exception of one species.

The very excellent and useful volume which lately issued from

the press at Liege* will greatly assist in the investigation of the

larva-state of the Coleoptera; and the figures there given, from the

pencil of one of the authors, add greatly to the value of the

Memoir.

It is not however in the grouping of genera, I expect, that so

much benefit will be derived from a knowledge of the larva of

insects as was at one time anticipated; we need only take a glance

at the Papilionide to be convinced, that instead of unity there is

frequently as great a difference amongst themselves as can be

exhibited between that natural family and any other belonging to

the order Lepidoptera.t I am, however, far from rejecting the

larvee in systematic arrangement, when their forms assist in com-

bining groups, whether of families or genera. The great value

which attaches to a knowledge of the economy of insects arises

from its connection with the economy of the human species, whe-

ther we consider insects as the enemies or benefactors of man;

destroying the hopes of the agriculturist and the gardener, or

supplying the staple in the arts and manufactures.

Family STAPHYLINIDE.

Genus Vetierus. (Plate V. fig. 1.)

Sp. 1. V. dilatatus, Fab.

Elongated, but slightly depressed, narrowed anteriorly, smooth,

sparingly clothed with short hairs. Head oval, depressed (fig. 2,

* Catalogue des Larves des Coléoptéres, par M. F. Chapuis et M. E. Candeze.

1853.

+ Vide the larve of our two species of Papilio, Podalirius and Machaon, the

genus Acronycta, &c.

¢ From the able and long-continued experiments of my friend Dr. Chavannes

of Lausanne I expect some very important discoveries will result. He has been

able, if I mistake not, to obtain as good and fine silk, as that from the common

silk-worms, from the cocoons of caterpillars, which are larger and much hardier

in their nature than those from China.

VOL. Ill. N.S. PART I.-—-JULY, 1854. D

34 Mr. John Curtis’s Descriptions

underside); eyes invisible; clypeus deeply indented, forming

eight teeth, with a ninth in the centre, and several long rigid

hairs (fig. 3); mandibles crossing, long, slender, curved and very

acute (fig. 4); maxilla forming a long horny lobe, arising from

a stout scape, terminated by a claw internally. Palpi triarticulate?

(fig. 5, with the palpus broken). Mentum horny, narrowed at

the middle, terminated by a large ciliated lip, with a minute biar-

ticulate palpus, attached to a stout scape at each angle; basal joint

oblong, second conical (fig. 6). Antennze inserted on each side of

the clypeus, not very remote, slender and four-jointed (fig. 2 a).

Prothorax attached bya short neck, a little broader than the head

towards the base, subquadrate, the anterior angles rounded; two

following segments a little broader, transverse. Abdomen soft

and nine-jointed, with eight distinct stigma, ochreous-white,

broader than the trunk at the middle, tapering towards the extre-

mity, each segment having an oval fulvous spot on each side,

forming two rows down the back; these spots are punctured,

with minute tubercles, and there are several punctured ferruginous

tubercles on the hinder margin of each spot; terminal segment

conical (fig. 7), producing a drooping cylindrical ochreous pro-leg

(fig. 7 a), with a jointed divaricating style on each side at its base;

first joint long and stoutish, second shorter and slender (fig. 7 0).

Legs long, slender, spiny (fig. 8, a middle leg); cox large, tro-

chanters small, thigh long and very spiny beneath; tibia shorter

and slenderer, but spiny inside; claws long, slender and very

acute.

The following is Professor Henslow’s account of this larva :—

“T took about thirty or forty specimens of Velleius from the hor-

net’s nest, by placing a bow] under it, into which most of them

fell within a month of the time after it had been brought home

(18th October). Some I picked off the lowest and exposed

lamina of the comb, as they were actively traversing it, and poking

their heads into the cells in search of food; most of these were

placed in a glass jar among rotten wood in a powdered state.

They burrowed in this, and I could see many of them alive in

March, each in a separate cavity, which he had formed for himself

against the bottom or side of the jar. I am sorry, and rather

ashamed to say, that my over-care for their welfare destroyed

them. Thinking they were getting too dry, I poured in a little

water once or twice, and, after an absence of three or four days

on one occasion, | found they were dead.” *

* The Zoologist, vol. vii. p. 2585.

of some Coleopterous Larve, §c. 35

This unfortunate accident not only deprived many a cabinet of

this fine beetle, but we have no direct evidence of the larva being

the offspring of Velleius, although, from its economy and its orga-

nization, it is scarcely to be doubted. My friend Professor Hens-

low kindly forwarded to me specimens, but, having died before

they were put into spirits, they were mutilated, which renders

my magnified figures and dissections somewhat imperfect, and

possibly not entirely to be relied upon in a few minor points.

Family ELATERIDZ.

Genus Atuous. (Plate V. fig. 9.)

Sp. 2. Ad. rhombeus, Oliv.

Long, linear, plano-convex, with a channel along the back ;

pitchy, shining, with a few longish hairs. Head depressed, wedge-

shaped, semiorbicular (fig. 10); eyes none; clypeus with a

conical tooth in the centre; labrum undiscovered; mandibles

meeting, arched and acute (fig. 10a); maxille broad at the apex,

and terminated by a minute, biarticulate, palpiform lobe (fig. 10 6).

Palpi short and 4-jointed, basal joint the largest; 2nd smaller, both

subobovate, truncated; 3rd smaller, cup-shaped; 4th very small,

and somewhat conical (fig. 10 ¢); mentum chalice-shaped, with a

slender biarticulate palpus at each angle (fig. 10d). Antennee in-

serted at the base of the mandibles, on each side of the crown of

the head, 4-jointed, basal joint short; 2nd quadrate; 3rd oval; 4th

very slender and as long as the 3rd (fig. 10 e). Prothorax quadrate,

two following segments transverse, punctured at the base, the

membrane between the segments forming whitish bands. Abdo-

men composed of eight transverse segments, deeply and very

coarsely punctured at the base, and a ninth forming the depressed

apex, coarsely and irregularly punctured, and sometimes ferrugi-

nous; the centre depressed, the sides elevated and producing three

teeth each, produced at the apex into two furcate lobes, leaving a

circular space between them (fig. 11), with a short stout pro-leg

beneath at the base (fig. 12, the same in profile); spiracles invi-

sible after death. Legs very small, serrated beneath, with two

series of spines at the base, and terminated by a curved claw.

Underside more or less ochreous.

Having found the larve alive during my sojourn at Pau, in the

south of France, I had an opportunity of examining the organs of

the mouth in a living specimen, when they exhibited their full

development. A description and figures, therefore, of this rare

larva may be useful, notwithstanding the illustration of the species

36 Mr. John Curtis’s Descriptions

by my distinguished friend Mr. Léon Dufour,* who entertains

an idea that it is carnivorous. TI wish also to make collectors

acquainted with this larva, and its economy, hoping that it may

lead to the capture of more specimens of the perfect insect.

I found these larve in the decayed wood of a felled tree, in

March, and, like Messrs. Chapuis and Candéze, the evidence I

have of their being the larvae of Athous rhombeus is, my having

found with them the thorax of that species, with the exuvia; but

they certainly agree with the description and figure of 4. hirtus

of those authors, as well as with De Geer’s figure and description

of Elater undatus.t M. Desvignes found in August the larva

of A. rhombeus in a birch-tree in Sherwood Forest, and the pupa

and imago in decayed oak branches.§

Family OPATRIDA.

Genus Boriropnacus, Ill., Erepona, Lat. (Pl. V. figs. 13 & 14.)

Sp. 3. B. reticulatus, Linn. ; crenatus, Fab.

Soft, linear, curved in repose; white, with a few scattered

hairs. Head orbicular, shining, horny, yellowish (fig. 15); eyes

none. Labrum orbicular, bristly (fig. 17). Mandibles meeting,

thick, very horny, bifid and pitchy (fig. 18). Maxillee terminating

in a large pilose oval lobe (fig. 19). Palpi stout and triarticulate,

2nd basal joints very thick, 3rd more slender, conical and termi-

nated by a gland (fig. 19 a.) Labium subcordate. Palpi minute and

biarticulate. Antennze remote, inserted on each side of the man-

dibles, triarticulate, stout, especially the basal joint; 2nd oblong;

3rd longer and more slender, terminating in two unequal claws,

one with a bristle at the apex (fig. 20). Thorax horny, suborbi-

cular, concave before; the two following thoracic segments simi-

lar to those of the abdomen, but they are shorter, with a slate-

coloured cloud on the back ; abdominal segments fatty, the sides

convex; the tail tapering, and furnished at each angle with a

conical spine, with transverse striz and horny at the tip (fig. 21).

Stigma distinct. Legs sprawling, stout; cox large, very broad

at the base; thighs robust, narrowed at the base; tibia slenderer,

tapering, furnished with a horny claw (fig. 22, a middle leg).

Mr. Foxcroft found a very large old boletus upon a beech-tree

in the Black Forest, Rannoch, Perthshire, which he conveyed to

London, where he has been breeding the beetles, I believe, all the

* Annales des Sci. Nat. 2nd Series, vol. xiv. p. 41, pl. 3, B, f. 1—5.

t Catalogue des Larves, p. 144, pl. 5, fig. 1.

$ De Geer’s Mem. vol. iv. p. 155, pl. 5, fig. 23.

§ Entomologist, p. 188.

of some Coleopterous Larvae, §c. 37

winter. I am not aware that the Jarve cut out cocoons in the

curious way in which those of the B. agaricola form theirs, as

observed by Mr. L. Dufour,* for I have not even seen the pupa.

The larve are very active when taken from their cells, curling

and jerking their bodies about when touched. They seem to

differ from those of B. agaricola in having a styliform tail. I was

unable to give a highly magnified figure of the mentum with the

lateral palpi, from having lost that portion in dissecting the head.

Family CUCUJIDZE.

Genus Prostomis, Lat. (Plate V. figs. 23 and 24.

Sp. 5. P. Mandibularis, Fab.

Very depressed, elongate, white, shining, with a few scattered

hairs. Head transverse, being twice as broad as long; eyes none

(fig. 25). Mouth prominent, ferruginous; labrum semi-orbicular,

fringed with bristles (fig. 26). Mandibles not large, crossing, out-

line sinuated, terminating in two sharp teeth, black at their tips, one

mandible having a strong tooth towards the base (fig. 27). Maxille

terminated by an oval lobe, irregularly fringed with bristly spines.

Palpi composed of two oval and an elongated elliptical joint (fig.

28a). Mentum elongated, produced into a lobe in front, furnished

with two parallel bristles. Palpi filiform, biarticulate, basal joint

oblong; 2nd smaller, oval, with a bristle at the tip (fig.29). An-

tenne not short, placed on the anterior margin of the head, very

remote, and not approaching the mandibles; they are quadriarti-

culate, the basal joint forming an ample scape, 2nd joint some-

what cup-shaped, 3rd elongate obconic, with a minute conical lobe

at the apex, 4th joint placed close behind it, nearly as long as the

3rd, but slender and linear, with a few bristles at the apex (fig.

80). Thorax narrower than the head, with the alimentary canal

shining through of an ochreous colour, often becoming black along

the back; the prothorax and mesothorax are transverse oval,

being united by a neck, which forms a projecting angle or acute

tooth on each side; metathorax transverse, but narrowed only at

the base. Abdomen formed of nine distinct segments, seven much

broader than long, with two faint long spots on each, forming two

lines down the back, 8th joint narrower, tapering, apical joint sub-

orbicular, with two conical protuberances at the extremity, form-

ing a concavity between them; the margins appearing tubercled

when greatly magnified (fig. 31), Legs short and stout; coxe

sub-globose; thighs very clavate, tibiz sub-ovate, with short

spiny bristles ; claws strong but very acute (fig. 32).

* Ann, des Sci. Nat, 2nd Series, vol. xx. p. 284, pl. 12, B-

38 Mr. John Curtis’s Descriptions

This curious insect not having been yet discovered in Britain,

I have added a figure of the beetie (fig. 33a, the natural size) ;

and as there are many peculiarities in its structure, and it departs

considerably from the type of the Cucujide, I have determined to

add dissections of the mouth, which will be serviceable also in

exhibiting the differences between the same insect in the larve

and imago states. In fig. 34, which shows the underside of the

head of the beetle, the two long processes, like bulls’ horns, are

very remarkable (fig. 34a), and their use inconceivable, unless

they are employed to divide the laminz in the decayed trees,

between which the Prostomis delights to nestle, in invisible spaces,

which from its depressed form it is enabled to do, and the larvee

are still thinner, being apparently composed of nothing but their

transparent horny covering, with an alimentary canal shining

through. The labrum (fig. 35) is semi-orbicular, and attached to

an elongated or lobe-shaped clypeus. The mandibles, which pro-

ject, are unequal, one being very much dilated on the outside

(fig. 36), and they have both a series of teeth on the inside, with

larger ones at the apex. The maxilla comprise two remarkably

long lobes, the cuter one articulated, at the base of which arises a

still longer palpus of four joints (fig. 38). The labrum is singu-

larly shaped, forming a flattened pointed tongue: the palpi are not

attached to the base, and they are long and triarticulate (fig. 39).

In the genus Cucujus, at least in the minute species I dissected in

the British Entomology,* the jaws, although porrected, are not

particularly developed, and they are notched internally, more like

the Heteromera: the oral organs are not elongated, and all the

palpi have fewer joints, viz. 3 and 2. It is evident that the great

development in Prostomis is necessary to obviate the obstruction

occasioned by the cephalic horns, and it is very singular that in

the larva there is no indication of those processes. The beetle is

furnished with ample wings, and the legs, like those of Cucujus,

are very short; the hinder pair very remote, and it is perfectly

tetramerous (fig. 40), whilst Cucujus ferrugineus or C. testaceus are

pentamerous.

As Prostomis inhabits oaks and chesnuts, and is widely distri-

buted in France and Germany, I hope it may some day find its

ray legitimately into our English fauna. The beetles with this

Jarvee were abundant near Pau in March, in the trunks of decay-

ing and very aged chesnut trees. ‘They preferred portions seve-

ral feet from the ground, and were secreted between the lamina of

the wood, where it was quite wet, rotten and soapy, resembling

* Curt. Brit. Ent. pl, and fol. 510.

of some Coleopterous Larvae, Sc. 39

chocolate-coloured mud. We never found them under the bark,

which was an asylum, however, for another interesting beetle, the

Dryophthorus Lymeaylon, and amongst the dead leaves at the

base of the tree was secreted the beautiful Carabus splendens.

The capture of these insects adds to my pleasing recollections of

a winter at Pau, where I could enjoy my favourite pursuits, even

in the depth of winter and early spring, owing to the mildness of

the climate and the splendid sun ; and my rambles were rendered

agreeable and profitable by the society of scientific friends, espe-

cially of Mr. Charles Delaronzée, a most zealous Entomologist and

intelligent young man, to whom I am indebted for a knowledge of

the Prostomis and its economy. He has since been elected into

the Entomological Society of Paris, to become a valuable member

of that excellent institution, and, I doubt not, he will be an honour

to his country.

I will close this notice by stating, that when I had the pleasure

of visiting M. Léon Dufour, at St. Sever, in the spring of last

year, amongst many other interesting objects, he showed me some

aquatic larvee which had been alive two years, specimens of which

I now exhibit. He had never succeeded in rearing them, nor had

he any idea of their origin, beyond taking them from a brook upon

some stones. Having attentively studied them, I am inclined to

believe they are the larvee of Helophorus granularis, Linn. i hope

my estimable friend will eventually succeed in obtaining the

beetles, and will add their history to the numerous and valuable

discoveries he has made in insect economy.

EXPLANATION OF PLATE V.

Fig. 1. Larva of Velleius dilatatus, Fab.; * natural length.

Fig. 2. Underside of head; 2a, the antenne.

Fig. 3. The clypeus.

Fig. 4. A mandible.

Fig. 5. Maxillary palpus.

Fig. 6. Mentum, labium and palpi.

Fig. 7. Apex of abdomen; 7a, the proleg; 75, the styles.

Fig. 8. A leg; 8a, the coxe; 86, trochanter; 8c, femur; 84d, tibie;

8 e, the claw.

Fig. 9. Larva of Athous rhombeus, Oliv.

Fig. 10. Upper side of head; 10a, mandibles; 10c, apex of maxille and

palpi; 10d, labium and palpi; 10e, antenne.

Fig. 11. Apical segment of abdomen; upper side.

Fig. 12. The same, in profile; 12a, the proleg.

40 Mr. Curtis’s Descriptions of some Coleopterous Larve, &c.

Fig. 13. Larva of Bolitophagus reticulatus, Linn.

Fig. 14. The same magnified.

Fig. 15. Upper side of head.

Fig. 16. Under side of head.

Fig. 17. The labrum.

Fig. 18. A mandible.

Fig. 19. Maxilla; 19a, the palpus.

Fig. 20. The antenna.

Fig. 21. Apical segment of abdomen.

Fig. 22. A middle leg.

Fig. 23. Larva of Prostomis mandibularis, Fab.

Fig. 24. The same magnified.

Fig. 25. Upper side of head.

Fig. 26. Labrum.

Fig. 27. Mandible.

Fig. 28. Maxilla; 28a, the palpus.

Fig. 29, Mentum and palpi.

Fig. 30. Antenna.

Fig. 31. Apex of abdomen.

Fig. 32. Leg.

Fig. 33. Prostomis mandibularis; * the natural length.

Fig. 34. Head, viewed beneath; 34a, the cephalic horns.

Fig. 35. Labrum; 35a, the clypeus.

Figs. 36 and 37. A pair of mandibles,

Fig. 38. Maxilla; 38a, internal lobe; 386, external lobe; 38c, palpus.

Fig. 39. Mentum; 39a, labium; 396, palpi.

Fig. 40. A hind leg.

ae)

VI. Observations on the Economy of Pompilus punctum and

other Hymenoptera. By FP. Smiru, Esq.

[Read Ist August, 1853.]

Some time ago, Mr. W. Thompson, Director of the Natural His-

tory Department at the Crystal Palace, submitted to my exami-

nation a number of mud or clay cells, evidently the production of

some insect; at that time I expressed an opinion that they were

constructed by some Diplopterous insect, probably an Odynerus ;

these cells were found at the beginning of November, on the top

of a straw bee-hive, worked into the layers, the bee-hive having

been covered with an old cloth and a milk pan; others were found

in the back part of an old mirror. These discoveries were made

by the Rev. W. Delmar, in his garden at Elmstone Rectory, near

Canterbury.

At the expiration of some weeks I observed in the glass-topped

box, in which I had placed the cells, a black species of Pompilus,

running about with great activity. The insect proved to be a

male, and I at once recognized the species to be the P. punctum

of Fabricius. I was much pleased at this, as I felt a certainty of

having an opportunity of settling beyond a doubt what was the

female of that species. On the following day, the 15th of June,

two more males came forth; no further development took place

until the expiration of ten days, when, to my astonishment, or

rather satisfaction, for 1 had long suspected some mistake respect-

ing the species, two females appeared, and proved to be the P. pe-

tiolatus of Van der Linden.

Shuckard, in his Essay on the Fossorial Hymenoptera, states,

that he is unacquainted with the female of P. punctum, which Van

der Linden considered to be the P. petiolatus, and Shuckard de-

scribes a different male as that of the species. Mr. Desvignes,

who now possesses the Shuckardian collection, placed in my hands

the types, but there was no male amongst the specimens of P. petio-

latus, and we are left in ignorance of the male described in the

Essay ; but in all probability it was only a variety of the ‘ punctum,”

which would in some instances answer the description of Shuckard,

the white markings on the face being, I have observed, frequently

more or less obliterated. Be this as it may, the P. petiolatus of

Van der Linden is certainly the female of P. punctum.

In the first volume of the ‘“ Transactions” of this Society will

be found a most able and interesting Paper on the habits of the

fossorial Hymenoptera, by Mr. Shuckard, who there most suc-

42 Mr. F. Smith’s Observations on the Economy of

cessfully confutes the theory of St. Fargeau, who observing that,

amongst this tribe, many species were destitute of cilia on their an-

terior tibiae, and also of spines externally down the posterior pair,

suggested the probability of such species being parasitic; the P.

punctum is one of the species thus circumstanced, and here we have

a clue to the complete explanation of the apparent anomaly—an

insect which constructs mud cells has no need of the cilia or

“spines, so useful to an insect which forms its burrows in sand; the

cilia on the anterior tibize forming as it were a brush, with which

to sweep out the particles of sand, from time to time, in forming its

burrow, and the spines, placed exteriorly on the posterior tibia,

which in burrowing are placed against the sides of the tunnel,

which gives the creature a purchase whilst scratching, or disen-

gaging the sand with its mandibles.

The structure of the Pompilus in question naturally calls to the

mind of an Hymenopterist another insect, which long suffered

under the imputation of being a parasite—I allude to Pelopeus.

My friend, the late Edward Doubleday, had, it is true, ever since

his return from America, asserted the contrary, but it remained

for Mr. Gosse, in the second volume of the ‘‘ Zoologist,” to pub-

lish one of the most amusing and graphic sketches of insect archi-

tecture which I ever had the good fortune to fall in with; this

set the matter, as regards the Pelopei, at rest; and if any be

wanting, I thing the discovery of the P. punctum being a con-

structor of mud cells, similar to those of Pelopeus, furnishes de-

cisive testimony against the theory of St. Fargeau.

My own experience does not furnish a single instance of para-

sitism in the whole tribe of fossorial Hymenoptera ;* and, if I am

not trying your patience too far, I will take this opportunity of

adding the results of my own observations in further elucidation

of this interesting subject. I will, in the first instance, make a few

observations upon the various insects mentioned in Mr. Shuckard’s

paper above alluded to.

The first insect I would observe upon is the Sapyga quadrigut-

tata, which I have captured conveying its prey, a small Lepidop-

terous larva, and have also found its cells, formed in a sand-bank,

filled with similar larvae ; when the larva of Sapyga is full fed, it

spins a tough brown cocoon, very similar to that of an Osmia.

The genus T7rypoxylon, were St. Fargeau’s theory correct, would

be parasitic, but I have repeatedly observed the different species

conveying their prey, and have also repeatedly bred the insects.

* I here speak of British insects; the Scoliade are known to be parasitic—and

I suspect that Tiphia is the parasite of Aphudius. The Mutillide are also said to

be parasitic.

Pompilius punctum and other Hymenoptera. 43

Their choice of situation is varied; a decayed post, a bramble

stick, or a bank of light earth; in the latter situation I once dis-

covered a complete colony. The prey of all the British species of

this genus is spiders.*

Pemphredon, and all the species of Diodontus, provision their

own nests, as well as the insects forming the genus Passale-

cus; most of these species prey upon Aphides. I shall pass

over the various species of bees, remarked upon by Shuckard, as

I intend to enter upon the subject at some length in a Monograph

on the British 4pide. I would, in conclusion, however, make a

few remarks upon the solitary wasps, which have their tarsi and

tibize destitute of spines and cilia. Odynerus parietum is an insect

very variable in its habits.| I have repeatedly obtained its nests,

having found its cells formed in an excavated bramble-stick,

which was lined with a thin layer of mud or agglutinated sand;

at another time it chooses a decayed rail or board; then again a

hole in the mortar of a wall; and on one occasion, in an old

lumber room of an outhouse, I found several cells placed longi-

tudinally in a lady’s fan, which lay half open upon a shelf. These

variations in situation induce me to believe that it seldom, if ever,

forms its own burrow; but, like most of the insects of the tribe

destitute of the usual fossorial appendages, it constructs its celfs

in any suitable situation prepared and adapted to its purpose. I

have frequently observed insects similarly constructed to the P.

punctum, &c. in the act of closing their burrows, but I never de-

tected one in the act of excavating. Mr. Shuckard, in the notes

appended to his paper on these insects, mentions the fact of these

insects closing the entrance to their burrows, and follows this up

by an observation, that their eggs are speedily hatched, and that

they change into a pupa before the winter, in which state they lie

dormant until the following spring. This is an incorrect suppo-

sition; observation has led me to believe that no Hymenopterous

insect passes the winter months in the pupa state; a change from

that to the perfect state either takes place, or they remain as

larvee until the return of spring. I tried the experiment of freez-

ing the larva of Anthophora Haworthana, and, on the return of

spring, the larvee which had been frozen so hard that I could

snap them in two, were amongst the first to change to the pupa

state, and so on to perfect insects.

* Vide Kennedy in Lon. and Edinb. Phil. Mag. Jan. 1837, p. 16.

+ Ibid. p. 18.

(aa)

VII. Description of a new British Species of Ichneumon.

By Tuomas Desviengs, Esq.

[Read November 7th, 1853.]

Ichneumon paludator.

$ ABpoMINE nigro; @ apice albo; femoribus tibiisque rufis. 3

& 2.

é Orbitis oculorum infra antennas distinctius aut obsoletius, et

apice scutelli albis.

@ Lineola infra scutellum, annulo antennarum albis. Scutellum

album.

Longitudo 7—73 lin.

Caput maris orbitis oculorum infra antennas albis aut albidis.

Palpis ¢ et @ nigris, apice ferrugineis. Clypeum hirtis

ferrugineis. Antennz ¢ corporis dimidii longitudinis, por-

recta, nigra, subtus fusco-ferruginezee, 9 involute; 1—6

apice articulorum dilute ferrugineis, 7—12 albis (basi 70), et

sequentibus nigris. Metathorax areola supero media, equi

solea forme. Scutellum foeminze totum, in mare apice solo

interdum tenuissime, album, Ale fumato-hyalinz, radio et

squamula ferrugineis ; stigmate flavo-ferruginea ; areola sub-

quinque angulari. Pedes, prasertim foemine, crassiusculi,

rufi; coxis et trochanteribus, necnon tarsis et tibiis posticis

maris, nigris, his summo basi rufo-ferrugineis ; tarsis mediis

fuscis, basi fulvis ; foeminze tibiis posticis apice summo et ar-

ticulo 50 tarsorum mediorum superne fuscis, hujus basi rufa.

Abdomen maris elongatum, thorace paullo angustius, ni-

grum; segmento lo apice in medio aciculato, 20 fovez pro-

fundz spatio interjacente fere usque ad medium segmenti

aciculato ; foeminz latior quam mare, segmento 6 margine 7

fere toto albis, lateralibus satis nigris, apice acuto; aculeus

brevis, exsertus.

This species, which is closely allied to /chn. saturatorius of Gra-

venhorst, inhabits the larva or pupa of Nonagria Typhe, and

for many specimens I am indebted to Mr. Samuel Stevens, who

bred them from Nonagria paludicola, and also to Mr. Edwin

Shepherd. These larvee were taken in Hammersmith marshes.

Giton)

VIII. Characters of undescribed Lucanide, collected in

China, by R. Fortune, Esq. By W.Witson SAUNDERS,

Esq., F.R.S., Ke.

[Read 3rd April, 1854.]

Tue Lucanide formed a very marked portion of the Coleoptera

collected in China by Mr. Fortune during his last interesting

travels through the tea districts of that country. Looking to the

number of species he procured, it would appear that the tea dis-

tricts of China are very rich in this remarkable family, and bear

in this respect a strong resemblance to the high lands of India,

and especially Assam, from whence Entomologists have derived

so many fine species, and which seems to be quite the head quar-

ters of the family Lucanide. Some of the species collected by

Mr. Fortune are identical with species already described from

India, while others appear to be altogether new to Entomology ;

and it is the object of the present paper to place before the Ento-

mological Society the characters of these latter, with figures, from

the pencil of Mr. Westwood. From Mr. Fortune’s exertions

during his present travels in China it is to be hoped that the list

of new species of Lucanide will be considerably augmented,

although the first lot of insects which have been received from

him does not contain any novelties in this family. It has, how-

ever, been instructive in furnishing long series of specimens illus-

trating species which had before been found only very sparingly.

In determining the species I have received great assistance from

my friend F.S. Parry, Esq., and for which I have great pleasure

in tendering him my best thanks.

SPECIES DESCRIBED.

Lucanus, Lin.

1. L. Fortunet g and 9, Parry, MSS.

Crapocnatuus, Burm.

2. C. gracilis g, W. W. Saunders.

Opontotasris, Hope.

. nitidus a, W. W. Saunders.

. sinicus g and g, Reiche, MSS.

emarginatus g and 9, Reiche, MSS.

S719

46 Mr. W. W. Saunders’s Characters

Pratyprosapus, Hope.

6. P. platymelus g, W. W. Saunders.

7. P. Hopet g. W. W. Saunders.

Dorcus, MacLeay.

8. D. striato-punctatus ¢, W. W. Saunders.

9, D. vicinus , W. W. Saunders.

10. D. obscurus 9, W. W. Saunders.

11.2? D. lateralis 9, W. W. Saunders.

12.2? D. striatus 9, W. W. Saunders.

Ecus, MacLeay.

13. 4. levicolle g, W. W. Saunders.

14. 4. punctiger g, W. W. Saunders.

All the species described in this paper are in the Collection at

the British Museum, and most of them will also be found in the

Collection of F. S. Parry, Esq., as well as in my own Collection.

Sp. 1. Lucanus Fortunei, Parry, MSS. (PI. III. figs. 1 and 2.)

Dark chesnut. ¢ with the head much enlarged, transverse, sub-

quadrangular, flattened above, broader than the thorax, having

the anterior margin nearly straight, the lateral and posterior mar-

gins emarginate, the anterior angles produced into a truncated

point, and the posterior angles much rounded ; the upper surface

minutely granulated. Mandibles long, and curved inwards ;

armed on the inner edge with a number of minute teeth, and two

larger teeth, one near the apex, pointing downwari's, and the

other a little beyond, having a horizontal direction. Antenne

long and slender, abruptly clavate ; clava 4-jointed. Thorax

transverse, subquadrate, darker chesnut than the rest of the body,

rugose punctate. Scutellum small, broad at the base, rounded

at the apex. Elytra broader than the thorax, subovate, finely

punctured, with the suture shining; underside of the body sub-

pubescent, finely punctured. Legs long and slender. The pos-

terior and middle femora longitudinally margined in front with

red brown; the anterior tibize with four to five teeth externally ;

the middle and posterior tibicee with two slight teeth similarly

situated.

Length 2 inches, head 4° inch broad. Mandibles 56, inch long.

g of the same colour as the g, with the head small, transverse,

subquadrate, rugose punctate above. Mandibles short, curved,

stout, with a broad projecting tooth internally, near the apex.

Thorax transverse, with the lateral margins rounded, anterior

of undescribed Lucanide. 47

and posterior margins nearly straight, and having the posterior

angles emarginate. Legs shorter and stouter than in the g. In

other respects as the ¢.

Length 1-4, inch.

This appears a very distinct species; and in the full-grown in-

sect not subject to much variation. It has been received from

Mr. Fortune in some abundance, and is probably a common insect

in the hill districts.

Sp. 2. Cladognathus gracilis, W. W. Saunders. (PI. III. fig. 3.)

Dark pitchy brown, with the elytra dark chesnut brown. ¢

with the head subquadrate, not quite so broad as the thorax,

rather narrower posteriorly, with the anterior margin somewhat

emarginate; upper surface shallowly excavated between the eyes,

and finely granulated. Mandibles long, deflexed and slender,

curved inwardly towards the apex, and having on the interior

margin six to eight minute teeth, and one larger in the midst,

placed near the centre. Antenne rather long, slender; clava

4-jointed, ovate, elongate. ‘Thorax transverse, the lateral margins

rounded, and the hinder margin, with the angles, slightly truncate;

above convex, finely granulated. Scutellum small, semi-ovate,

pointed at the apex. Elytra about as broad as the thorax, rounded

at the apex, with the sides nearly parallel, smooth, very finely

granulated. Under surface of the body dark pitchy brown. Legs

rather long and slender. The anterior pair, with the tibiz, striato-

punctate, and having on the outer margin a number of small

teeth, irregular in size and position, but the four nearer the apex

largest, and the two anterior ones spreading and curved down-

wards. The intermediate and posterior tibiz unarmed externally.

Length 1-75; mandibles -§; inch.

This is a well marked species; with the head in the male very

large, and the legs very long and thin. Some specimens I have

recently seen from Mr. Fortune are somewhat larger, and have

the head broader in proportion than the one described.

Sp. 3. Odontolabris nitidus, W. W. Saunders. (Plate IV. fig. 1.)

Shining black. 8 Head transverse, subquadrate, with the an-

terior angles prominent, caused by a sharp flattened ridge crossing

the eyes horizontally, and the anterior margin slightly emarginate :

upper portion rounded, flattened between the eyes, with the surface

opaque, and very finely granulated. (Mandibles wanting in all

the specimens sent home.) Thorax broader than the head, sub-

48 Mr. W. W. Saunders’s Characters

quadrate, transverse, rather broader posteriorly, the lateral mar-

gins smooth and somewhat rounded; the posterior margin straight

and the posterior angles bevelled off; the upper surface convex,

very finely granulated, shining. Scutellum minute, triangular.

Elytra about as broad as the thorax, ovate truncate, with the

lateral margins slightly reflexed, and the upper surface convex and

very shining. Legs robust, having the anterior tibize broad and

flattened, with six well-defined teeth on the outer margin, and the

upper and under surfaces striato-punctate. The middle and pos-

terior tibiz sub-cylindrical, striato-punctate, with only one apical

tooth. ‘Tarsi rather long and slender. Underside of body shining

black.

Length, without mandibles, 1-%) inch.

The elytra of this species are remarkably smooth and shining,

a character which at once catches the eye. Every specimen sent

home had the mandibles wanting, apparently pulled out from their

sockets. Mr. Fortune could give me no account of the cause of

this deficiency. The O. glabratus of De Hahn is very closely

allied to this species.

Sp. 4. Odontolabris sinicus, Reiche, MSS, (PI. 1V. figs. 2 & 3.)

Dark chesnut. & with the head transverse quadrate, and the

anterior angles prominent, caused by a thin horizontal ridge

crossing the eyes, and having the anterior margin slightly emar-

ginate, with the upper surface flattened, finely granulated and

opaque; dark rusty brown. Mandibles short, stout, straight,

about as long as the thorax, slightly curving upwards, with three

blunt teeth on the inner margin, and a blunt broad tooth on the

upper edge, near the apex, black brown. ‘Thorax much broader

than the head, transverse, rather broader posteriorly, with the

lateral margins rounded and smooth, the anterior margin emargi-

nate, and the posterior nearly straight, curving forwards near the

angles, dark rusty brown, rounded above, the surface finely gra-

nulate and opaque. Scutellum small, semi-ovate. Elytra ovate

truncate, the surface smooth, opaque ; the suture shining, and the

lateral margins slightly reflexed, regularly convex ; dark chesnut

brown. Legs pitchy brown, rather Jong, with the fore tibize flat-

tened, and having six strong teeth on the outer margin, the upper

surface coarsely striato-punctate: the middle and posterior tibiae

sub-cylindrical, with one apical tooth, and the surface striato-

punctate. Tarsi stout. Underside of body dark chesnut brown,

somewhat shining.

Length 1-2; inch.

of undescribed Lucanide. 49

The @ differs little from the ¢ except in the smaller size, and

less quadrate shape of the head, and in the shorter mandibles,

which have but little inclination upwards, and furnished internally

but with two teeth.

A very nearly allied species to this (O. castanopterus) occurs in

India, but differs in having the mandibles not so long, and nearly

horizontal, as well as in the shining surface of the elytra, and in

the colour of the same being bright chesnut.

Length 1,5, inch.

Sp.5. Odontolabris emarginatus, Reiche, MSS, (PI. III. figs. 4 & 5.)

Black. ¢ with the head transverse, subquadrate, emarginate in

front, with a strong blunt tooth on each side behind the eyes,

convex above, opaque, finely granulated. Eyes crossed horizon-

tally, with a narrow sharp ridge projecting from the forepart of

the head. Mandibles, when fully developed, nearly as long as

the head and thorax, strongly bowed inwards, forming when

closed the shape of a circle or blunt oval, nearly of equal size

throughout their length, with one stout blunt tooth at the base;

the apex truncate, and having four minute teeth in the trun-

cated portion. Antenne rather long and expanded. Thorax

somewhat broader than the head, subquadrate, transverse, rather

broader posteriorly, the lateral margins smooth, the anterior mar-

gin curving forwards in the centre, and the hinder margin curved

in the opposite direction, and having a shallow notch just before

the hinder angles ; convex above, very finely granulated, opaque.

Scutellum minute, subtriangular, Elytra of the same breadth as

the thorax, semi-ovate, with the lateral margins slightly reflexed,

and with the upper surface convex, very finely punctato-granulate

and opaque. Legs rather long, with the fore tibiz flattened and

expanded at the apex, armed externally with a row of about seven

small equidistant teeth on the outer margin; middle and posterior

tibiz subcylindrical, with a longitudinal broad furrow on the

upper side, and only armed with a single tooth at the apex. Un-

derside of body rather shining; abdomen pitchy brown.

@ scarcely differing from the 6, except in being smaller, and

in the shape of the mandibles, which are short, stout, about as

long as the head, nearly straight, slightly incurved at the apex,

and armed internally with a row of seven or eight small irregular

blunt teeth.

Length, g, large specimen, 14%, inches(mandibles 34;); small

specimen, 1-3,. 9 1,}5.

A neat and well-marked species. The g varies much in the

VOL, III. N. S» PART I1,—ocT. 1854. E

50 Mr. W. W. Saunders’s Characters

length of the mandibles, which, at times, are almost as short as

those of the g. They have, however, always the same conforma-

tion at the apex, which is a good distinguishing character.

Sp. 6. Platyprosapus platymelus, W. W.S. (PI. III. fig. 7.)

Pitchy black, with the tibiz pitchy brown. ¢ Head very

broad, transverse, quadrangular, the anterior margin slightly

emarginate; upper surface rather coarsely granulated, nearly

flat. Mandibles horizontally porrect, robust, nearly straight,

curved inwards towards the apex, gradually tapering, armed in-

ternally with one large tooth near the base, and a number of

(8 or 9 nearly equal) smaller ones, placed at regular intervals,

on the straight portion, and one small one on the curved portion.

Antenne rather robust, with the clava small, 4-jointed ; first joint

small, armed internally with a curved spine-like projection. La-

bium large, transverse, rounded in front, uniform brown. Eyes

small, nearly divided into two portions, with an elevated projecting,

horizontal ridge of the head, dark shining chesnut. Thorax trans-

verse, rather broader than the head, nearly quadrangular, with an

obtuse tooth about the middle of the lateral margins, nearly flat

above, finely granulated, Scutellum small, semiovate, pointed at

the apex. Elytra nearly as broad as thorax, semiovate, with the

shoulders prominent, smooth and shining. Legs moderate in

length, robust. Anterior tibiz striate and finely punctate, armed

externally with a row of 10 to 12 small teeth. Intermediate and

posterior tibize with one pointed tooth on the outer margin, and

three short robust teeth at the apex. Underside of body finely

punctured, shining.

Length 23 inches. Mandibles 7, inch.

A species nearly allied to the Plat-Westermanni, Hope, but

differs in the head being more quadrate and less transverse, and

also in the mandibles, which are nearly truncated, and not curving

downwards as in that species.

Sp. 7. Platyprosapus Hopei, W. W.S. (Plate III. fig. 8.)

Pitchy black. ¢ with the head very broad, transverse, sub-

quadrangular, slightly restricted near the thorax, the anterior

margin somewhat emarginate, and the anterior angles excavated

for the insertion of the mandibles, and each with a blunt point on

the upper part. Upper surface flattened, finely granulated. Man-

dibles strong, incurved, horizontally porrect, with one strong tooth

about the middle, inclining upwards, longer than the thorax.

of undescribed Lucanide. 51

Thorax transverse, subquadrate, rather broader than the head,

the anterior angles prominent, the posterior somewhat rounded,

and having a broad shallow tooth on the lateral margins, near the

middle ; upper surface very finely granulated, slightly and regu-

larly convex. Scutellum rather small, cordato-triangular, Elytra

semiovate, rather narrower than the thorax, the shoulders pro-

minent, nearly straight at the base, the margins slightly reflexed,

the surface regularly but slightly convex, somewhat shining,

nearly smooth. Legs moderate—the anterior tibize with 10 to 12

small, blunt, irregular teeth on the outer edge, the middle pair

with one small tooth in the middle of the outer edge—the pos-

terior pair edentate. ‘Tarsi stout.

Length 1,3, inch. Mandibles 56, inch.

A nearly allied species to the foregoing, but differing in the

shape of the head and mandibles in the ¢.

Sp. 8. Dorcus striato-punctatus, W. W. S. (Plate IV. fig. 5.)

Black, somewhat shining. ¢ Head subquadrate, transverse,

the sides curving slightly outwards, caused by an_ horizontal

ridge crossing the eyes; somewhat emarginate in front, with

a broad, slightly projecting protuberance in the emargination,

having a notch in the centre ; upper surface deeply and coarsely

punctate, the vertex with an obscure shallow depression. Man-

dibles shorter than the head, incurved, rather slender, with one

blunt tooth projecting upwards on the upper side, near the base.

Antenne rather long and stout. Thorax rather broader than the

head, subquadrate, transverse, the fore angles produced, the sides

slightly curving outwards, and the posterior angles rounded—

regularly convex, smooth on the disk, punctate towards the sides.

Scutellum small, semiovate, pointed, deeply punctate. Elytra of

the same width as the thorax, semiovate, elongate, with 13 nearly

equi-distant, deeply punctate, longitudinal striae, the striae some-

what closer as they approach the side, and the punctures there

nearly confluent. Legs moderate; fore tibiae somewhat flattened,

striato-punctate, with 7 or 8 short blunt teeth on the outer margin ;

middle and posterior tibize sub-cylindrical, each with one small

apical tooth, and the former with one small tooth placed centrally

on the outer margin. Femora, on the underside, pitchy brown.

Tarsi moderate. Underside of body deeply punctate.

Length 1,1, inch.

Sp. 9. Dorcus vicinus, W. W.S. (Plate IV. fig. 9.)

Black, shining. & Head subquadrate, transverse, the fore

52 Mr. W. W. Saunders’s Characters

angles rounded ; anteriorly emarginate, with a broad straight

elevation in the emargination, extending from the base of one man-

dible to the other—the sides slightly curving outwards, and the

eyes half-crossed horizontally by a thin sharply-edged plate ;

flattened above, opaque, and very finely granulated. Mandibles

rather longer than the head, ineurved, rather slender, sharp pointed,

and having one broad tooth projecting inwards from the upper

margin near the base. Thorax subquadrate, transverse, broader

than the head; the posterior angles rounded, and slightly so the

anterior ; regularly convex above, shining, very finely granulated.

Scutellum transverse, minute, semiovate, pointed. Elytra not

quite so broad as the thorax, semiovate, elongate, shoulders pro-

minent; very shining, nearly smooth, minutely punctured. Legs

moderate, the anterior tibia somewhat flattened, and broader at

the apex; punctato-striate above, having at the apex two teeth,

and along the outer edge a row of 8 to 10 teeth like serratures ;

middle tibize subcylindrical, with one small, central, pointed tooth

on the margin; posterior tibiz subcylindrical, without teeth.

Tarsi moderate. Underside of body shining.

Length 1,3, inch.

The D. cognatus of Hope bears a close relationship to this spe-

cies, but differs in the larger size and shape of the mandibles.

Sp. 10. Dorcus obscurus, W. W.S. (Plate IV. fig. 7.)

Black, opaque. @ Head subsemicircular ; slightly emarginate

in front, with a shallow protuberance in the centre of the emargi-

nation, the eyes crossed horizontally with a sharp flat ridge,

which there causes a prominence ; convex above, rugoso-punctate,

with two broad, obscure, slight elevations on the centre of the

vertex, which are smooth. Mandibles short, blunt, nearly straight,

with a broad blunt tooth on the inner edge, and a slight rounded

elevation on the upper side, near the base. Antennze moderate.

Thorax broader than the head, subquadrate, transverse; the an-

terior angles prominent, the sides slightly curving outwards ; the

posterior margin straight, with the angles rounded ; convex above,

nearly smooth, except near the sides, which are punctate. Scu-

tellum small, semiovate. Elytra of the same breadth as thorax,

and about twice as long, rounded at the apex, the sides nearly

parallel, the shoulders rather prominent, and the sides slightly

reflexed; regularly convex above, the surface punctate and

obscurely striate, each elytron with 9 longitudinal striae running

in equidistant and close pairs, except the stria near the suture.

Legs moderate; the anterior tibia somewhat flattened, without

of undescribed Lucanide. oe

teeth, striato-punctate above; the middle and posterior tibize

subcylindrical, punctato-striate, with a sharp tooth externally.

Tarsi moderate.

Length 1-2, inch.

This female is probably a true Dorcus.

Sp. 11. Dorcus? marginalis,* W. W.S. (Pl. IV. fig. 6.)

Black, with the margins of the elytra obscure pitchy brown.

@ Head subquadrate, transverse, slightly contracted behind the

eyes, with a slight rounded projection in the centre of the front,

the eyes crossed horizontally by a sharp flat ridge; the upper

surface convex, deeply rugoso-punctate. Mandibles short, rather

slender, horizontally porrect, slightly incurved, with one strong

tooth on the centre of the inner edge, and a blunt tooth on the

upper surface, near the base. Antenne rather short, robust.

Thorax broader than the head, subquadrate, transverse, the lateral

margins slightly curved outwards ; the posterior margin straight,

with the angles rounded; upper surface convex, shining, smooth

on the disk, deeply punctate on the sides, Scutellum small, sub-

triangular. Elytra about as broad as thorax, semiovate, elongate,

the shoulders prominent; regularly convex, shining, smooth on the

portion adjoining the suture, but deeply and coarsely punctate

along the sides. Underside of the body shining. Legs short,

robust, with the fore tibiae flattened, striato-punctate above, and

having a row of about 10 smaller regular blunt teeth on the outer

edge; middle and posterior tibia subcylindrical, striato-punctate,

each with an apical tooth, and another sharply-pointed tooth on the

outer edge, a little below the middle. ‘Tarsi short, stout.

Length 13 inch.

A @ provisionally placed in the genus Dorcus.

This 9, except in the much larger size and the nature of the

teeth on the fore tibia, comes very close to the @ of Dorcus

lateralis, of De}. Cat., from the island of Java.

Sp. 12. Dorcus? striatus, W. W.S. (Plate IV. fig. 4.)

Black, shining. @ Head sub-semicircular, the eyes crossed

horizontally, with a sharp ridge, which there causes a prominence,

slightly emarginate in front, with a slight protuberance in the

emargination ; convex above, deeply and coarsely rugoso-punctate,

with a depression just above each eye, and in the centre of the

* In the list of species at the commencement of this paper the name of lateralis

must be altered to marginalis.

54 Mr. W. W. Saunders’s Characters

vertex two pointed elevations placed near each other. Mandibles

shorter than the head, thin, slightly incurved, with one tooth on

the inner edge, and a slight elevation on the upper portion, near

the base. Antennae moderate. ‘Thorax broader than the head,

transverse, subquadrate, the sides slightly curved outwards, the

posterior margin nearly straight, with the angles slightly rounded ;

upper surface regularly convex, punctate, the punctures being

widely spread on the disk, close together near the sides. Scutel-

Jum small, ovato-triangular. Elytra as broad as thorax, semi-

ovate, elongate, the shoulders rather prominent, the lateral margin

slightly reflexed ; regularly convex, each elytron with 9 longitudi-

nal punctate strize placed somewhat equi-distant, in pairs, except

the one near the suture, the spaces between the stria being

more or less punctate, the punctures much prevailing near the

sides. Legs moderate; the anterior tibiae fiattened, punctato-

striate above, and with a row of about 12 small teeth on the outer

edge ; the middle and posterior tibiae subcylindrical, striato-punc--

tate, each with a small central tooth externally, and one at the

apex. ‘Tarsi stout.

Length 13 inch.

Another ¢, which I place provisionally in the genus Dorcus,

although I do not feel at all sure that this is its proper place—time

will show.

Sp. 13. gus levicolle, W. W.S. (Plate IV. fig 8.)

Black and shining. ¢ with the head broad, quadrate, slightly

emarginate in front, the sides with a slight notch, just in ad-

vance of the horizontal plate crossing the eye, and another where

the plate terminates ; flattened above, and somewhat sunk between

the eyes, opaque, finely granulated. Mandibles incurved, sharp

pointed, longer than the thorax, broad at the base, where there is

a small tooth, and another on the upper margin, broad, triangular,

incurved, placed a little below the centre. Thorax alittle broader

than the head, quadrate, transverse ; the anterior angles acute ;

the posterior slightly rounded ; regularly convex above, the centre

with a broad depressed longitudinal line of deepish punctures, the

disk nearly smooth, and the sides with a few deep distant punctures.

Scutellum minute, broad and rounded at the apex. Elytra as

broad as the thorax, and about twice as long, the sides nearly

parallel, the apex rounded; with nine elevated, rounded, longitu-

dinal ridges on each elytron, and deep furrows between, the surface

of the ridges slightly punctate, and the lateral margins rough,

with minute crenulations. Legs short, with the fore tibize flattened

of undescribed Lucanide. 55

and expanded towards the apex, striato-rugose above, with a

series of small irregular teeth along the outer margin, and two

larger teeth at the apex. The middle and posterior tibiae sub-

cylindrical, rugoso-striate, with one small stout tooth about the

centre of the outer margin, and two small, more pointed teeth at

the apex, placed close together. Underside of body pitchy brown,

punctate.

Length 5%, inch.

This species somewhat resembles . chelifer of Mac Leay,

which differs in the deeper sulcation of the elytra, and in the shape

of the mandibles, with only a tooth at the base.

Sp. 14. Hgus punctiger, W. W.S. (PI. III. fig. 6.)

Black. @ with the head small, transverse, semicircular ; con-

stricted behind the eyes slightly, in front with a slightly projecting

bidentate lobe, and a sharp-edged lateral plate crossing the eyes,

notched near the centre of each eye; rounded above, coarsely

punctured and shining. Mandibles shorter than the head, slightly

incurved, with a sharp-cutting plate internally from the apex to

about half the length, projecting in the shape of a broad triangular

tooth. Antennz moderate. Thorax quadrate transverse, with

the fore angles acute, the sides slightly rounded outwards and the

posterior angles somewhat rounded ; regularly convex above, with

a slight longitudinal central depression on the disk, deeply and

coarsely punctured. Scutellum small, transverse, rounded at the

apex. Elytra as broad as the thorax, with the sides nearly pa-

rallel, elongate, rounded at the apex, each elytron with five slightly

elevated rounded longitudinal ridges, including the sutural ridge,

and five flattened intervening spaces, the spaces divided from the

ridges by a well-marked stria, the whole deeply and closely punc-

tate, excepting the sutural ridges; somewhat shining and with a

brownish tinge. Legs moderate, with the fore tibiz flattened,

and expanded towards the apex, striato-punctate above, with about

six well-marked nearly equidistant teeth in the outer margin.

Middle and posterior tibiz hirsute, sub-cylindrical, striato-punc-

tate, with three teeth on the outer margin before the centre and

three at the apex, the latter having the marginal teeth less defined.

Underside of body shining, coarsely punctate,

Length +7, inch.

This species appears to be rare, as very few specimens have

been sent home.

56 Mr. Jobn Curtis’s Descriptions of two Species

IX. Descriptions of two Species of the Genus Hemerobius

of Linneus, new to this Country, with Remarks on the

Nomenclature of Coniopteryx, and on Orthotenia Buoliana,

&e. By Joun Curtis, Esq. F.LS., &e.

{Read 7th August, 1854.]

Genus Sisyra, Burm.

terminalis, Curt.

Slightly pubescent; head and thorax shining, deep ochreous.

Abdomen brown. Antenne much longer than the body, capillary

but slightly tapering, pilose and moniliform; black, about twelve

of the terminal joints ochreous white, excepting the apical one,

which is black. Wings slightly iridescent, superior tinted with

smoky ochre, inferior colourless ; nervures pilose, pale ochreous

brown. Legs whitish ochre.

Expanse of wings 6 lines.

This very distinct species is at once distinguished from all the

other Hemerobii by the pale terminal portion of the antennz, com-

prising about one-quarter of the whole length. It associates with

HA. fuscatus, Fab., and H. nigripennis, Wesm.; which are charac-

terised principally by the absence of transverse nervures in the

wings, and have been constituted as the genus Sisyra by Bur-

meister. HH. terminalis I discovered at the base of Turk Moun-

tain, near the Lakes of Killarney, in a tour of the west of Ireland

made in 1835 with my friend Mr. Haliday. ‘The specimens were

beaten out of an oak tree the 9th of July.

Genus Hemeropsivs, Linn.

dipterus, Burm.

Hispid, brown. Antenne longer than the body, capillary, mo-

niliform, pitchy and but slightly pubescent. Wings; superior

rather small, elliptic, slightly tinged with ochre, nervures hispid

and brown round the margins, the transverse ones forming irre-

gular brown spots ; inferior wings resembling two small oval lobes.

Legs pale ochreous, knees pitchy.

Expanse 33 lines.

This species, which is unique as British, was taken by J. C. Dale,

Esq., off a hazel bush, outside of Breach-wood, Aller-hill, near

Langport, Somerset, the 26th June, 1843.

of the Genus Hemerobius of Linnaeus, Sc. 57

I avail myself of this opportunity to add that the species figured

in the “ British Entomology” (pl. 202), under the name of H. fim-

briatus, is the H. hirtus of Linnzeus; and the H. crispus of Scheeffer

appears to be the H/. angulatus of Stephens and the /7. Hopii of

Dale’s MSS. This last rare species Mr. Dale has taken at Lynd-

hurst the 15th April, 1830; and subsequently, June 27th, on hazel,

in Caundle Helts, Dorset, where I also captured another specimen

the 13th July, 1846.

As the settlement of nomenclature is daily becoming more ne-

cessary, being of the greatest consequence to science in every

point of view, no opportunity should be omitted of correcting

oversights. ‘To the credit of France, every disposition is now

shown to ascertain the correct and original names of species, and

the same course is pursued in a measure in this country, but not

with the care and impartiality I fear which is required. I will not

now enter upon the subject to any extent, as it would lead me to

a great length. I will merely state, Ist. That men of science,

living in different countries and even in the same kingdom, cannot

understand each other, from the differences in nomenclature as it

now exists; 2ndly. That the pages of every work on species are

complicated and wasted with synonyms ; and 3rdly. That the most

elaborate and careful memoranda of dates and localities are ren-

dered doubtful or worthless from an unstable nomenclature.

Nomenclature of Coniopteryx.

On referring to one of the lists of the British Museum, to com-

pare the Hemerobu, 1 regret to see that some names are changed

which must be restored, amongst them Coniopteryx is changed for

Coniortes, which renders it necessary for me to say a few words

in order to restore the authorized name. ‘The facts are these :—

Early in 1834, Mr. Haliday sent me drawings of a larva which he

believed to be that of the genus which I wished to publish, and

proposed to call Coniopteryx. It would have appeared at once,

but Mr. Haliday wished me to delay the publication until he had

made farther researches, so that it was not actually published until

the end of November. It is reported in the “ Proceedings” of this

Society, that, on July 7th, 1834, a communication was read “On

Coniortes, a new British Genus of Neuroptera, belonging to the He-

merobide,” by J.O. Westwood, F.L.S., &c.; but had not the Secre-

tary of the day appended a note at the foot of the page, no one

unconnected with the Entomological Society could have known

what Coniortes was, in the absence of any description. The note

referred to states, that ‘‘ Since this Memoir was read, this genus has

58 Mr. John Curtis’s Descriptions of two Species

been published by Mr. Curtis in his “ Illustrations” (pl. 528, Dec.

1834), under the name of Coniopteryx, and is placed in the family

Psocide.

In justice to myself, I must state that I had no knowledge of

Mr. Westwood’s Memoir, which to this day has never been pub-

lished that I am aware of; and my Paper, although only published

the end of November and dated 1st December, had been prepared

months before, as every one must know who has been engaged in

a work where drawings and engravings have to be made, and

plates printed and colored a considerable time in advance; and it

is clear from the note quoted above that the Proceedings in which

it was inserted could not have been published until after my Paper

had been in the hands of the public.

The question, however, is, whether a mere printed name is to be

adopted in preference to one published with elaborate dissections

and descriptions, to establish a genus? I think not, and I believe

such is the opinion of most genuine men of science.

The name of Coniopteryx has been adopted by Burmeister,

Xambur, Westiwood,* Haliday,} and even by Stephens, who had

included the species originally in the wrong order, confounding it

with the Aleyrodes ;{ and it is evident from Mr. Westwood

having adopted my name that he would not have disturbed the

established nomenclature had he been consulted in the compilation

of the List alluded to.

The Entomological Society of Paris has ordered a book to be

Jaid on their table, with a request that any one will correct the

generic and specific names of insects, and show which ought to be

the established name. This appears to me to be so judicious and

useful, that I trust the same plan may be adopted by our Society,

for I am convinced that questions which appear too trifling to be

brought before the Society may thus be speedily, fairly and satis-

factorily disposed of to the great advantage of science. If my

suggestion should be acted upon, it will be necessary at certain

periods for a committee to review the entries made in the book,

and to print the names which it may appear just and right to them

to be adopted, copies of which should be forwarded to the Paris

* Modern Classif. p. 48, 1839, the characters being copied from my Brit. Ent.

+ Ent. Trans. vol. v. p. xxxil.

$ Vide his Syst. Cat. pl. 2, p. 367, No. 9979. In his ‘ Illustrations” (vol. vi.

p. 115), Mr. Stephens has fallen into a strange error, which he never corrected.

He prints Coniopreryx, Leach ; what Dr. Leach could have to do with a group

he probably never saw, remains unexplained; and on the following page Ste-

phens says,‘‘ the genus was first characterised by Curtis.”

of the Genus Hemerobius of Linneus, Sc. 59

and other principal Societies with which the Entomological Society

of London is in correspondence, in order that they may have an

opportunity of giving their opinions; and thus we might obtain

what is most essential,—a nomenclature universally adopted.

I have the pleasure of announcing, that during a recent visit to

my friend Mr, Dale we took the males of Acentropus Garnonsi

at Glanville’s Wooton in some abundance. I found only one

female, which was dead, and had rudimentary wings only; but

since [ left that neighbourhood, Mr. Dale has found other females,

and it is my intention shortly to present a Paper to the Society

regarding the economy of this remarkable and anomalous insect.

OrtyoTeznia Buoriana, Wien. Verz.

Mr. May, of the Clifton Nursery, having given me a packet of

the shoots of pine-trees infested with the larve of this Tortrix, I

have bred a great number of both sexes, and I have considerable

doubts whether the O, Buoliana and O. Pinicolana be any more

than local varieties. The last I bred from fir-trees in the Re-

gent’s Park, where it used to be not uncommon on the paling.

With regard to the generic name Orthotenia, I do not hesitate

to adopt it for this group, as in July, 1831, I published the genus,*

giving T'. Turionella, Linn.} as the type, from which species my

characters and dissections were drawn; and in 1834 Mr. Stephens

adopted this name for the same group in his “Illustrations.”— It

was not until 1845 that M. Guénée gave it the name of Retinia,

and transferred that of Orthotenia to three species which never

entered into my genus. Why Mr. Stephens, in his Museum List,

should have followed M. Guénée, and abandoned the genus as

given by him in the “ Illustrations,” does not appear.

I must not neglect to add, that before I adopted the name of

Turionella for the insect I figured, I consulted the Linnean Cabinet,

where I found the shoot of a fir-tree from which the moth had

hatched, fixed by an old pin to the Linnean autograph, and two

unset specimens of my insect by the side, labelled ‘ Anglia, Hud-

son.” It is therefore evident that the Orthotenia figured in the

‘British Entomology” was formerly, indeed in the time of Linneeus,

accepted as the true 7’. Turionella.

* Brit. Ent. fol. aud pl. 364.

+ It is now said that my insect is not the Linnean species, and Mr. Doubleday

has named it O. Pinicolana. At all events it belongs to the same genus, and that

is sufficient to establish my generic name,

t Vol. iv. p. 178.

60 Mr. John Curtis’s Descriptions of Hemerobii, §c.

With the moths I reared two parasites, one is a Figites and the

other is a fine species of the family Jchneumonide. It is allied to

Gravenhorst’s Cremastus confluens, but as it does not agree with

any of his species I shall describe it.

Genus Cremastus, Grav.

Buoliana, Curt.

Male black, orbits of eyes, clypeus and mandibles yellow, tips

pitchy; palpi brown. Antennz longish, tips of basal joints pale

beneath. Thorax with a hooked yellow line on the shoulders ;

scutel yellow, sometimes with a black spot. Petiole long and

clavate. Abdomen compressed ; second, third and fourth segments

with the margins more or less ferruginous ; belly yellowish-white,

banded with black beyond the middle. Wings very transparent,

nervures and stigma fuscous. Legs yellow, including the coxe ;

anterior legs tinged with ochre; hinder coxz and trochanters

black, tipped with ochre; thighs rusty, tipped with yellow; tibiz

yellowish; base and tips, as well as the apex of tarsi, brown.

Length 3} lines, expanse 5 lines.

Female with the face black, the yellow orbits narrow; scutel

black, with a narrow yellow margin. Abdomen black; belly

straw-colour, with four black bands; ovipositor shorter than the

body; hinder thighs black, tipped with yellow.

Length 43 lines, aculeus 13.

Three males, and as many females, hatched the fourth week in

July, after the moths had ceased to appear.

(ea Ole)

X. Supplemental Descriptions of Species of African, Asiatic

and Australian Cetoniide. By J.O.Wesrwoop, F.LS.,

&e.

{Read 5th June, 1854. ]

Since the publication of my memoirs on the African and Indian

Goliathideous Cetoniide in the ‘* Arcana Entomologica,” I have lost

no opportunity of obtaining additional knowledge, not only of new

species, but also of the sexual distinctions of such of the previously

known species as had been known only by one or other (generally

the male) sex. By this means i have been enabled to render our

acquaintance with several interesting species complete, whilst the

arrival of several totally new species affords me an opportunity of

bringing the whole into a separate communication, which will, I

trust, be regarded with interest as a supplement, not only to the

memoirs above alluded to, but also to the several papers pub-

lished upon the species of this family by Messrs. W. W. Saunders,

Schaum and myself in the Transactions of our Society.

Goliathus (Dicronorhina) micans. (Pl. VI. fig. 1.)

Under the name of Cetonia micans a fine species of Goliath

beetle, from Calabar, on the west coast of Africa, about 5° or 6°

north latitude, was described by Drury in his I}lustrations, vol. ti.

pl. 32, fig. 3. Specimens of an African insect, captured in con-

siderable numbers at the French settlement at Senegal, were re-

garded by Messrs. Gory and Percheron, Mon. Cet. pl. 25, fig. 2,

as identical with the species of Drury. Relying, however, upon

the precise description of Drury, I did not venture to regard the

two insects as distinct—Are. Ent. i. p. 172—retaining for Drury’s

insect the name of C. micans, and giving to the Senegal one the

name of C. cavifrons.

A specimen of the true C. micans, in the collection of Mr. Melly,

has enabled me to draw up a specific diagnosis of both insects,

(Proc. Ent. Soe. 5 Nov. 1849, p.]xxxvii), and I now add figures of

the head and thorax in different points of view, with the following

distinctive description of C. micans.

Head wide, subquadrate, anterior margin produced in the middle

in front into a broad erect horn, dilated at its sides, which extend

outwardly nearly to the width of the anterior angles of the head.

When seen from the front the upper edge of the horn is rather

deeply marginate in the middle. Along the middle of the head

runs a raised ridge or carina, the hinder half of which is margined

62 Mr. J.O. Westwood’s Descriptions of Species

with a flattened oblong disc, which, unitedly, occupy about half

of the width of the head in the middle; the anterior half of the

carina has on each side a deep wide excavation, occupying the

greater part of the sides, and extending backwards nearly to the

eyes. The sides of the head are armed with a small produced

point, and the anterior margin has also a small conical projection

between the middle and the produced lateral angles.

The figures represent the head and prothorax of C. micans

seen from above (fig. 1a), and the head seen sideways (fig. 1 5)

and from the front (fig. 1 ¢).

Ceratorhina (Amantodes) Passerinu. (@ Pl. VI. fig. 2.)

$ Melly MS., Westwood, Arc. Ent. ii. p. 71, pl. 67, fig. 1, 3.

Bertoloni, Ill. Rer. Nat. Mozamb. Bonon,. 1849.

2 Schaum, in Ann. Soc. Ent. France, 2nd ser. vol.ii. pl. 11, fig. 1.

The figure of this species, which I published in the Arcana

Entomologica, was made from a drawing of the male, communi-

cated by Mr. Melly, whose manuscript name I adopted. Since

the publication of that work I have had opportunities of examining

specimens of both sexes, which have been received from Natal.

The accompanying figures represent the details of the male, and

the female with its details. ‘The head of the male (fig. 2a, seen

from above, and fig. 2b, seen sideways) is armed with two small

curved acute horns between the eyes, a small truncated horn or

tubercle on each side, in front of the eyes, and a strong compressed

furcate erect horn in front (fig. 2c, the horn seen from the front).

The maxilla of the male (fig. 2d) has the inner lobe simple and setose,

and the outer lobe acute, horny and outwardly setose; and the fore

tibiz (fig. 2e) are long, curved, inwardly armed with about six

small teeth, and outwardly serrated. The other tibiz are simple.

The female (fig. 2 2) has the head simple, and the prothorax

less developed; the anterior lateral angles are rounded and

deflexed, and the front is rather emarginate in the middle. The

maxilla (fig. 2,f) has the inner lobe armed with a strong acute

spine, and the outer lobe formed as in the male. The mesosternum

(fig. 2 g) is slightly prominent and obtuse, the fore tibize strongly

tridentate, the middle tibiae bidentate in the middle, and the hind

ones unidentate in the middle.

Goliathus (Ceratorhina) Smithi.

($ Mac Leay, Insects of South Africa, p. 34, pl. 1, fig. med.)

(QL, Viletie 3.)

The male of this fine species was first figured and described by

Mr. Mac Leay, in the work above referred to, from a unique

of African, Asiatic and Australian Cetoniide. 63

specimen brought home by Dr. A. Smith. Numerous specimens,

however, of both sexes having been received from Natal, I am en-

abled to give the accompanying details of the male, together with

a figure of the female and its details.

The head of the male (tig. 3a, the head seen from above, fig.

36, the same sideways) has the anterior lateral angles porrected

straightly forward and acute; the disc of the head is furnished

with two small acute prominences, and the middle of the fore

margin is produced into a large wide horn, curved upwards gra-

dually, and furcate at its extremity. The fore tibix (fig.3c) are

curved, with the outer edge entire, and the inner edge finely ser-

rated along its apical half, and with two stronger teeth, one at and

the other below the tip; the intermediate tibiae (fig. 3d) and the

posterior tibize (fig. 3e) are simple, and slender beyond the middle.

The female (fig. 3 2) has the head and prothorax simple; the

clypeus with the lateral angles rounded, and the anterior margin

emarginate in the middle; the disc with a slightly raised central

ridge. The legs are strong; the fore tibiz strongly tridentate,

and the intermediate and hind ones unidentate in the middle. The

mandibles (fig. 3f) are of the ordinary form; the maxilla, in this

sex (fig. 3g), with the under lobe armed with a strong acute spine,

and the outer lobe strong, horny, subacute and outwardly very

setose. The mentum deeply emarginate in the middle of the front

margin (fig. 3h), with very short palpi, with the sides, both in

front and behind, rather narrowed; the mesosternum (fig. 32,

seen from below, and fig. 3h, seen sideways) is slightly produced,

with its extremity almost triangular.

Asthenorhina Turneri.

(Westw. Arcana Entomologica, ii. p. 71, pl. 67, figs. 2, 3, 2)

C2UPIC VI. fig: 43)

Several specimens of this insect were received some years ago by

J. A. Turner, Esq., two varieties of which were represented in the

“Arcana Entomologica,” as above referred to. I am now enabled

to complete our knowledge of the species, a female having been

obtained by Captain Parry. It is eleven lines long, of a rich dark

green colour and shining; the front half of the head black,-and

the hinder part green; the antenne black. The head is closely

punctured, the anterior and lateral margins are elevated, the

former emarginate in the middle, a central carina is slightly ele-

vated, the hind part of the head above is less closely punctured ;

the prothorax is punctured at the sides and in front; the epimera

64 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions of Species

are scarcely visible from above; the scutellum is not punctured ;

the elytra, under a lens, are very finely punctured, the punctures

wide apart. The shoulders and subapical tubercles of the elytra

are black, the podex punctured closely. The body beneath is

dark green and polished, slightly and finely punctured, except the

sides of the metasternum and coxee, which are closely punctured.

The legs are dark green, the spines of the fore tibiz black, the

four hind tibiz black, slightly glossed with green, with the tarsi

black.

The maxillz in the female (fig. 4a) have the inner lobe not armed

with an acute tooth, being but slightly produced, the outer lobe

is acute and horny; the mentum (fig. 40) is widest in the middle,

the anterior margin deeply emarginate in the centre; the meso-

sternum (fig. 4¢, seen from beneath, fig. 4d, sideways) is very

slightly produced and obtusely rounded.

Tmesorrhina Saundersit, Westw.n. s. (PI. VI. fig. 5.)

Viridis, fortiter nigro-punctata, capite antice vix emarginato,

epimeris viridibus, nec aureis ; pedibus nigro-viridibus, tarsis

omnibus nigris. @

Long. corp. lin. 12 (une. 1).

Habitat in Africa tropicali occident. In Mus. Saunders,

This species is intermediate in size between 7’. concolor, Westw.

(Thoreyi, Schaum), and Jris, Fab. (amabilis, Bainbridge). It is

of an uniform rich dark green colour, densely punctured with

black punctures, those of the head being very close together, and

some of those of the disk forming a few irregular lines. The head

is oblong, the anterior lateral angles rounded, the front margin

very slightly emarginate. The antennze black, with the basal

joint dark green. ‘The maxillz (fig. 5 a) with a very short point

at the extremity of the basal lobe, and with the upper lobe rather

obtusely pointed. All the palpi are black, the mentum dark green,

deeply punctured and clothed with black hairs, with the front very

deeply emarginate. ‘The pronotum is less conical (wider behind)

than in 7’. concolor, being nearly of the shape of that of JT. Jris.

The scutellum is also more equilaterally triangular than in 7’. con-

color, and moderately punctured except at the tip. The elytra

are elongate, subparallel, thus resembling 7’. concolor, being but

little narrow behind, punctured as in 7’. Jris (but rather more

coarsely), and with similar short curved strigee near the extremity

of the lateral and sutural margins. The legs are dark green, with

black punctures and strigee ; the anterior tibice are not strongly tri-

of African, Asiatic and Australian Cetoniide. 65

dentate, although the unchannelled under surface of the abdomen

indicates the specimen to be a female. The body beneath is dark

green and punctured; the middle of the metasternum and base of

the abdomen tinged with golden colour. The sternum differs in

form from that of the two other species, being rounded and widest

in front (fig. 5b, 5c).

The unique specimen from which the above description was

made is in the Collection of W. W. Saunders, Esq., F.R.S., &e.,

who pointed it out to me as distinct from the two present known

species, and with whose name I have therefore specifically de-

scribed it.

Gnathocera Angolensis, Westw.,n. s. (PI. VI. fig. 6.)

Gn. capite nigro albo-guttato, antice bifido; pronoto convexo,

scutello elytrisque fulvis, lateribus pronoti antice albis, cor-

pore subtus olivaceo-viridi, stramineo variegato. @

Long. corp. lin. 8.

Habitat in Angola, Africze tropicali occidentali.

In Mus. Westwood. Communic. D. Turner.

This new species is of the same size as Gn. trivittata, but is

rather wider across the hind part of the prothorax and base of the

elytra, ‘The head is black, glossy and punctured ; the punctures

forming short striole on the anterior half of the head, which is

attenuated, the lateral anterior angles forming two porrected

points, which are subprismatical and rather hollowed out on the

outside; the middle of the narrowed anterior margin is also pro-

duced into a short conical point. The disk of the head is marked

between the eyes with two small white round spots; there are

also two still smaller, close to the eyes, behind, and two oblong

patches running parallel with the sides of the head. The antennz

are black, with the clava pitchy. The maxillee are elongated, and

both the upper and lower lobes are armed with a number of very

strong curved spines (fig. 6a). ‘The mentum is oblong, hairy out-

side, and with a very deep triangular incision in front (fig. 66). The

pronotum is short and broad, the lateral margins regularly rounded

and not elevated at the hinder angles; the disc is entire and

finely but numerously punctured. ‘The scutellum is elongate, tri-

angular, nearly smooth. The elytra are but slightly punctured on

the disk, but more strongly so at the sides and towards the apex,

where the punctures become elongated curved striole. The

suture is elevated as well as two longitudinal carinz on each

elytron, the interior being the most decided. The pronotum, scu-

OL, Ill. N. 8. PART I1.—ocT. 1854. F

66 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions of Species

tellum and elytra are of an uniform fulvous colour, with the sides

of the pronotum marked with a white streak for about half their

length from the anterior angles. The body beneath is of an olive

black colour, the thoracic portion with large pale buff spots, and

each of the four basal segments of the abdomen with a broad,

buff, transverse, velvet-like bar on each side, leaving the middle

naked and polished ; they are not channelled down the middle, the

specimen being a female. The legs are black; the femora with a

broad buff longitudinal stripe. The anterior tibie are tridendate,

and the four posterior ones have a short spine in the middle on

the outside. ‘The mesosternum is long, narrow and pointed, the

tip being slightly deflexed and extending as far as the front of

the anterior coxe (figs. 6c, 6d).

There are specimens of the male of this species in the British

Museum Collection, also presented by Mr. Turner, which agree

with the female in the structure and toothing of the tibize (except

that the intermediate ones are slightly curved) and in the cornuted

structure of the head. The centre of the ventral surface of the

abdomen is, however, longitudinally impressed throughout its

whole length with a row of pale buff spots down the middle, and

the face is more strongly marked with larger buff spots, leaving in

fact only a slender black trident on the forehead.

Heterrhorhina bicostata, Schaum. Trans. Ent. Soc. Vol. V. p. 65.

(Ph Vilkifig. 41)

The great general similarity between the green species of this

genus renders it advisable that figures should be given of each,

thus insuring their identification more completely than can be

effected by short descriptions. The unique specimen of this spe-

cies described by Dr. Schaum is in Captain Parry’s Collection.

It is a male, and is represented in the accompanying figure

(PI. VII. fig. 1) of the natural size. It is of a golden green colour,

with the scutellum and suture of a richer golden colour. The

front of the clypeus is black ; the first joint of the antennz green,

the remainder pitchy red ; the tarsi are black. Beneath, the body

is green, the middle being tinged with golden colour; the sides of

the metasternum closely but finely punctured; the abdomen with

a slight oblong-oval impression, extending along the middle of

the second and third, as well as the extremity of the first and

base of the fourth, ventral segments, all of which are also marked

with a row of punctures across the middle. The clypeus is

nearly quadrate in front, with the sides slightly angulated. The

maxillee have a short spine at the extremity of the inner lobe, and

of African, Asiatic and Australian Cetoniide. 67

the outer lobe is but slightly setose (fig. la). The mentum is

oblong, scarcely emarginate in front (fig. 1b). The anterior tibia

have an obtuse tooth beyond the middle (fig. 1c). The tarsi have

a minute bisetigerous pulvillus between the claws (fig. 1d), and

the mesosternal process is long, narrow, rounded at tip, and rather

deflexed (figs. le, 1).

Genus Narycius.

Sub-genus novum PratynocEernatus, Westw.

Characteres e foemina (solum adhuc visa) deprompti. Color

haud metallicus.

Caput latum, antice late concavum, angulis anticis paullo por-

rectis et acutis, vertice spina parva bifida acuta plana ar-

mato (fig. 2a, caput a latere; fig. 2b, antice visum).

Maxille (fig. 2¢) elongate, lobo basali dente valido apicali

curvato armato, lobo apicali dentibus duobus similibus ar-

mato. Mentum latum, dimidio apicali multo angustiori, mar-

gine antico fere recto; palpis brevibus (fig. 2d). Pronotum

convexum, latum lateribus rotundatis, posticé sub-rectis.

Elytra basi pronoto latiora brevia, subdepressa. Mesoster-

num acutum, conicum, porrectum (figs. 2e, 2f ). Pedes breves,

crassi ; tibize anticee tridentata, posticee quatuor dente medio

unico ; tarsi pulvillo bisetigero inter ungues instructi.

The insect which has served for the establishment of the sub-

genus proposed above is unfortunately a female, so that we are

unable to point out the precise distinctions between it and the

Indian Cyphonocephalus, Westw. (Arc. Ent. i. p. 115, pl. 33, fig. 2

and details), of which only a single male is known. From the

typical Narycius opalus it differs in the upper lobe of the maxilla

having only two strong curved horny spines instead of three, and

the mentum is not so conical, nor is it emarginate in front. As

these characters exist in both sexes of NV. opalus, we are perhaps

justified in considering that the female of Cyphonocephalus will

also agree with the male in having a tridentate upper lobe to the

maxillz, and an emarginate mentum. These characters, therefore,

in addition to the want of metallic colouring, will distinguish Pla-

tynocephalus from Cyphonocephalus.

Narycius (Platynocephalus) Hamiltoni, 2. (Pl. VII. fig. 2.)

Supra fulvus, nitidus, subplanus, tenuissime punctatus; capite

antice concavo, dense punctato ; pronoti lateribus nigro tenue-

F 2

68 Mr. J.O. Westwood’s Descriptions of Species

marginatis, marginibus nigris lateralibus in medio paullo intus

dilatatis, punctisque duobus transversis prope scutellum po-

sitis ; scutello elytrisque flavescentibus nigro-marginatis, his

tenue punctatis, sutura vittisque duabus longitudinalibus

levibus; corpore infra nigro, sterno, femoribus, epimeris,

coxisque posticis extus fulvis, abdomine castaneo.

Long. corp. lin. 14.

Habitat in India orientali, Moulmein. -

In Muszo Societatis Entomol. Lond. Commun. Domina Ha-

milton.

The upper side of the head is fulvous, coloured and very glossy ;

the concave anterior portion strongly punctate and sparingly clothed

with luteous setae; the hind part smooth in the middle, punctate

at the sides; the front and side margins have a slender edging of

black, and the tips of the two points on the forehead are also black.

Antenne black; club dark chesnut ; epistoma fulvous. Under-

side of the head, with the mouth, pitchy black ; palpi dark ches-

nut. Pronotum rich fulvous, with a slender black margin ; disc

glossy, with very minute punctures, most numerous towards the

anterior angles: near these angles the dark margin is slightly ex-

tended into the disk, and there are also two small dusky transverse

marks near the hinder margin. Scutellum orange-coloured, flat,

glossy and nearly impunctate. Elytra pale buffish yellow, outer

margin rich brown, with a narrow black suture and a black sub-

marginal line extending to the humeral angles, which are entirely

black ; dise finely punctured, the punctures forming a line on each

near the suture, and four lines on the disc, leaving two interme-

diate spaces smooth; the intervening spaces with the punctures

irregular. Pygidium densely punctate, dark chesnut. Body be-

neath black, with fine fulvous hairs ; sternal mucro rich fulvous,

as well as the exposed portions of the scapule and of the hind

coxz; femora also rich orange, with the extreme tip black.

Tibize and tarsi black, terminal joints of the latter broadly fulvous

at the base. Abdomen rich chesnut, less strongly punctate than

the metasternum.

The Entomological Society of London is indebted for the unique

specimen of the female of this insect to Mrs. Hamilton, who has

very liberally enriched the Society’s. Collection with great num-

bers of fine insects from India. It is to be hoped that we may

shortly receive the male from the same quarter.

of African, Asiatic and Australian Cetoniide. 69

Dicronocephalus Wallichui, Hope, in Gray’s Zool. Misc., 1831,

p. 24.

(Westw. Arc. Ent. i. p. 5, pl. 1, fig. 4, 3.)

(@ Plate VIT. fig. 3.)

Of this fine insect (the analysis of the mouth of which was first

given, with a figure of the male, in the Arcana Entomologica),

the male only was known from specimens captured by the

late Dr. Wallich. Mr. Fortune having, however, been so fortu-

nate as to re-discover the insect in North China, and to meet

with both sexes, I am enabled to give a figure of the female

(Plate VII. fig. 5), which differs very widely, in general appear-

ance, from the male. The head above is concave, and thickly

and coarsely punctured ; the front part is somewhat quadrate, with

the anterior lateral angles produced into rather obtuse points,

between which the fore margin is emarginate ; the sides are swollen

in the middle; above, the head is chesnut red, slightly glossy,

with the hind part between the eyes obscure black, with two small,

dull, whitish spots. ‘The pronotum is covered with dull, opaque,

dark greenish-yellow pile, except two raised, slightly curved,

longitudinal bars, which are black, glossy, and finely punctured ;

the lateral and posterior margins are slender and raised. The scu-

tellum is black and punctured, with a narrow, central, luteous line.

The elytra are covered with the same kind of pile as the pronotum,

with a narrow dark streak along the suture at the humeral angles,

an irregular longitudinal stripe extending thence to the subapical

tubercle, and the lateral narrow raised margin, all of which are

black. The podex is chesnut, redder at the tip, finely punctured,

with a luteous patch on each side. The body beneath is black,

the meso and metasterna spotted with buff, as well as the sides of

the posterior coxee; the anterior coxe are black, chesnut in the

middle of the front side. All the femora are chesnut red beneath,

with the upper edge black, as well as the tips. The anterior

tibiee are black, chesnut red beneath, and along the inner margin ;

the four posterior tibiz are chesnut red, black at the base and

tips. The tarsi black, and with the base of the 3rd and 4th joints,

and the greater part of the 5th joint, fulvous. The maxilla

(fig. 3a) are unarmed at the tip of the lower lobe; the upper one

is, however, acutely pointed at the tip. The mentum is broad,

the middle of each side much and roundly dilated, the fore margin

deeply emarginate (fig. 3b.) The mesosternum is not produced

into a porrected point, although it is of a conical form (fig. 3 ¢, 3 d).

70 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions of Species

Cosmiomorpha setulosa, Westw. n. s.

(Plate VII. fig. 4.)

Nigro-castanea, nitida, punctatissima, setis luteis (e punctis)

obsita; scutello, sutura, costisque duabus in singulo elytro

nudis, capitis margine antico maris in medio parum producto

et recurvo, pedibus mediocribus, maris haud intus serratis,

extus subtridentatis. (m. et f.)

Long. corp. lin. 83.

Habitat in China septentrionali. D. Fortune.

In Mus. Westwood, &c.

This species is considerably smaller than the type of the genus

C. modesta, described by Mr. Saunders in the 2nd Volume, N.S.,

of our Transactions, p. 29, pl. 3, figs. 1, 2, and exhibits in a much

less marked manner the sexual peculiarities of the genus as shown

in the type, the prothorax of the male being scarcely angulated at

the sides, and the fore legs, with the tibize and tarsi, shorter, the

former part being almost destitute of the inferior crenulation, but

the outer edge is more distinctly bidentate ; the joints of the tarsi

are also destitute of the produced point on the underside. (See

Bit: fies id.)

The upper surface of the body is thickly covered with very

minute punctures, each emitting a small luteous seta. The head

has the anterior angles rounded, the front margin elevated in the

middle and acute, the middle of the elevated part slightly emar-

ginate, the disc concave. Between the eyes is a small central,

raised, and polished carina. The antenne and palpi are pitchy.

The prothorax is almost conical in form, with the anterior trunca-

tion narrow ; the sides very slightly rounded and slightly margined

behind ; the hinder angles rounded, the bind margin nearly straight.

The scutellum and suture black ; the former but slightly punctured

and setose, the latter with two longitudinal carinze, down the disc

of the elytra, glabrous and impunctate. The epimera strongly

setose. The shoulders of the elytra much wider than the hind

part of the pronotum. Legs of moderate length. The fore tibiz

in both sexes with the external margins tridentate. The body

beneath is clothed with longer luteous setze, especially at the sides,

The mesosternal process (formed as in C, modesta), as well as the

centre of the abdomen (which is but slightly channelled in the

male), nearly naked and impunctate.

of African, Asiatic and Australian Cetoniide. 71

Macronata fraterna, Westw. (PI. VII. fig. 5.)

M. nigra, fulvo-vittata; clypeo, antennis, palpis pedibusque tes-

taceis, pronoto antice subrotundato, lateribus postice fere pa-

rallelis, medio disci postice paullo depresso. ¢

Long. corp. lin. 7.

Habitat in Insulis Phillippinensibus. In Mus. Britann.

Head strongly punctured, black, glossy. Clypeus pale testa-

ceous red, finely setose ; sete luteous, anterior angles rounded,

middle of fore margin emarginate; a rich velvety yellow striga

runs on each side nearly the whole length of the head, leaving the

black central portion narrow and slightly carinated, glossy and

impunctate. Antennze and palpi pale castaneous. Prothorax

about one-third wider than the head, the anterior portion rounded ;

the sides in the hinder half are nearly parallel, so that the greatest

width is across the middle; the dise is opaque, being entirely

covered with minute punctures emitting fine black sete; the mid-

dle of the hind margin is moderately prolonged behind, being

sinuated on each side, the sinuated portion being rather raised and

very glossy ; the middle of the disc is slightly depressed from the

middle to the hind margin; down the middle of the pronotum ex-

tends a golden yellow opaque longitudinal stripe, rather widened

behind, and on each side is a curved stripe of similar width and

colour, nearly parallel with the lateral margins of the prothorax.

The scutellum is almost covered with a golden yellow patch

pointed behind. The elytra are depressed in the region of the

scutellum, and along the suture they are black, densely covered

with minute short impressed striole emitting black setae, and each

is marked with a narrow golden yellow stripe extending from near

the apex of the scutellum, parallel with the suture, near to the

apex, where it 1s curved outwardly, following the outline of the

apex, but not extending to the outer margin. On each side of

the humeral callus is a short, slender, rather curved, golden yellow

stripe, and beyond this a golden yellow marginal spot. The podex

is black, opaque, finely setose, with a small circular golden spot.

The underside of the body is black and glossy ; the central part

of the body almost impunctate ; the sides more thickly punctured,

the abdominal portion with large punctures. The sides of the

prosternum, the anterior and posterior margins of the metasternum

on each side, a patch on the anterior margin of the posterior cox,

and three fascize on the abdomen, widely interrupted in the middle,

all golden yellow ; the legs are rich chesnut red.

The remarkable similarity between this insect and M, regia,

72 Mr. J.O. Westwood’s Descriptions of Species

Fabricius, induces me to add a comparative description of the

two species, together with a magnified figure of each. ‘The figures

given by Messrs. Gory and Percheron (Mon. Cet. p. 514, pl. 62,

figs. 2 and 3) of M. regia, Fab., and M. depressa (which is the

dark state of the species, M. regia being a red, probably an im-

mature, specimen), agree with the insect represented by me in

Pl. VIL. fig. 6, especially in the rounded form of the prothorax.

Their specimen of M. depressa was from Calcutta, and that of

M. regia was from the East Indies. In their description of the

latter they are silent as to the two short slender pale lines near

the shoulder of each elytron, but M. Guérin’s excellent figure

(pl. 62, fig. 3) exhibits them.

The specimen of M. regia, Fab., represented in our PI. VII.

fig. 6, is a native of Moulmein in the East Indies, and has been

presented to the Entomological Society of London by Mrs. Hamil-

ton.

Macronota fraterna, Westw.

Habitat Phillippine Islands.

General form narrow, much

attenuated behind.

Pronotum widest across the

middle, dise densely setose, with

a slight central impression be-

hind; closely covered with mi-

nute punctures, lateral yellow

stripes curved.

Elytra with the outer margin

velvety ; impressed part of the

dise densely covered with minute

short oblique striola, which are

setigerous.

Outer part of the two central

lateral yellow spots extending

backwards.

Podex with a round yellow

Spot.

Macronota regia, ab.. Burm.,

Schaum. @ Var. M. de-

pressa, Gory and Perch. t. 62,

£512:

Habitat Continental India.

General form wider, more

ovate behind.

Pronotum widest behind; dise

nearly naked, with a deep wide

impression extending nearly

from the fore margin to the

scutellum, gradually widening ;

dise with large punctures, show-

ing the polished surface between

them; lateral yellow stripes

nearly straight.

Elytra nearly naked and po-

lished throughout ; outer margin

rather deeply punctured; im-

pressed part of the dise with fine

close longitudinal impressed

lines running through the two

yellow stripes.

Outer part of the two yellow

spots in the middle of the sides

extending forwards.

Podex with a semicircular yel-

low spot.

of African, Asiatic and Australian Cetoniide. 73

Macronota setipes, Westw. n. s. (PI. VII. fig. 7.)

M. elongata, elytris subparallelis, nigra, capite et pronoto ver-

miculatis, elytris medio longitudinaliter depressis, rufis, nigro-

maculatis, apiceque nigris, tenuissime strigulosis; pedibus

elongatis gracilibus, setis longis paucis instructis 3.

Long. corp. lin. 7.

Habitat in China septentrionali. D. Fortune.

In Mus. Britann.

This species agrees in size and elongated form with 1. elongata

of Gory and Percheron, Mon, Cet. p. 327, pl. 64, fig. 6, from

Calcutta. With the exception of the elytra it is entirely black.

The head is rugose, with a very slender short polished carina in the

middle, between the eyes, The elypeus is rounded at the sides,

and deeply angularly emarginate in the middle. The antennz

and palpi are black, the clava of the former dark chesnut. The

pronotum is vermiculato-rugose; it is subheptagonal, being widest

across the middle; the middle of the hind margin is rounded, and

the disc in front of this part is flat. The elytra are oblong, dark

red, with about one-sixth at the apex black. The suture is also

black, each elytron also with four black spots, one on the shoulder,

another smaller lateral above the hind femora, a third near the ex-

tremity of the scutellum, and a fourth beyond the middle, the two

latter joining the suture ; they are nearly opaque, the disc marked

with numerous very fine slender lineolw, those in the middle

being longitudinal, those on the side transverse, and those near the

apex curved and circularly arranged round the subapical callus,

which is prominent. The podex is covered with fine striola,

similarly arranged. The body beneath is black and glossy, and

but slightly punctured; the metasternum is marked with a longi-

tudinal central impressed line, and its sides and front rather thickly

clothed with luteous hairs. The abdomen is widely flattened along

the middle, but not channelled. The legs are long and very slender,

the tibize emitting a few very long slender sete.

Eupeecila ochracea, Westw.n. s. (PI. VII. fig. 8.)

S. supra ochraceo-flava, glabra, nitida; pronoto macula parva

submarginali utrinque ante medium ; elytris maculis 4 nigris,

pedibus fulvis ; metasterno abdomineque nigris, cinereo dense

setosis.

Long. corp. lin. 9.

Habitat in Nova Hollandia.

In Mus. Britann.

Size of £. punctata, Donovan, but with the body slenderer, the

74 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions of Species, &c.

elytra more attenuated behind, and the legs longer, above of an

ochraceous yellow colour. Head above finely punctured; the

clypeus elongated, the sides rounded and slightly elevated, the

front margin with a deep, nearly angular incision. Antenne,

palpi and parts of the mouth concolorous ; prothorax subconical,

slightly dilated in the middle of the lateral angles, and with the

posterior angles slightly produced outwardly; disc slightly convex,

highly polished, and nearly impunctate ; middle of the hind margin

slightly emarginate, for the reception of the scutellum: on each

side of the disc, opposite the subdilated part, is a small black spot;

scutellum glabrous: elytra with the shoulders very much dilated,

behind which they are gradually attenuated to the extremity; the

disc is very glabrous and scarcely punctured; the suture de-

pressed from the base for about half its length, within each of the

humeral angles is a minute black dot, and there is another on

each elytron near the apex of the scutellum; another, larger and

transverse, is placed rather beyond the middle of each elytron, and

a nearly round one towards the apex. The podex is very convex,

covered with fine strigee, arranged circularly, with an oval black

dot in the centre. Beneath the prosternum, mesosternal process

ovate, with the extremity slightly pointed (fig. 8a, 8b) ; front of the

metasternum and posterior coxz yellow, the remainder of the me-

tasternum and the abdomen black, glabrous, punctate, and thickly

clothed with cinereous hairs. The legs are long, slender and fulvous.

Whether this be a variety of /. octo-punctata, Hope, MS., I

havenotat present means of clearly determining; it seems, however,

to agree in general with Burmeister’s short description (Handb.

iii. p. 540), except in the maculation of the prothorax and elytra.

Eupeecila succinea. (PI. VII. fig. 9.)

The short description given by Mr. Hope of this species (Schi-

zorhinas, Trans. Ent. Soc. vol. iii. p. 281) contains no description

of its structural details. No figures have indeed hitherto been

published of the characters of the genus; I therefore take this

opportunity of adding a figure of this species, with details taken

from the male in Mr. Hope’s Collection. Fig. 9 a represents one

of the mandibles; fig. 9 b, one of the maxille, the inner lobe being

simple, whilst the upper one is acute and horny at the tip; fig. 9c,

the mentum rather wider in front than at the base, and somewhat

cordate punctate, the middle of the fore margin being emarginate ;

fig. 9d and fig. 9e, the mesosternal process, seen from beneath

and sideways, which is wide, and with the anterior lateral angles

acute.

This species is a native of the Swan River.

Gers ©)

XI. Notes on the Species of Amycterus and Allied Genera,

with Descriptions of some New Species. By Gero. R.

WarternHowsE, Esq., F. Z. 85

[Read July 3rd, 1854.]

Order COLEOPTERA.

Section CurcuLionivEs.

Sub-section Cyctomipes, Scho.*

Proposine from time to time to lay before the Society certain

notes, which I imagine may facilitate the study of this division of

the Curculionides, 1 wiil commence with those species which are

now arranged under the generic name Acantholophus. The

species of this group are for the most part very similar to each

other, and undoubtedly are difficult to distinguish through the

published descriptions, on account of the differential characters

not being brought forward in any prominent manner: having,

however, had an opportunity of examining nearly all the original

types described in Schonherr’s work—these types being in the

Rev. Mr. Hope’s collection, now at Oxford—I have been thereby

enabled to throw them into a tabular form, which table I now lay

before the Society, hoping it may help those who may wish to

study the group.

AcantuoLopuus (Mac Leay), Schonherr.

I. With bifurcated spine over the eye :

A. With three rows of tubercles or

spines on each elytron, the outer

row consisting of four or more

tubercles or spines.

a. Without sub-apical spines.. suturaiis.

lateralis.}

Marshami.

Adelaide, Wat., n.sp,

planicollis, Wat.,n. sp.

6. With sub-apical spines .... Aypoleucus.

* The Australian Curculionides with a six-jointed funiculus to the antenne,

including the genera Euomus, Mythites (Acanthomus, Germ.), Tetralophus, Wat.,

Amycterus, and Acantholophus, form a very distinct and natural group, which

might be called Amycteride. ‘The so-called Brachycerus Australis of Germar

also belongs here.

t A. lateralis has a single large humeral spine, whilst A. suturalis has two or

three very small spines on the humeral angle of the elytra.

76 Mr. G. R. Waterhouse’s Notes

B. With two rows of tubercles, and

with but two well-developed tu-

bercles in place of the four, or

more, of outer row in sect. A... hystrix.

bivittatus.

II. With simple tubercle over the eye, and

two approximated acute tubercles at

base of rostrum ....ccccccccveee CEHNOSUS.

III. With simple tubercle over the eye:

A. Thorax depressed, the sides pro-

duced into lateral spines, or into

a dentate ridge :

a. With three rows of tubercles

on each elytron ........ dumosus.

b. With two rows of tubercles

to each elytron, andasingle

post-humeral lateral spine aureolus.

ce. Elytra subgranular — no

strongly developed tuber-

CLES a aie oye to icles «aisle cia eo OMIA:

B. Thorax more or less convex, and

without distinct lateral ridges .. Bohemani.

scotobioides, Hope.

morosus, Germ.

Dohrnii, Wat. nov. sp.

crenicollis, Wat.nov.sp.

The species forming this last section (III. B.) are intermediate

in their characters between Amycterus and Acantholophus, and

perhaps on the whole would be better placed in the former genus.

They form a natural little group; all the species have the rostrum

more or less crested or ridged at the sides, the ridge most elevated

above the eye. Of the 4. scotobioides of Hope’s MSS. I have

but a short note, to the effect that it closely resembles 4. Bohemani

in its general characters, but is distinguished by the elytra being

bent suddenly down at the apex, so as to form a right angle with

the dorsal surface ; and that at this part the elytra have, on either

side, a distinct tubercular keel or ridge ; the ridge commences on

the fifth interstice of the striae, towards the middle, and vanishes

before reaching the apex.

Acantholophus Adelaide.

Ac. oblongus ater, fusco-squamosus, fronte utrinque tuberculis

duobus basalibus subspiniformibus, connatis, instructo ; tho-

race dorso seriatim bifariam tuberculato, lateribus acute tri-

on the Species of Amycterus. 77

tuberculato ; elytris transversim rugosis trifariam tuberculatis,

tuberculis parvulis, posticis, majoribus, conicis.

Long. corp. rostr. incl. 8 lin.

Patria Nova Hollandia, ad ‘ Adelaide.”

This species belongs to section I. A. a. of the table, and is at

once distinguished from others of that section by the small size

of the tubercles, which are arranged in three rows on the elytra ;

it should follow 4. Marshamz in the series.

The forehead is depressed, and separated from the rostrum by

a transverse ridge, which is subinterrupted in the middle: the

rostrum is bounded on either side above by a ridge, which is

produced into a vertical bifurcated process immediately in front

of the eye, the process is somewhat recurved and rather acute,

and the anterior division of the bifurcation is small: the same

lateral ridge of the rostrum is again produced in front, above the

point of the insertion of the antennae, so as to form a conical tu-

bercle at that part : two ridges extend from the base of the rostrum

above, where they are separated by a groove, and diverge as they

proceed forwards towards the two conical tubercles last mentioned.

The thorax is about equal in length and breadth, and about half

the width of the elytra: its broadest part is rather in front of the

middle; the dorsal surface is moderately convex, and presents

two rows of about six tubercles, and these are conical, if we ex-

cept the two foremost, which form short crests, in front projecting

partly over the head: besides these, there is a small tubercle on

the fore part, about midway between the middle and the lateral

margin; the sides of the thorax are provided with three acutely

conical tubercles, two of which are united at their bases, and are

situated rather in front of the middle line; the foremost of these

is the larger, and the third tubercle is placed about midway be-

tween these and the base; a transverse groove is seen towards the

fore part of the thorax, and a similar groove is situated towards

the hinder margin. The elytra are oblong ovate; convex, and

slightly mucronate at the apex: they are somewhat irregularly

punctate-striate, and transversely rugose, the interstices have

minute tubercles, in series, but there are three rows of more dis-

tinct tubercles (very small as compared with most other species

of the genus); of the innermost row, which belong to the second

interstice, the tubercles are scarcely more apparent, on the basal

portion of the elytra, than those of the adjoining interstice, but on

the posterior half there are four or five, which are larger, and the

hindermost of these is the largest, and of a conical form (the

78 Mr. G. R. Waterhouse’s Notes

others being obtuse) ; it is situated rather behind the commence-

ment of the posterior third of the elytra; there are no tubercles

behind this part. All the tubercles of the second row are nearly

equal, but the hindermost are a little more elevated, and some-

what acute. The outer row vanishes on the hinder half of the

elytra. ‘The abdomen beneath is almost destitute of scales: the

segments present some very minute scattered punctures, besides

which, on the first and second segments, as well as on the post-

pectus, are numerous transverse ruge, but these are extremely

delicate.

Acantholophus planicollis.

A. oblongus, niger, fusco-squamosus ; capite tuberculis minutis

postice instructo, rostro utrinque crista interrupta, oblique

elevata, instructo: thorace dorso depresso, tuberculis par-

vulis (vel granulis) irregularis adsperso, lateribus tubercu-

lato: elytris apice conjunctim rotundatis, dorso subdepressis,

punctato-striatis, intersticiis seriatim granulatis; intersticiis

2 et 4 postice tuberculis parvulis conicis, parum elevatis,

tuberculisque duobus ad suturam ante apicem, instructis.

Long. corp. rostr. incl. 8 lin.

Patria, Nova Hollandia, ad “ Adelaide.”

This species is closely allied to the preceding, but is readily

distinguished by the absence of the two rows of distinct tubercles

on the disc of the thorax, and the flatness of the dorsal surface,

and the small size of the tubercles on the sides of that segment,

together with the presence of a sutural tubercle at some little dis-

tance from the apex of the elytra. The crest on each side of the

rostrum is not produced into spines: it is, however, considerably

elevated, notched near the middle, and again between this point

and the front; the posterior half of the crest terminates behind in

an acute point, and is slightly recurved; a transverse impression

separates the head from the rostrum, and there is a short longitu-

dinal groove at the base of the latter: on the back part of the

head are two small tubercles. The thorax is nearly flat above,

has a transverse impression towards the frent, and another behind ;

besides which is a shallow depression, in which is a central ridge,

along the mesial line: there is a series of 3 or 4 smallish conical

tubercles on the lateral margin. The elytra are elongate-ovate,

the shoulders rounded, the sides sub-parallel in the middle portion.

The abdomen is tolerably well clothed with brown scales. The

minute scattered tubercles and granules on the thorax vary in

on the Species of Amycterus. 79

different specimens, in some there being very few, whilst in others

they are somewhat numerous ; and, further, in the colouring there

is some amount of variation, the scales in some being grey, in

others brown or rufous-brown—not unfrequently the elytra are

variegated with black.

Amycterus crenicollis.

A. oblongus, ater, cinereo-squamosus; fronte longitudinaliter

ruguloso, granulis setiferis adspersis et utrinque tuberculo

conico, instructo; rostro basi transversim impresso; thorace

parvulo, subrotundato, supra parum convexo, canaliculato,

granulis setiferis sat crebre obsito, lateribus seriatim tuber-

culato: elytris punctato-striatis, interstitiis convexis seriatim

granulatis, granulis setiferis, squamulis cinereis nigrisque ves-

titis.

Long. corp. 6 lin.

Patria, Nova Hollandia, ad Swan River.

This species is very close to 4. Bohemani and A. morosus, but

may be distinguished from either by the thorax being distinctly

ridged at the sides; the ridge being broken up into a series of

conical tubercles, most of which are small, but near the centre is

a comparatively large tubercle, which is followed behind by a

strong notch. ‘The granules in the thorax are distinctly larger

than inthe same part of 4. morosus; the thorax, moreover, is pro-

portionally smaller, and is less convex. Whether to place this spe-

cies in the genus Amycterus or in Acantholophus, 1 find it some-

what difficult to determine; its characters are, in fact, intermediate.

Amycterus Dohrnit.

A. oblongo-ellipticus, niger, cinereo-squamosus ; fronte longi-

tudinaliter rugoso, granulisque setiferis paucis obsito, utrinque

subcristato ; rostro basi profunde transversim impresso; tho-

race sat crebre granulato, postice lateribusque tuberculis

nonnullis obsito, dorso canaliculato ; elytris striato-punctatis,

interstitlis granulatis, postice tuberculis parvulis conicis se-

riatim obsitis, in interstitio 2° tuberculo magno, subspinoso,

ante apicem instructis.

Long. corp. 7 lin.

Patria, Nova Hollandia, ad Swan River.

Var. B. elytris interstitiis granulis magnis obsitis ; intersticiis

alternis tuberculatis.

This species bears a very strong resemblance to the 4. morosus,

80 Mr. G. R. Waterhouse’s Notes, Sc.

but may at once be known by the two large acutely conical tuber-

cles which are situated on the elytra, at the part at which they are

somewhat suddenly deflexed behind. The granules on the thorax

are larger, and there are some small conical tubercles on this

part; viz. two near the middle of the posterior margin, another

at the posterior angle, and one again on the side of the thorax,

rather in front of the middle. I do not anticipate these will be

constant in all specimens of the species. On the elytra the minute

tubercles, commonly distinguished by the term granules, gra-

dually increase in size, so as at last to assume the form of small

pointed tubercles, and these latter are most distinct towards the

hinder part of the elytra, on the alternate interstices : again, in the

region of the shoulders, are some of the small tubercles The

abdomen has some very fine scattered punctures, and some,

equally scattered, scales beneath.

I have a specimen of this insect from Swan River, and there are

two specimens evidently of the same species in the Collection of

the British Museum, but which differ from each other and from the

specimen described in certain particulars ; one forms the variety

B., already noticed, and the other has the two tubercles situated

towards the apex of the elytra, and belonging to the second inter-

stice, very little more developed than the tubercles which precede

them.

I have named this species in honour of the accomplished Pre-

sident of the Entomological Society of Stettin.

Gor’)

XII. Descriptions of Four New Species of Beetles, belong-

ing to the Family Pausside. By J. O. Westwoop,

DELS. OC.

[Read 8rd July, 1854.]

Havine recently, by the kindness of Professor Boheman and

Herr Dohrn, become acquainted with four new species of Pausside,

I have considered it would be useful to publish their characters,

by way of supplement to the article upon that family contained

in the 2nd volume of the New Series of our Transactions (p. 84),

the number of species described in the family now extending to

89. Three of the species are natives of Caffraria, whence they

were brought by Wahlberg, and are now contained in the Royal

Museum of Stockholm; the fourth is a native of Ceylon, col-

lected by Neitner, and is in the collection of Herr Dohrn himself.

All the species belong to the genus Paussus.

Section A. Prothorax quasi bipartitus.

Sub-section 6. Antennarum clava postice excavata.

Divis.* Species Asiatica.

Sp. 48* (55). Paussus pacificus, Westw. n. s.

P, castaneus, tenue punctatus et vage luteo-setosus, lateribus

pronoti postice elytrorumque disco late nigris nitidis, femori-

bus obscuris, capite inter oculos tuberculo depresso semi-

circulari instructo, antennarum clava subovata, margine antico

subrecto acuto, disco utrinque ad basin longitudinaliter

impresso, margine postico excavato, pagina superiori excava-

tionis recta, inferiori denticulis minutis 6 striolisque totidem

transversis notata; prothorace sub-bipartito, parte antica

capite paullo latiori elevata, in medio longitudinaliter parum

impressa, lateribus obliquis et obtusis, medio pronoti fossula

transversa brevi impresso; parte postica, ejusdem latitudinis

lateribus integris, sensim angustatis; elytris prothorace

multo latioribus, punctis minutissimis vix impressis, lateribus

setis rubris curvatis brevibus marginatis, nigris, nitidis, basi,

lateribus apiceque castaneis, podice castaneo, margine ele-

vato nigro; pedibus gracilibus, obscure castaneis, tibiis

posticis brevioribus latioribus 3 palporum maxillarium pice-

orum articulo 2ndo maximo fere circulari, palpis labialibus

gracilibus sub-filiformibus fulvis,

Long. corp. lin. 22.

Habitat Ceylon. D.Neitner. In Mus. Dohrn.

VOL. Ifl. N.S. PART II,—JAN. 1855. G

82 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions

Most nearly allied to the Chinese Paussus Bowring, Westw.

Proc. Linn. Soc. June 19, 1849, but at once distinguished by the

spineless lateral margin of the fore part of the prothorax, the

broad posterior tibia, &c.

Division ** Species Africane.

Sp. 63* (56). Paussus De Geerii, Westw., n. s.

P. sub-elongatus, fulvus; elytris tenue punctatissimis, setis luteis

brevibus obsitis; capite sat lato, inter oculos tuberculis

duobus parvis rotundatis depressis inter se et oculos aque

distantibus ; antennarum clava oblonga curvata, margine an-

tico acuto, apice rotundato, margine postico canaliculato,

canali elongato subpyriformi, pagina superiori tuberculis 5

parvis rotundis instructo, posteriori vero parum latiori,

inermi; prothorace subbipartito, parte antica capite vix latiori,

angulato-elevata, in medio subemarginata, latioribus angulatis ;

parte postica angustiori, lateribus rectis parallelis elevatis,

canali transverso submedio parum profundo, tuberculis duo-

bus contiguis mediis postice terminata; elytris prothorace

multo latioribus subparallelis; pedibus elongatis gracilibus ;

palpis maxillaribus crassis, articulo 2ndo maximo obconico,

labialibus articulo ultimo elongato-ovali, dente medio menti

fere obsoleto.

Long. corp. lin. 34.

Habitat in Caffraria. D. Wahlberg. In Mus. Reg. Holm.

In the curved clava of its antenne as well as in general ap-

pearance this species approaches P. Germari and Schaumi, Westw.

Trans. Ent, Soc. N.S. ii. p. 94.

Sp. 63** (57). Paussus Afzelii, Westw. n. s.

P. fulvus, vix nitidus, tenuissime scaber; elytris nigris, basi

sutura apiceque fulvis, luteo-setosis; capite antice oblique

declivi, parte postica capitis semicirculariter et abrupte de-

pressa; antennarum clava oblonga curvata subcultrata, mar-

gine antico acuto, apice rotundato, margine postico cana-

liculato, canali elongato angusto, pagina ejus superiori

tuberculis sex minutis impressionibus totidem transversis

conjunctis, pagina inferiori parum sinuata integra ; prothorace

capite parum angustiori subbipartito, parte antica longiori,

lateribus rotundatis, in medio supra canali longitudinali for-

titer impresso, medio disci fossula trigona impresso, antice

utrinque tuberculo parvo rotundato instructo, parte postica

of Four new Species of Pausside. 83

sensim latiori, lateribus obliquis; elytris prothorace multo

latioribus, lateribus subparallelis; pedibus angustis com-

pressis ; corpore infra obscurius fulvo; palpis maxillaribus

articulo 2ndo magno ovato, labialibus articulo ultimo ovali

apice subacuto.

Long. corp. lin. 3.

Habitat in Caffraria. D. Wahlberg. In Mus. Reg. Holm.

This species is closely allied to the preceding, but is well dis-

tinguished by the narrow prothorax divided into two nearly equal

parts, the anterior with the sides rounded, and the hinder part

widest behind.

Sp. 66* (58). Paussus Bohemani, Westw., n. s.

P. fulvo-castaneus, nitidus, setis longis erectis obsitus, abdomine

obscuriori; capite subgloboso, cornu valido erecto verticali,

clava antennarum ovali, glabra, basi supra apiceque in spi-

nam reflexam acutam productis, margine postico canali tenui

abbreviato utrinque lobis 5 rotundatis marginato ; palpis lon-

gioribus, maxillarum articulo secundo subsecuriformi; dente

medio menti obliterato; prothorace subbipartito; parte an-

tica antice capitis latitudine, subito elevata, angulis anticis

subacutis et paullo porrectis, marginibus Jateralibus in medio

angulatis, apice anguli obtuso, disco e medio ad basin pro-

funde impresso; parte postica latiori, breviori, angulis anticis

angulato-porrectis, tuberculoque elevato oblongo supra rotun-

dato sublaterali utrinque instructa; elytris parte postica

pronoti parum latioribus, sensim paullo latioribus ; pedibus

elongatis, femoribus omnibus in medio clavatis setosis, tibiis

curvatis, pone medium presertim in pedibus intermediis

crassioribus, his intus setosis, caleari minimo acuto ; tarsis

articulo basali minuto.

Long. corp. lin. 3.

Habitat in Caffraria. D. Wahlberg. In Mus. Reg. Holm.

This species is at once distinguished from every other in the

genus by the clavate femora and denticulated prothorax. Its

general habit is also quite peculiar.

84 Mr. H. T. Stainton on Entomological Difficulties

XIII. On some of the Difficulties of Entomological Stu-

dents, as exemplified by recent Experience in the Genus

Elachista. By H. T. Starnron, Esq.

{Read 2nd October, 1854.]

A very useful paper by M. Godet appeared in the first volume

of the “ Annales de la Société Entomologique de France,” p. 34,

entitled ‘ Quelques Observations sur la Maniére de travailler en

Histoire Naturelle, et en particulier sur les Monographies.” The

object of this was, as its title implies, to point out the best way to

proceed in working out groups monographically ; and this paper

may be read with real advantage by students at the present day,

and none can read it without pleasure.

M. Godet says at page 39, “ Pour faire une bonne Monogra-

phie, il faut avoir une connaissance exacte de l’anatomie du groupe

d’insectes dont on s’occupe, faire l’histoire de leurs transformations,

de leurs mceurs, de leurs habitudes, des substances végétales ou

animales dont ils aiment a se nourrir. I] faut lire les ouvrages de

tous les auteurs qui se sont occupés du groupe qui fait l’objet des

travaux du monographe. A cette partie se rattache la synonymie,

si souvent négligée et si eminemment nécessaire. ..... Ce

n’est qu’aprés s’étre enrichi d’une masse d’observations faites par

d’autres ou par lui-méme que le monographe doit procéder seri-

eusement a la fixation définitive des espéces, a l’énoncé de leurs

caractéres, a leur description et a l’établissement des groupes

artificiels ou naturels.”

How true all this is, all who have worked monographically must

have felt, and must have found it no light task they had under-

taken.

To chronicle observations made, to describe specimens placed

before one, is one thing; but to define the limits of the variations

of species, to make the observations necessary to supply some

gap that is perceptible, are very different matters, and the mono-

grapher has this to do, or he fails of his intended end. Passing

over the “ connaissance exacte de l’anatomie du groupe,” I wish to

offer a few remarks on the second point, “ faire l’histoire de leurs

transformations.” To do this, it is necessary to know, 1°. Where

the egg is laid; 2°. How soon it is hatched; 3°. How long the

larva lives before changing its skin; 4°, What change (if any) in

the form and markings of the larva takes place when it changes

its skin; 5°. At what period the larva will be full fed; 6°. What

exemplified in the Genus Elachista. 85

change takes place in its appearance when full fed; 7°. Where it

changes to pupa; 8°. What amount of cocoon it makes; 9°. What

is the form of the pupa; and 10°. How long it remains in the

pupa state.

But besides “l'histoire de leurs transformations,” we require

that of “leurs moeurs, leurs habitudes.” 1°. Is the larva grega-

rious or solitary? 2°. Is it active or sluggish? 3°. Does it feed

by night or by day? 4°. Does it construct any cell or gallery in

which it feeds? 5°. Is the pupa lively or not? 6°. Does the

perfect insect fly willingly? 7°. What are its motions in flying

and walking? Neither does this by any means exhaust the sub-

ject; for ‘il faut faire l’histoire des substances végétales ou ani-

males dont ils aiment a se nourrir.” 1°, What is the food-plant of

the larva? 2°. On what other plant is it sometimes found? 3°.

What other plants will it eat when in captivity and its natural food

cannot be supplied ?

Now, to answer all these questions with reference to any one

species is no easy matter, but to answer them with respect to a

whole group requires a vast amount of methodized, systematic

observation ; for we must notice not only what we do see, but

what we do not see. To ascertain that a species is not double-

brooded, we must seek for the second brood, and notice that we

do not find it. All this requires time, patience and perseverance.

Now, to apply the foregoing remarks to the genus Elachista,

belonging to the Tineina division of Lepidoptera. Of this genus

the larve were entirely unknown to us till the spring of 1853,

when it was discovered that they mined the leaves of grasses,—a

very natural habitat certainly now that we know it, but one which

our inductive powers failed to point out to us till accident led to

its discovery. Then various grasses were searched with great

diligence, and with the exception of the flat-stemmed grass (Dac-

tylis glomerata), which was soon found to produce more than one

species of Elachista, it was assumed that each different grass was

the pabulum of a different species of larva; consequently at the

close of the season of 1853 it was received as a settled point that

certain grasses were the food-plants of certain species of Ela-

chiste.

In a science of observation we first observe an occurrence; we

then deduce from that observation certain probable events, which

we expect will come to pass, and proceed to repeat our observa-

tions to see if it is so. Thus the present season became the

touchstone for the discoveries of last year among the Elachiste.

The result has been that much that had been considered settled

86 Mr. H. T. Stainton on Entomological Difficulties

has become unsettled, and that there is less confidence in the sta-

bility of the new discoveries.

Thus it is found that several of the larvee (and may not this

observation extend to all) are at first very different in form and

markings from what they afterwards become; so that from a

figure and description of the young larva, the adult larva of the

same species would never be recognized.

It is also found that larve, supposed to be exclusively attached

to individual grasses, feed indifferently on various other species

of the Graminee ; hence several different species of larvee some-

times feed in the same grass; and, further, it is found that it is

not the Gramince only that the larvee of this genus frequent, but

many species are attached to the Cyperacee.

But to perplex us still further, a species which no one had

suspected of any difference of habit, Elachista Treitschkiella, has

in the larva state so peculiar a mode of feeding and living, that to

retain it along with the graminivorous species exceeds all our

notions of generic propriety.

This larva was first noticed two years ago mining at the end of

summer in the leaves of the dogwood (Cornus sanguinea), and

making large blotches. Its appearance, however, was so little

that of a Lepidopterous larva, that we felt much disposed to

regard it as ‘‘only some beetle larva,” till accidentally observing

one in the act of cutting out its case, we were led to examine a

little more closely, and we found that in all the empty mines there

was a small elliptical hole cut out of the leaf at one end of the

mine. Plainly, then, it was the rule for these larva, after ceasing

to mine, to use a piece of the leaf wherewith to construct a case.

This case is formed of two oval pieces, one being cut from the

under, the other from the upper side of the mined place, exactly

opposite to each other. The larva lines them with silk, and

fastens them together securely at the sides, leaving only a small

opening in front and behind, ‘The case is then detached, and

descends to the ground, and it was anticipated the larva would

there have continued to feed like the larve of Jncurvaria musca-

lella and pectinea. (Hence 1 have mentioned this larva in my

‘ Entomologist’s Companion,” second edition, p. 53, under the

genus Incurvaria.) However, as far as we have observed, the

larva does not feed at all after quitting the leaf, but remains

quietly in its case, and does not change to a pupa till the follow-

ing spring.

Of the larvee collected in 1852, only one attained the pupa state,

and that never came out as imago. Of the larve collected last

exemplified in the Genus Elachista. - 87

year, several have now been bred by Mr. Boyd (who exhibited a

specimen at the June Meeting of the Society), by Mr. Douglas

and by myself; and the imago proves to be Elachista T'reitsch-

kiella, of which a figure and description appeared in the conclud-

ing number of Fischer von Roslerstamm’s excellent work (PI.

100, fig. 4, p. 297). The position of the insect when at rest is

rather different from that of other Hlachiste. The wings meet at

a more acute angle over the back, as in the genus Tinagma, which

in the “ Insecta Britannica,” p. 179, I have on that account com-

pared to Cilix spinula.

Elachista Treitschkiella was so rare in our Collections, that at

the time of writing the Insecta Britannica [ had only seen two old

specimens, in Mr. H. Doubleday’s Collection; two others were

subsequently discovered in the late Mr. Stephens’s Collection, when

the British Tineina of the British Museum were being re-arranged.

It seems strange now that the transformations of an insect,

which in its larva state, from its extreme peculiarity of habit, is

so very noticeable, should have so long remained unknown, not

only here, but on the Continent,* where the perfect insect had been

observed swarming round the Cornus bushes; but it is even still

stranger that a larva, with a precisely similar habit, should have

been observed and described upwards of a hundred years ago.

The original description, which I have not had an opportunity of

seeing, occurs in the ‘‘ Mémoires de Mathématique et de Physique,

présentés a l’ Académie Royale des Sciences, par divers Savans,”

tom. i. p. 177 (4to. A Paris, 1750); it is referred to by De Geer,

tom.i. p.449,and by Goeze, in the “ Naturforscher,” Stuck iv. p. 16 ;

the latter writer repeats the whole of the history of the insect, which

appears to have been contained in a letter from Godehen de Ri-

ville, Commander of Malta, to Reaumur. As it is this reflected

light only that has reached me, we see the use of such transcripts ;

and as the “ Naturforscher” is not always accessible, nor is it to

all intelligible, I hesitate not to swell the bulk of this paper by

transcribing a large portion of the notice.

“I now relate to you the history of a larva mining the vine

leaves, which probably you do not meet with in the neighbour-

hood you explore, as you have not mentioned it in your notes.

This deserves a special place in the history of these insects, be-

cause it belongs to none of the seven classes into which you have

divided the larvee known to you. On the 25th July I went into

* The larva had been observed by Herr Boie (Ent. Ztg., 1846, p. 292) on

Cornus stricta, but he did not rear it, and was not aware to what order it

belonged.

88 Mr. H. T. Stainton on Entomological Difficulties

the garden of a friend, and, as I was walking among the vines

which surround the house, I found, to my great delight, that a cer-

tain insect had mined these leaves, at first in slender galleries, but

afterwards in great blotches. But the most singular thing was that

the mined place, at the side where the insect had last inhabited,

had an elliptical hole of moderate size. The two skins of the leaf

appeared to have been cut away, as though by a knife. I imme-

diately thought this must be the work of a larva, which has

formed its cocoon with the two pieces of the skin of the leaf, and

has afterwards removed from its first place of abode—a sus-

picion which I soon confirmed, since, when I looked at the leaves

from below, I soon perceived on them, as also on the stems,

several oval cocoons, which were nearly the size of the previously

observed holes in the leaves.

“The way in which these cocoons are suspended deserves to

be noticed; they hang merely by one end, and always with the

disc perpendicular to the object to which they are attached. I

contented myself for the present with collecting about thirty of

these cocoons; from many had the perfect insects already escaped.

In one I found a pupa; it was amber yellow, the six feet (of the

perfect insect) were already distinctly visible. ‘The wing cases were

here not protruded in front as in other pupz, but are as long as the

body, and lie on it almost like the wings of birds, in such a way

that the two ends of the body and the wing cases form, at the

hinder end of the pupa, a very perceptible angle. 1 examined

several more of these cocoons, in order to convince myself fully

of what I had seen, and afterwards replaced the pupz in their co-

coons, which I had opened at the side, in order that they might

not be too much injured. Among four that I examined, two had

lost their yellow colour and become black and white, which led

me to think that the perfect insects would soon be out. Ac-

cordingly, on the following morning two had already appeared,

the remainder came out gradually from day to day, and after

nine days I had bred eighteen moths from my thirty cocoons.

After examining them with the glass, they appeared to me to

belong to the third class of moths, which carry their wings like

the wings of birds, but have behind a higher margin on them,

which forms, as it were, a cock’s tail. ‘They are beautiful crea-

tures, of which the feet, head and body are, as it were, silvered.

The ground colour of the wings is a beautiful black; each is

adorned with four triangular silver spots, of which two are on the

inner margin, two on the costa.

‘One may easily imagine I was not content with this discovery.

exemplified in the Genus Elachista. 89

I was extremely anxious to see the work of the larvz, how they

make their cocoons, and bring them to the place where they wish

to hang them; with this view I collected from the garden many

vine leaves, placed them with the stems in glasses of water, and

put them so against the light that I could with ease observe the

movements of the larvee; and, since I had a supply of them, I

wished also to observe the larva itself, in order to see to which

class it belonged. I ripped up, therefore, the upper skin which

covered them, and brought three or four to light; but what was

my astonishment when I examined them one after another, and

found neither legs nor prolegs. An apod larva, thought I; an un-

known monstrosity. The suspicion therefore came across me:

there may be two sorts of larvee in the leaves, and I have probably

stumbled upon some dipterous mining larve. I waited therefore

for a convenient opportunity to solve my doubts; two larvz were

some hours afterwards about to make their cocoons, and I was an

attentive spectator of their work ; each drew off his from the leaf,

and, after wandering about for a time, made a stop under a nerve

of a leaf, and hung up its cocoon. This happened in about three-

quarters of an hour. Since I knew for certain that larva were

within, I cut them open, and by this learnt that the previous in-

sects I had were truly apod Lepidopterous larve, since these were

exactly like them. I examined them with a lens of two lines

focus, but could discover no feet, twist and turn them as I would;

not being satisfied, I placed them under a powerful microscope,

but could not observe feet on any of the segments.”

Here I cease my extract, but those who feel curious will find

several pages more in the original; and I should here mention

that no feet are perceptible in the larvae of Elachista Treitschkiella!

The larva of the vine leaves is certainly congeneric with that of

the dogwood, but, not passing the winter in the larva state, is easier

to breed. The perfect insect is at the present day entirely un-

known to us; but surely it can be no difficult matter for Entomo-

gists who reside in wine-growing countries to re-discover this in-

teresting species, for which I beg to suggest the name of Llachista ?

Rivillei, in honour of its discoverer, whose observations would be

creditable in any Entomologist at the present day, whilst the re-

flection that they were published in 1750 may well overwhelm us

with astonishment.

90 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Description

XIV. Description of a new Genus of Coleopterous Insects

inhabiting the Interior of Ants’ Nests, in Brazil. By

J. O. Westwoop, F.L.S., &c.

[Read 7th August, 1854.]

Tue recent discovery of numerous remarkable species of Coleop-

terous insects in the interior of ants’ nests, amongst the former

of which are to be included many species of the family Pausside,

and the not less singular discovery of several most anomalous

species of Staphylinide in the nests of white ants, in Brazil, have

induced our indefatigable correspondent in Brazil, Mr. W. H.

Bates, to search the nests of these different insects, in the hopes

of meeting with new species of Pausside, or other equally curious

insects in such situations; nor has his search been entirely fruitless,

since, although he has not detected any member of the family

Pausside (one of which had, however, been found on the Corcavado

mountain, near Rio Janeiro, by Mr. Miers), he has been fortunate

enough to capture several specimens of a small Coleopterous in-

sect, of an entirely new type, whose situation in the order is very

uncertain, and whose structure is, in many respects, as remarkable

as that of any known insect of the Coleopterous order.

Having been allowed to examine these interesting insects in

detail, I am enabled to lay before the Society figures and descrip-

tions of all those important organs, upon the variations of which

the distribution of the order Coleoptera has been established ;

especially the structure of the antenne, trophi, tarsi, veining of

the wings, and the number of the segments of the abdomen.

It is especially worthy of notice, that, whilst many of the species

of beetles found in ants’ nests are destitute of organs of sight, the

eyes exist in the insect under consideration, of the ordinary size

and structure.

The following are the characters of the genus which I propose

for the reception of the insect in question.

Gnostus, Westw.

Corpus minutum convexum, rigidum, politum, capite parvo, ely-

tris magnis oblongis, postice rotundatis, abdomen omnino

tegentibus. Caput minutum, in cavitate antica prothoracis

fere ad oculos immersum, antice rotundato-subporrectum,

pone oculos utrinque profunde et oblique impressum. Oculi

of a new Genus of Coleopterous Insects. 91

sat magni laterales transverso-ovales. Antenne paullo ante

angulos internos oculorum insertee, pronoto breviores sub-

eylindrice; articulo Imo subclavato, curvato, apice oblique

truncato, articulo 2ndo in angulum inferum truncature api-

ealis articuli basalis inserto, basi gracili supra in angulum

subacutum producto, articulo 3tio elongato, cylindrico apice

truncato, subtus fere ad medium in angulum obtusum pro-

ducto ; hoe articulo, certo situ, quasi ex articulis sex arctis-

sime conjiinctis apparenti. Os minutum, instrumentis cibariis

haud porrectis. Labrum parvum, transversum, antice angu-

lato-productum. Mandibule parve, cornee, subtrigone, dente

minuto acuto apicali armate. Mazille minute, basi extus

corneo, lobo unico apicali gracili intus setoso instructee; lobo

ad basin quasi articulato. Palpi maxillares, ut videtur, tantum

3-articulati (articulo ordinario basali forsan obliterato vel sub-

obsoleto): articulo Imo basi curvato, apice parum crassiori;

articulo 2ndo brevissimo annuliformi; 3tio majori, in medio

parum ovali-inflato, apice acuto, setis nonnullis brevibus in-

structo. Mentum corneum, transverso-quadratum, angulis

anticis lateralibus parum porrectis et obtusis, spatio inter-

medio valde depresso. Labium transversum, in medio inter

palpos subconice productum et setosum., Palpi labiales mi-

nuti, 3-articulati; articulo Imo minimo annuliformi, 2ndo

curvato sensim attenuato, 3tio ovali, apice subacuto, setisque

nonnullis instructo. Prothorax oblongus, quasi in duas partes

valde inaequales (postica multo minori) impressione divisus,

pars antica capite multo latior; fossulis duobus paullo cur-

vatis, longitudinalibus in discum notatus, lateribus rotunda-

tis, in parte constricta utrinque in hamos duos apicibus

acutis fere conjunctis productis ; parte postica transversa fere

anticee latitudine equali. Scutellum parte detecta parva

subcordata punctata. Llytra magna, pronoto fere duplo la-

tiora, antice subtruncata, angulis humeralibus fere rectis, la-

teribus subparallelis, apice rotundatis; convexa, glabra, pa-

rum setosa, punctato-striata, punctis ante apicem desinentibus,

callo nullo subapicali. Ale magne, punctis minimis obsite,

margine ciliato: venis duabus subcostalibus ante medium alze

in stigma mediocre submarginale desinentibus; vena altera

infera ante marginem posticum recurva, venula ad marginem

emittente alteraque furcata fere obsoleta subanali, dimidio

apicali alarum venis destituto. Pedes breves, femoribus sub-

clavatis, tibiis compressis parum curvatis, externe breviter

serratis, apice suboblique truncatis ; tarsis brevibus, omnibus

92 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Description

simplicibus, 5-articulatis, articulo 5to paullo longiori et gra-

ciliori: unguibus simplicibus. Mesosternun’brevissimum, me-

tasternum transversum, coxis posticis parvis subrotundatis.

Abdomen, ut videtur, 3-articulatum, segmento 1mo maximo,

2ndo brevissimo, 3tio mediocri subtriangulari.

Species unica. Gnostus formicicola, Westw. (PI. VIII. fig. 1.)

G. omnino rufo-castaneus, nitidus, corpore et pronoto glabris ;

elytris punctato-striatis, corpore infra polito impunctato con-

vexo.

Long corp. lin. 1,= jg unc.

Habitat in Brasilia, apud Santarem, in nidis Myrmice (Cremato-

gastris) victime, Smith. D. Bates. In Mus. Britann., &c.

Mr. Bates, supposing the insect (from its antennz) to belong to

the Pausside, thus mentions the capture of this parasite,

“No 140. Myrmice (Crematogaster), neuter and fem., with its

formicarium formed in hollow, dried suspended sipés. Only one

female in each formicarium. ‘This ant has a small species of

Pausside almost invariably in its company, one, or at most two,

in each colony. No Paussus was found in any part of the sipo not

inhabited by the Myrmica.”

In our present dearth of knowledge upon the point we can only

speculate upon the object of the residence of this and numerous

other small Coleoptera in the nests of ants. That it is not without

the concurrence of the latter seems evident, not only from the

facility with which a colony of ants would dislodge the intruders,

but also from the fact that the ants have actually been seen carry-

ing some of these species of beetles—as, for instance, a species of

Paussus—in their jaws. Whether, like the Aphides, these beetles

emit peculiar secretions, to which the ants are partial, I am un-

able to state; but certainly many of the ant-nest beetles are pro-

vided with small bundles of curved rigid sete on various parts of

their bodies, of which the uses are unknown, such as the tufts on

the heads of the Claviger, and on the pronotum of the Pausside,

and in the Gnostus, on the under side of the middle of the third

joint of the antennze. Whether, also, on the other hand, these

beetles feed either on the eggs, larvae or pupe of the ants, or

upon their stores of food, is also conjectural.

Mr. Bates, it will be seen, considers the insect above described

to belong to the Pausside ; but, except in the paucity of joints in

the antenne, the constricted prothorax, and the short legs with

five-jointed tarsi, no actual relation can be traced with that family ;

of a new Genus of Coleopterous Insects. 93

the structure of the mouth and wings, and the large convex elytra

entirely covering the abdomen (closely resembling the genus Lema

in this respect), entirely removing it from Paussi. With Claviger,

also (to which it bears some slight relation in the structure of its

few-jointed antenna, truncated at the tip), it possesses still less

affinity. Its nearest allies, on the other hand, appear to me to be

found amongst some of those Xylophaga of Latreille which pos-

sess five-jointed tarsi, but with none of these groups does it bear

a very close relationship, even if we regard the antennz as an ano-

malous aberration.* Ditoma, Colobicus, Synchita, Cicones, Aulo-

nium, Colydium, Teredus, and one or two allied genera, are at once

separated from it by their four-jointed tarsi, and by the leathery

patch on the lower margin of the wing beyond the middle, and by

the veinless apical portion scarcely occupying more than one-third

of the length of the wing. Cerylon, also, in its four-jointed tarsi and

subulate palpi, is removed from Gnostus. Anommatus, also, which

has a glossy castaneo-rufous body, and is a terrestrial insect, has

bilobed maxille, four-jointed tarsi, &c. Some of the Cucujide

have, it is true, five-jointed tarsi, and the apical veinless portion

of the wing is of very great extent, but their maxillz are bilobed,

and the palpi of ordinary form. With Latridius and Holoparo-

mecus, as well as with the minute insects belonging to the Corylo-

phide,} there appears to be some slight relation in the comparative

want of development of the maxillary appendages, but the struc-

* In addition to the great number of species of Brachelytra found in ants’

nests, the following genera of the Xylophaga of Latreille have also been found to

possess Formicicolous habits :—

Cholovocera formicaria, Motschoulsky, Bull. Mosc. 1838, 177; Markel, Zeitsch.

fur Ent. v. 255.

Latridius formicetorum and fusculus, Mannerheim, Bull. Mosc. 1843.

Latridius elongatus, Markel, Zeitsch. fiir Ent. v. 253.

Hupocoprus formicetorum, Motschoulsky, Bull. Mosc. 1839, 72.

Cryptophagus gluber, Gyllenhal, Markel, Zeitsch. fur Ent, iii. 218.

Cryptophagus (4 species), Markel, Zeitsch. fur Ent. v. 244.

Trichopteryx (1 species), Markel, id.

Corticaria (4 species), Markel, id. 252.

Synchita Juglandis, Markel, |. c.

Cerylon (2 species), Markel, |. c.

Rhizophagus (2 species), Markel, 1. c.

Monotoma angusticolle and conicolle, Aubé, Ann. Soc. Ent. France, vi.

Myrmechirenus subterraneus, Chevrolat, Rev. Silberm. iii. 263, and Markel,

o.c. v. 253. As well as

Scydmenus (9 species), Markel, 0, c. v. 242; and several species of minute

Histeride.

+ Details of several of these genera will be found in the lower part of the 10th

plate in Mr. Wollaston’s Insecta Maderensia.

94 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Description, §c.

ture of the tarsi, antenne, &c. remove them from the genus above

described. From the preceding details it will, I think, be evident,

that, whilst Gnostus is most nearly allied to such of the Xylophaga

ef Latreille as possess five-jointed tarsi, it stands sufficiently de-

tached from the whole of them as to constitute a distinct sub-family

of its own.

EXPLANATION OF PLATE VIII.

Fig. 1. Gnostus formicicola, greatly magnified.

Fig. 2. Head seen from above.

Fig. 3. Head seen sideways.

Fig. 4. Antenna seen from behind.

Fig. 5. Labrum.

Figs. 6, 7. Mandibles.

Fig. 8. Maxilla.

Figs. 9,10. Mentum in different points of view.

Fig. 11. Labium and labial palpi.

Fig. 12. Prothorax seen obliquely from the side.

Figs. 13, 14. The lateral hooked portion in different points of view.

Fig. 15. Scutellum,

Fig. 16. Wing.

Fig. 17. Fore leg.

Fig. 18. Fore tarsus.

Fig. 19. Middle leg.

Fig. 20. Hind leg.

Fig. 21. Meso and metathorax, abdomen and hind leg, from beneath.

( 95 )

XV. Essay on the Genera and Species of British Formicide.

By Freperick Suirtu, Esq.

[Read December 4th, 1854.]

Ix offering the present Essay to the notice of the Entomological

Society, I beg that it may be considered as an attempt to form a

correct census of the number of indigenous species of Ants; this

family of insects has hitherto obtained so small a share of inde-

fatigable research, that it will be evident, the present list must

not be considered as one which approaches a complete Fauna, but

which embodies descriptions merely ofall the present known species

inhabiting Great Britain. Every care has been bestowed upon their

identification with the species described by Nylander, Foerster,

and others ; and, in most instances, aided by a comparison with

typical specimens presented by those eminent Entomologists to

the author: possessing these valuable and most efficient aids, I

present the following Essay with a greater degree of confidence

than I otherwise could have assumed.

Tribe HETEROGYNA.

Family FORMICIDZ.

The Formicide, or Ants, is composed of a large group of in-

sects, probably exceeding in the number of its species that of any

family of Hymenoptera: the Ichneumonide alone, in my opinion,

may probably equal it. It is true that the known British species

are few in number, for the metropolis of these insects lays in the

tropics, from whence they appear to diverge, gradually becoming

Jess numerous as they approach the frigid regions of the arctic

circle. The number of species which inhabit the New World, if we

may form a calculation from the observations of an intelligent and

indefatigable Naturalist, Mr. W. H. Bates, must, as he justly ob-

serves, “exceed all that can be reasonably imagined ;” for he con-

tinues, “I think it will reach the number of 400 species in the

the Valley of the Amazons alone ; there appears to be a distinct

species of Myrmica in every twig and stem in the woods.” If

such be the case in so limited a district, what must be the number

when those which inhabit the vast lands of Africa, India, Southern

Europe, and the remaining portions, South and North America,

96 Mr. Smith’s Essay on the Genera and

become known? how few of the species which inhabit the Conti-

nent of Australia are yet known to us—what knowledge have we

of those of Madagascar and the adjacent islands?) New Zealand

must also be rich in species belonging to this tribe.

It is, however, our province in this Essay to describe the species

which inhabit the United Kingdom of Great Britain, and we have

only glanced at those which inhabit other countries, in order to

establish our position, of the important part which these insects

must perform; and consequently, how beneficial must be results

of their economy, in the great scheme of beneficence which

caused “the earth to bring forth the living creature after his

kind,” “and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his

kind,” “and behold it was very good.”

These interesting insects have at all times attracted the attention

of man, and from the remotest periods have served, by their in-

dustry and untiring perseverance, to inculcate lessons of the

highest moral tendency. The proverb of Solomon is engraven

upon the minds of our children from their earliest years; and

although the Ants of northern latitudes do not provide their meat

in the summer, and gather their food in the harvest, in the general

acceptation of this proverb, still such may be the case in other

countries. Be that, however, as it may, the words of the great

Hierophant inculcate the necessity of using our unceasing en-

deavours to perform with industry the duties assigned to us, in

whatever station of life Providence has placed us.

On the Continent, the Ants have had their monographer in the

illustrious Latreille ; the ‘‘ Histoire Naturelle des Fourmis,” is the

text book of Hymenopterists. Since the publication of this work

in 1802, no important work on the Ants of Europe appeared

until the publication of Dr. Nylander’s Monograph on the Ants

of Northern Europe: this work will be acknowledged universally

as being the most complete and accurate on the European For-

micid@.

In addition, we must also record the labours of Foerster on the

Formicarie, and also of Mayr of Vienna; the works of these

Entomologists contain descriptions of nearly all the known species

of Europe. Mr. Curtis has recently added some species unknown

to the authors I have named. Our own countryman, Gould, in

1747, published a valuable treatise on these insects : he describes

five species of British Ants ; these were all with which he was

acquainted, one belongs to the genus Myrmica. The great value

of this work is the accuracy with which their habits are described ;

as a proof of which may be mentioned, that Gould particularly

Species of British Formicide. 97

distinguishes the difference in their metamorphosis. Of the red

Ants he says, “ they do not, like the rest, infold themselves in a

tissue or shell ;” he also notices “ two sizes of workers, and that the

red Ants are furnished with a sting; these observations were made

previous to the publication of the ‘ Fauna Suecica” of Linnzeus.

Of the number of species which inhabit Great Britain, we are,

I believe, at present ignorant. The publication of Nylander’s work

has directed our attention more particularly to this point, and

several new species have been discovered, but when the remote

and Alpine districts of Scotland shall have been well explored,

doubtless many others will be found; I am acquainted with twenty,

whilst only thirteen of those given in the Systematic Catalogue by

Stephens are indigenous and distinct. My observations on the

habits of Ants would add little to what has already been made

known by Gould, Huber and others; indeed, so much has been

done by the naturalists named, that it will only be necessary, in

some points, to add my testimony to the accuracy of the more

remarkable peculiarities in their economy, as detailed in the works

of the authors alluded to.

As a general rule, we may observe, that it is only the species

of the genus Formica which in the pupa state are enclosed in a

cocoon spun by the larva; those belonging to the genus Myrmica

do not spinacocoon. It is a trite remark, that every rule has its

exception, and such is the case with these genera. I have occa~-

sionally observed, during the months of July and August, pupz

of Formica fusca not enclosed in cocoons, and such pupe in

various stages of maturity; I have also observed the same of the

pupz of F, fuliginosa, great numbers of which I found in channels

constructed under the bark of a decaying birch tree.

The closest observation has not enabled me to trace the larvee

of Ants continuing in that form, “about a year and a quarter,”

as stated by Gould; indeed, I have never been able to find any

larvee in the nests of F. rufa, or I’. fusca, after the end of autumn ;

but as regards colonies of F. flava and F. nigra, larvee will fre-

quently be found in the depth of winter: these are carried by the

workers into the deepest chambers of their dwellings ; and it is a

remarkable circumstance, that the larve of F. flava, which pass

the winter in that state, are densely covered with pubescence; I

have also found numbers of a dark-coloured Aphis in chambers

apart from the torpid larvee of the Ants, in the depth of winter.

Much attention has been paid to the subject of insects found in

Ants’ nests, many of those cuumerated being merely casual or

VOL. Ill. N. S, PART I1].—JAN. 1855. H

98 Mr. Smith’s Essay on the Genera and

accidental visitors; but that many are in some way highly neces-

sary, or highly conducive to some important point in the economy

of the Formicarium, is, I think, easily proved. In the first place,

I would mention the presence of Apfides in the nests of Formica

flava: of these I have observed great numbers in some colonies,

they are kept usually apart from the full-grown larvee and pupe,

and are eagerly carried off by the Ants, when exposed by the re-

moval of a part of the Ant-hill, or, as may be better observed, by

the removal of a stone, when the nest is constructed beneath ; it

was in the latter situation that I first discovered Claviger foveolata,

in 1844, in considerable numbers in the channels or galleries of

the Formicarium, the Claviger was quickly seized upon by the

Ants, and carried down into the subterranean labyrinths.

I have also obtained considerable numbers of insects which are

imprisoned by Ants, by watching Ant-hills in the spring, and ob-

serving all that is carried to them by the Ants: I have secured

numbers of M/yrmedonia canaliculata,—limbata and humeralis, and

also of Lomechusa emarginata ; the latter insect is found some-

times in the nests of F. fusca, and F. rufa, but it is usually much

more abundant in the nests of Myrmica. In the nest of a species

of the latter genus I found a specimen of Batrisus formicarius, in

Yorkshire. Many other insects will no doubt be met with in

nests of Formicide ; I have only mentioned such as I have seen

conveyed there by the Ants themselves, these being doubtless

highly beneficial in working out some important phase in their

economy ; and it has probably occurred to others as well as to

myself, that the aliment obtained from these insects may have

some stimulating properties, highly conducive to the development

of the sexes — but this point requires careful investigation; I

would observe, however, as bearing upon this supposition, that I

never observed an Ant conveying these insects subsequent to the

development of the males and females. There is another insect,

which belongs, I believe, to the order Homoptera—Dorthesia

cataphracta—which is constantly found in most of the nests of the

Formicide ; these have frequently been mistaken for the young of

Oniscus, which they greatly resemble in form, but are of a dif-

ferent colour, being snow-white: whether the presence of these

insects is in any way conducive to the development of any por-

tion of their economy, I am not prepared to advance an opinion

upon, but I have usually observed them in all the nests of the

Formicide.

The Formicide, as a group, may be characterized as social

Species of British Formicidae. 99

insects, living in societies, consisting of males, females, and

workers—the males and females winged, the latter only tempo-

rarily so: the workers being divided into two classes, one consisting

of labourers, which are exclusively occupied in the formation of

the nests, or in feeding the young brood ; the second division con-

sists of soldiers or guards, these not only defend the citadel from

the attacks of other insects, but also in some species capture

and make slaves of others: the only one which does so in this

country being the Formica sanguinea, which is very abundant

in Hampshire, where I once witnessed an attack upon a nest of

Formica fusca—workers and pupz were both carried off by the

sanguine Ants. On examining a colony of this species, I found

workers of F. fusca, F. flava, and a few individuals of Myrnuca

rubra, all living in community.

Although the Formicide have been divided into sections, each

composed of societies which follow one habit of economy—as

mining-Ants, timber-Ants, mason-Ants, &c.—still each species is

constantly found under different phases of habit; the wood-Ant

will be found in a decayed tree, or, as I have observed it, in a turf

bank : but these deviations are not frequent in this species, which

is one of the most constant in habit. The jet-ant, F. fuliginosa, is

also very constant in forming its habitation in decaying trees, but

this also I have found excavating its galleries in a sand-bank ;

such deviations give us opportunities of extending our admiration

of the wonderful ingenuity constantly shown by these insects, in

adapting their habits to the circumstances into which accident

sometimes throws them.

Genus Formica.

The maxillary palpi 6-jointed ; the labial palpi 4-jointed. An-

tenne, the scape elongate, usually more than two-thirds of the

length of the flagellum: the flagellum 12-jointed in the females

and workers, 13-jointed in the males; the scape in the male

not quite half the length of the flagellum; eyes lateral, ovate ;

ocelli 3 in a triangle. Males and females winged, constant in

the former, temporary in the latter sex; the superior wings

having one marginal, one submarginal, and one discoidal cell ;

eyes of the males large and prominent, genital organs exserted.

Abdomen composed of 6 segments in the females and workers,

and of 7 in the males, the first segment in all the sexes forming

a flattened scale: neither of the sexes furnished with a sting,

The pupa enclosed in a silken cocoon spun by the larva.

100 Mr. Smith’s Essay on the Genera and

Sp. 1. Formica rufa.

Feemina.—Rufo-ferruginea—fronte cum occipite, mesothorace

supra, scutello et post-scutello, et abdomine supra castaneo-

nigris ; clypei medio, palpis, antennis, mesothorace, tibiis, tarsisque

fuscescentibus ; squama lata subtriangulariter fere rotundata

margine supero inequali ; alis fusco-hyalinis, apicis subhyalinis.

Operaria.—Testaceo vel rufo-ferruginea nuda, levissime cinereo-

micans, fronte cum occipite et abdomine castaneo-fuscis ; occipite,

antennis, tibiis, tarsisque fuscescentibus; squama, abdominis basi

et ano rufo-maculatis,

Mas.—Nigro-fuscus, parum cinereo-nitens, sparse pubescens,

pedibus rufescentibus ; squama subquadrata humili crassa, supra

vix vel parum concaviuscula; valvula ventrali pilosula szpe

rufescente.

Formica rufa, Linn. Faun. Suec., No. 1721; Syst. Nat., 1.

962, 3; Scop. Ins. Carn., p. 313, 836 ; Fabr.

Ent. Syst., ii. 351, 8 ; Syst. Piez.,.396, 11;

Schrank, Ins. Aust., No. 834; Rossi, Faun.

Etrus., 11..113, 836; Don. Brit. Ins;, xiv.

76, tab. 496 ; Latr. Fourm., p. 143, tab. 5, fig.

28, 2,%,¢; Jurine; Hym., p. 272 ; St. Farg:

Hym., i. 201, 3; Curtis, Brit. Ent., xvi. tab.

752; Zett. Ins. Lapp., 449, 5; Nyland. Mon.

Form. Boreal., p. 902, 5; Foerst. Hym. Stud.

Form., p. 13, 3.

Formica dorsata, Panz. Faun. Germ., 54, 1, 9.

Formica obsoleta, Zett. Ins. Lapp., 449, 5, 3, @.

Formica lugubris, Zett. idem, 449, 6, 3.

Female.—Length 43—5 lines. Head as wide as the thorax,

fusco-nigro; the sides of the face below the eyes, and the cheeks,

rufo-testaceous. Antenne fuscous, the scape sometimes rufo-fus-

cous; the mandibles rufo-ferruginous, covered with a short sparing

pilosity, the eyes pilose. Thorax rufo-ferruginous, subovate ;

the disk, scutellum and post-scutellum nigro-fuscous, the scutellum

polished ; a slightly impressed line on the mesothorax anteriorly,

not reaching the middle of the disk, a similar abbreviated line on

each side over the insertion of the wings, the latter fusco-hyaline,

paler towards their apical margins; the coxe, trochanters and

femora rufo-ferruginous ; the tips of the femora, tibize and tarsi

fusco-ferruginous. Abdomen nigro-fuscous, subglobose, smooth

and shining, the scale, base and apex rufo-ferruginous,

Species of British Formicide. 101

Worker-—Length 3--4 lines. Head and thorax rufo-ferrugi-

nous ; the vertex, and a broad stripe, passing from the vertex of

the eyes to the insertion of the antenne, nigro-fuscous ; an im-

pressed line passes from the anterior stemma to the base of the

clypeus; the latter has a fuscous stain in the centre, the antenne

of the same colour, the eyes black. Thorax elongate, compressed ;

a deep strangulation between the meso and metathorax ; the pro-

thorax has a fuscous spot above; the metathorax elevated: the

abdominal scale sub-rotundate, slightly notched above ; the scale,

cox, trochanters, and base of the femora, rufo-ferruginous ; the

femora, tibiz and tarsi dark rufo-testaceous. Abdomen ovate,

nigro-fuscous, covered with an obscure cinereous pilosity, a few

scattered pale hairs at the apex ; beneath nigro-piceous.

Male.—Length 4—5 lines. Nigro-fuscous; head not so wide

as the thorax, eyes large, prominent and oblong-ovate; the head

and eyes slightly pilose. Thorax elongate-ovate, the scutellum

and metathorax shining ; wings as in the female; the femora and

knees rufo-testaceous. Abdomen as long as the head and thorax,

the margins of the segments polished, the apex rufo-testaceous.

This species is perhaps the most generally known of all our

indigenous ants, and has hence acquired several popular appella-

sions, as the Pismire, the Hill Ant, the Wood Ant, and the Horse

Ant; the latter possibly from its habit of carrying burdens of

sticks, leaves, &c. in constructing its nest; it is found in all

parts of the kingdom, but I have observed its colonies to be

larger and most numerous in the north, particularly in open spaces

in fir woods; the nest of this Ant is resorted to by the larve of

several Coleopterous insects for the purpose of undergoing their

transformations. I have found the Cetonia aurata, and numbers

of pupe and perfect individuals of Clythra 4-punctata, in nests

which I have met with in Yorkshire.

Sp. 2. Formica sanguinea.

Feemina.—Rufo-ferruginea, levissime cinereo-micans, fronte cum

vertice et abdomine castaneo-fuscis ; squama subtriangulariter

rotundata, margine supero vel integro vel leviter emarginato ;

alis a basi ad medium pallide rufescentibus.

Operaria.—Capite, thorace pedibusque sanguineis, clypei mar-

ginis leviter emarginato ; abdomine castaneo-fusco.

Mas.—Fusco-niger, pedibus pallide rufescentibus, clypeo obsolete

emarginato ; squama crassa, transversim subrectangulari, supra

integra, vel late subemarginata.

102 Mr. Smith’s Essay on the Genera and

Formica sanguinea, Latr. Hist. Nat. Fourm., p. 150, pl. 5,

fig. 29, ¥ ; Jurine, Hym., p. 272; St.

Farg. Hym., i.203, 4; Foerster, Hym.

Stud. Form., p. 20, 6, 3; Smith, Cat.

Brit. Hym. Append., 115, ¢, 2, 3.

Formica dominula, Nyland. Adno. Mon. Form. Boreal. Eur.,

p. 905, 6, 8, 9, $.

Female.—Length 4—44 lines. Head, thorax, legs and scale

of the abdomen of a sanguine red; the face above the insertion

of the antennz and the vertex obscurely fuscous ; the inferior

margin of the clypeus distinctly notched in the middle: the me-

sothorax having three indistinct fuscous stripes; the wings have

the basal half of a smoky brown, the nervures and stigma fusco-

ferruginous. Abdomen slightly red at its extreme base, the

apical segment slightly pubescent; the margins of the segments

having a few glittering pale hairs.

Worker.—Length 3—4 lines. Very similar to F. rufa; but

the head, thorax and legs are entirely red; the anterior margin

of the clypeus distinctly emarginate ; the scale subtriangular,

rounded at its superior margin and slightly emarginate in the

middle; abdomen as in the female.

Male.—Length 4 lines. Resembles that of F. rufa. The

legs are entirely red; the flagellum fusco-ferruginous, the ex-

treme base of the scape ferruginous; the anterior margin of the

clypeus slightly notched in the middle; the mandibles longitu-

dinally rugose, rufo-piceous towards their apex ; the eyes not pilose

as in F, rufa; the scale sub-emarginate above, or rather trans-

versely entire, having the lateral angles somewhat raised : wings

as in the female; abdomen as long as the head and thorax, covered

with a changeable sericeous pile.

Var. 3. @. The head and thorax entirely of a blood red.

Var. 6. (% major) having the vertex and front fuscous.

The (8 minor) has the vertex and front, the disk of the pro-

thorax, the coxe, trochanters and femora, more or less fuscous.

I think there can be no doubt of this species being the san-

guinea of Latreille. Nylander says that this species as well as his

F’. truncicola, both answer to the description of sanguinea ; but -

we must bear in mind at the same time that a figure of the scale

is given, and it is much more like that of the present species than

that of the worker of F. truncicola, and I think Latreille would

not have omitted to mention the pubescence with which the latter

insect is covered ; and, above all, Nylander leans to this opinion :

I have therefore adopted Latreille’s name.

Species of British Formicidae. 103

F. sanguinea occurs plentifully in the fir woods of Hampshire,

or rather at their sides. I have always found its colonies in banks,

or in stumps of decayed trees. It also occurs at Weybridge.

Their societies are not so numerous as those of F. rufa; the large

workers are very courageous, on disturbing their nest they will

seize a finger, and retain their hold until their heads are torn off

in removing them; | have found all the sexes in the nest in the

month of August.

Sp. 3. Formica cunicularia.

Femina.—Rufo-ferrugineo, cinereo-micans ; palpis, antennarum

flagellis abdominisque castaneo-atris ; mesothorace maculis

tribus longitudinalibus, una antice aliaque laterali utrinque,

scutello, post-scutello, mesosterno, tarsis apicis fuscis ; squama

lata, sub-cordata, vel supra truncata tantum leviter inzequali ;

alis hyalinis, basi parum fumatis: nervis et stigmate fusco-

ferrugineis.

Operaria.—R vfo-ferruginea, cinereo-micans ; capite supra, palpis,

flagellis et abdomine castaneo-atris; thorace supra et pedibus

fuscescentibus ; squama supra subtruncata vel leviter emar-

ginata.

Mas.—Ater, cinereo-micans, pedibus rufo-testaceis, coxis basi ex~

ceptis ; oculis nudis, squama supra late concava, valvula ven-

trali sparse pilosa, disco fere toto subrotundato plane impres-

siusculo.

Formica cunicularia, Latr. Hist. Nat. Fourm., p. 151; Huber,

Rech. Fourm., tab. 2, fig. 11,°12, 13, ¢,

3,4; St. Farg. Hym., i. 203, 5; Lo-

sana, Fourm. Pied., 10; Nyland. Adno.

Mon. Form., 913, 11; Foerster, Hym.

Stud. Form., p. 25, 9.

Formica stenoptera, Foerster, idem, p. 26, 10.

Female.—Length 4 lines. Resembles F. sanguinea; the an-

terior margin of the clypeus somewhat angulated, convex above

and subcarinate in the middle; the clypeus, face on each side,

mandibles and base of the flagellum, rufo-ferruginous ; the thorax

above sometimes entirely fuscous, sometimes having three fuscous

stripes; the claw joint of the tarsi fuscous; the extreme base and

apex of the abdomen more or less ferruginous.

Worker.—Length 3—3} lines. Resembles the F. rufa, but has

the scape of the antenne more slender and not thickened at the

apex, the flagellum is also more slender ; the angular shape above

the clypeus is opaque, in F, rufa it is polished; the face black above

104 Mr. Smith’s Essay on the Genera and

the insertion of the antennz, in F. rufa it is red on each side as

high as the vertex of the eyes: in small individuals, the entire

thorax above, the scale above, and the tibize and tarsi above, are

more or less fuscous; the margins of the segments of the ab-

domen are sometimes rufo-piceous, the tip of the abdomen pale.

Male.—Very closely resembles F. fusca, but differs from it in

the form of the scale, which is transverse, its superior margin

being emarginate the entire width; the angles of the emargina-

tion are oblique, the sides being straight—in F’. fusca the scale is

subrotundate and slightly emarginate above; the antennz are

more slender, the scape longer, and the face less produced before

the eyes than in I’. fusca.

This species may be very correctly called a mining Ant; it

constructs its subterranean dwelling, consisting of long tortuous

passages, in banks, preferring those in which there is a mixtnre of

clay. It is found in the London district, but is much more local

than F. fusca ; I have also found it in the Isle of Wight, at Black-

water, Hants, at Weybridge and Southend; but it is not a very

generally distributed species, being confined to particular localities.

I have found all the sexes in the Formicarium in the month of

August.

Sp. 4. Formica fusca.

Foemina.—F usco-nigra, nitida, cinereo-micans, mandibulis rufe-

scentibus ; scapis antennarum pedibusque rufo-testaceis; alis

hyalinis, nervis et stigmate fuscis ; squama lata subtriangulariter

subrotundata; abdomine ovato, sub-nudo.

Operaria.—Nigra, nitida, valde cinereo-micans; mandibulis, anten-

narum scapis, flagellorum basi et pedibus rufo-piceis; femoribus

apice rufo-pallidis; squama triangulariter subrotundata, supra

leviter emarginata.

Mas.—F usco-niger, nitidus, cinereo-micans, antennis et pedi-

busque pallide rufescentibus; squama subrotundata, margine

supra emarginata.

Formica fusca,-Linn. Faun. Suec., p. 226, 1722; Syst. Nat., i.

963, 4; Fabr. Ent. Syst., i. 352, 11; Syst.

Piez., p. 399, 13; Latr. Hist. Nat. Fourm.,

p- 1595" t.'6, 4, 32, 65 9, 97> Eluber, Rech.

Fourm., tab. 2, fig. 8 9,9 ¥,10 3; Jurine,

Hym., p. 272; Zett. Ins. Lapp., p. 448, 4; St.

Farg. Hym., i. 205, 6; Nyland. Adno. Mon.

Form., p. 919, 15; Foerster, Hym. Stud.

Form.

Species of British Formicide. 105

Female.—Length 33 lines. Fuscous, the head and thorax

densely covered with a short fine cinereous pile; the head as

wide as the thorax, the scape and base of the flagellum rufo-

testaceous ; the mandibles fusco-ferruginous ; the anterior margin

of the clypeus entire : the wings hyaline, the nervures testaceous,

the stigma fuscous ; legs pale rufo-testaceous, the base and apex

of the joints palest. Abdomen ovate, shining and nigro-zeneous ;

sparingly covered with a thin cinereous pile, not visible in long

disclosed specimens, the extreme apex ferruginous: the apical

margins of the second and third segments narrowly and obscurely

rufo-piceous.

Worker.—Length 2—24 lines. Nigro-fuscous, thinly covered

with a fine cinereous pile, the antennze and mandibles as in the

female, the clypeus having in the centre an indistinct longitudinal

carina; the thorax of the same form as in F. rufa; the scale

large, rounded at the sides, and very faintly and minutely notched

above ; the legs as in the female, the abdomen more globose.

Worker (minor).—The small worker has the antenne and legs

usually much paler than the worker (major).

Male.—Length 33 lines. Nigro-fuscous, shining and elongate ;

the scape obscurely testaceous ; the tips of the mandibles ferru-

ginous; legs pale rufo-testaceous; the coxe at their base, and

the claw-joint of the tarsi, fuscous. Abdomen subaeneous; the

margins of the segments slightly rufo-piceous, and submem-

branaceous ; the scale thickened, rounded, and widely emarginate

above, very closely resembling the male of F. cunicularia.—For the

differences see that species.

Sp. 5. Formica fuliginosa,

Feemina.—Nigra, nitidissima; antennis pedibusque pallide rufescen-

tibus; mandibulis rufescentibus ; capite magno, subcordato ;

squama parva, angusta, apice rotundata ; marginibus lateralibus

sub-parallelis: alis hyalinis, basi ad medium brunnescentibus,

nervis et stigmate flavido-cinerascentibus.

Operaria.—Piceo-nigra, nitidissima ; palpis, antennarum flagellis

fere totis tarsisque pallide rufescentibus, tarsis tamen dilutiori-

bus ; capite magno sub-cordato; ocellis minutis: clypeo sub-

carinato: squama parva subovata, marginibus lateralibus pa-

rallelis.

Mas.—Piceo-niger, nitidus; corpore toto sparse pilosulo; articulis

pedum et tarsis dilutioribus ; occipite concaviusculo ; squama

exigua sub-quadrata, parum rotundata, alis sicut in foemina.

106 Mr. Smith’s Essay on the Genera and

Formica fuliginosa, Latr. Hist. Nat. Fourm., p. 140, tab. 5, fig.

aA—p, 3,9, 3; St. Farg. Hym., i. 200, 2;

Jurine, Hym., p. 273 ; Losana, Form. Pied.,

No. 9; Nyland. Adno. Mon. Form., p. 915,

12; Foerster, Hym. Stud. Form., p. 38, 17.

Female.—Length 23 lines. Of a shining deep nigro-piceous

colour; mandibles ferruginous; clypeus smooth and shining ;

ocelli distinct and glassy; the eyes have a short scattered pube-

scence ; antenna, palpi and legs testaceous, having a cinereous

pilosity ; wings hyaline, the basal half smoky; the scale small,

oblong, rounded and ciliated above; abdomen oblong ovate,

as long as the thorax, about the same width as the head, the

apical segment pilose, the extreme apex testaceous.

Worker.—2 lines. Resembling the female, the legs being darker ;

the scape and apex of the joints of the flagellum fuscous ; the

mandibles obscure ferruginous; the ocelli very minute; the

scale minute, abdomen scarcely as wide as the head, sub-ovate,

the extreme apex pilose.

Male.—2 lines. Coloured as in the female; mandibles reddish

brown, broadly dilated at their apex; the flagellum and tarsi pale

testaceous ; the scutellum and metathorax very smooth and shining,

wings as in the female: abdomen sub-conical, rounded at the

base, pointed at the apex, having some thinly scattered long pube-

scence.

This species is distributed in all parts of the country, its usual

habitat being in decaying trees, posts, &c., in which it forms its

tortuous galleries ; the perforations are stained black, probably

by a peculiar acid discharged by this species. When the F. rufa

takes up its abode in an old decayed tree all its galleries are

of the original colour of the wood, thus proving some peculiarity

in the present species. As I observed before 1 found a colony of

this Ant in a sandy bank at Southend. I have found the males

and females at the end of July and beginning of August, but I have

met with a male in October.

Sp. 6. Formica umbrata.

Feemina.——Nitida, cinerascenti-sericea, pilis brevibus adspersis, pal-

lido-fuscis; partibus oris, antennis, pedibusque pallide tes-

taceis; capite thorace paululum latiori; oculis hirtulis; alis

albescenti-hyalinis a basi fere ad medium fusco-umbratis, nervis

brunnescentibus, stigmate fusco; squama subpentagonali, apice

late obtuse-angulatim emarginato.

Species of British Formicide. 107

Operaria.—Pallide rufo-flavescens, oculis parcissime hirtulis ;

pube corporis sericea subtiliori, pilis brevibus erectis sparsis

paullo brevioribus, rigidiusculis,

Mas.—Fusco-niger, nitidus; tenuissime cinerascenti-sericeus et

pilosulus; palpis, antennarum flagellis, pedum articulis tar-

sisque testaceo-pallescentibus ; capite sat magno, paululumlatiori

thorace; oculis hirtulis ; alis albescenti-hyalinis ; squama petioli

subovali apice subangulatim emarginato.

Formica umbrata, Nyland. Addit. Adno. Mon. Form., p. 1048,

17; Smith, Append. Cat. Brit. Hym.,,

p- 116; Foerster, Hym. Stud. Form., p.

39; 18.

Formica brunnea, Smith, Cat. Brit. Hym. p. 2, 4.

Female.—8-3} lines. Fusco-testaceous, densely covered with

a fine cinereous sericeous pile: head a little wider than the thorax,

mandibles rugose, rufo-testaceous ; the antenne, the face beneath

their insertion, and the legs, pale rufo-testaceous ; the eyes thinly

covered with short erect hairs; the head posteriorly deeply

concave; the basal half of the wings brown; the scale oblong,

nearly straight above, the lateral angles rounded, legs stouter and

shorter than in J. flava: abdomen ovate.

Worker.—Very closely resembling fF. flava, but is rather larger ;

the eyes are pubescent, and the scape stouter.

Male.—13 lin. Resembles F. flava; but the eyes are pu-

bescent, the scale emarginate above, and the wings usually clouded

at their base; the basal joint of the flagellum stouter and more

globose than in F’, flava.

This species bears a close resemblance to F. flava, but is easily

distinguished from it, the eyes being pubescent: this cannot be

seen unless a high microscopic power be used, then it is visible in

all the sexes. The female may be known, if winged, by having

the wings brown at their base; if not winged, the size of the head

will distinguish it; in wmbrata it is wider than the thorax, in flava

it is narrower ; the workers are difficult to separate, the head is

larger, more shining, and is not covered with a dense pile as in

flava; the scape also is less attenuated at the base and altogether

stouter: the ocelli are very distinct. Of the male, I have only

seen a single specimen, this has the nervures fuscous, and the

wings smoky at their base; the scale is notched and the eyes pu-

bescent. Nylander says the wings are sometimes hyaline, some-

times smoky at their base; and the scale distinctly emarginate.

I have frequently found the female of this species on Hampstead

Heath, but I have not been successful in discovering its Formica-

108 Mr. Smith’s Essay on the Genera and

rium; Mr. Dale has taken all the sexes, and from his specimens

I have described the female and worker; the male is from Lewes,

near Brighton.

Sp. 7. Formica flava.

Feemina.—Pallide fusca, dense flavido-sericea, antennis pedibusque

pallide testaceo-cinerascentibus; alis hyalinis, versus basin

parum infuscatis, nervis et stigmate flavido-cinereis ; squama

subovali, supra late obtuse angulatim emarginata.

Operaria.— F lavo-testacea, lata, nitida, sericeo-micans sparseque

flavido-pilosula ; oculis minutis atris ovalibus, ocellis minutissi-

mis ; squama parva subovali, supra rotundata vel truncata.

Mas.—Fuscus, nitidissimus; palpis, antenarum flagellis, pedum

articulis et tarsis flavido-testaceis ; flagellorum articulo primo

crassiusculo; fronte media levissime transversim subimpressa ;

alis subhyalinis, nervis pallide testaceis, quandoque pallide

fuscescentibus ; squama subquadrata.

Formica flava, De Geer, Ins., 11.1089, 5, tab. 42, fig. 24; Fabr.

Ent. Syst., ii. 357, 34; Latr. Hist. Nat.

Hourm,,up.G6;stabs.7, figes6,, 3.19 aot.

Farg. Hym., i. 408, 9; Losana, Form. Pied.,

17; Nyland. Adno. Mon. Form., 922, 17;

Foerster, Hym. Stud. Form.

Formica rubra, Zett. Ins. Lapp., p. 450, §.

Female.—Length 3 lines. Pale fuscous, the face below the

insertion of the antenna, the palpi, antenne, scale and legs, of a

pale testaceous-yellow; the mandibles usually rather inclined to

ferruginous; the teeth which arm their apex and the superior

margin of the abdominal scale fuscous; the body densely clothed

with a fine yellow cinereous pile; the head not so wide as the

thorax, the clypeus very convex, smooth and shining; wings

hyaline, sometimes faintly smoky towards their base. Abdomen

oblong-ovate, having a fine silky pile; as long as the head and

thorax, the margins of the segments narrowly pale testaceous.

Worker.—Entirely pale yellow, the mandibles pale ferruginous,

the eyes small and black ; in small individuals the ocelli are ob-

solete, or not distinguishable without a high microscopic power,

in larger individuals distinctly visible: head behind slightly con-

cave; the scale subovate, its superior margin nearly straight ;

abdomen beneath having usually a dark fuscous spot, obsolete in

some individuals, after death particularly, but usually present in

living ones.

Male.—Dark fuscous, shining, having a sparing cinereous pile,

most dense on the head and abdomen; the clypeus smooth and

Species of British Formicide. 109

shining, having a transverse depressed line at its anterior margin ;

the eyes and ocelli prominent, the latter has the posterior pair

elevated on the vertex; wings hyaline, the nervures pale testa-

ceous; the scale nearly square: abdomen slightly pubescent and

pointed at the apex.

The female of F. flava is very likely to be confounded with the

female of F. nigra; it may be distinguished by the form of the

discoidal cell, which is much narrowed towards the first cubital

cell, in fusca it is slightly narrowed, or subquadrate ; the wings

of fusca are different, being milky-white ; the abdominal scale is

also very different to that of fusca.

The male of F. nigra may be distinguished by its amplitude of

wings, which are 23 lines long, those of flava are 13 lin.

This is probably the most universally distributed species in

this country ; it is found everywhere, and is well known as the

turf Ant; it raises its nests in fields and on banks, and abounds in

some of our open moor lands to an incalculable extent.* By dili-

gent search I have little doubt that its two congeneric species, F.

umbrata and F. affinis, will prove to be of frequent occurrence.

This Ant constructs its Formicarium under stones in fields; and

here will be found the interesting Claviger foveolatus, in societies

formed in banks; its detection is difficult: we are only on the

threshold of our investigations of these interesting insects, and

some future Monographist will probably double the number of the

species at present known to be indigenous.

Sp. 8. Formica nigra.

Feemina.—Fusco-nigrescens, dense undique cinereo-micans, ni-

tida, mandibulis antennis obscure rufescentibus ; pedum arti-

culis tarsisque pallide rufescentibus; alis lacteo-albis, nervis

et stigmate pallide testaceis; squama verticaliter subrectangulari,

supra angulis rotundatis et medio subangulatim emarginato.

Operaria.—Fusco-nigra, cinereo-micans, nitida, sparse flavido-pi-

losula, antennarum scapis et mandibulis rufescentibus ; tarsis,

pedum articulis pallide testaceis; squama subrectangulari, supra

parum vel vix emarginato.

Mas.—Fusco-niger, parum cinereo-micans, nitidus; antennarum

flagellis fuscescentibus, articulo primo crassiusculo; squama

parva, transversim subrectangulari, supra parum concaviuscula.

* 1 have found the winged male in the Formicarium as late as the Sth of

November.

110 Mr. Smith’s Essay on the Genera and

Formica nigra, Linn. Faun. Suec., p. 426, No. 1722; Syst.

Nat., 1. 963, 4, 9 ; Scop. Ent. Carn., p. 834;

Fabr. Ent. Syst., ii. 350, 10; Schrank, Ins.

Aust., p. 823; Latr. Hist. Nat. Fourm., p.

156, ¢, 2, 3; St. Farg. Hym., i. 206, 7;

Losana, Form. Pied., 11; Nyland. Adno.

Mon. Form. p. 920.

Formica fusca, Foerster, Hym. Stud. Form.

Lasius niger, Fabr. Syst. Piez., p. 415, 1.

Female.—Length 33 lines. Fuscous, densely covered with ci-

nereous silky pubescence ; the head shining; the mandibles, ante-

rior margins of the face on each side of the clypeus, the flagellum

and legs rufo-testaceous, the tarsi and joints of the latter palest ;

the ocelli distinct, and of a glassy brightness, eyes sparingly

pilose; the head is narrower than the thorax. Thorax smooth

and shining ; wings of milky whiteness, hyaline and iridescent, the

nervures of a testaceous yellow, costal nervure fuscous ; the scale

deeply notched above, the lateral angles rounded, the sides nearly

straight. Abdomen elongate-ovate, rather longer than the head

and thorax; the margins of the segments membranaceous, and

narrowly pale testaceous; the silky gloss varying in brilliancy in

different lights.

Worker.—Length 14—1} lines. The head and legs coloured

as in the female; eyes not prominent, the ocelli very minute,

scarcely distinguishable without a high microscopic power; in

small individuals, the thorax similar in form to F. flava, abdominal

scale small, vertical and subrectangular, minutely notched above.

Abdomen ovate, thinly sprinkled with yellow hairs, particularly

the apical segments ; the margins of the segments obscurely mem-

branaceous, shining and thinly sprinkled with long hairs beneath.

Male.—Length 1? lin. Dark fuscous, the tubercles at the

base of the scape of the antenne and the tips of the mandibles

rufo-testaceous ; the basal joint of the flagellum short, obconical,

much stouter than the following joints; eyes and ocelli promi-

nent, the vertex slightly concave. The wings, as in the female,

more ample than in F. flava, the discoidal cell frequently obso-

lete; the scale small, scarcely emarginate above. Abdomen

ovate, the margins of the segments narrowly and obsoletely testa-

ceous.

This Ant is best known in England as the garden Ant; it forms

its nest usually in the ground, but not uncommonly in old brick

walls, &c.; it is found in woods, fields, gardens, and even in the

middle of towns, where I have frequently observed the pave-

Species of British Formicide. 111

ment covered with the glittering winged males and females; and

I once noticed some swallows skimming along the pathway, feast-

ing on the Ants, when swarming as I have stated above.

Genus Tarinoma, Foerst.

Maxillary palpi 6-jointed, labial paipi 4-jointed; antenna in-

serted in the middle of the face, filiform, eyes placed before the

middle, a little within the sides of the head ; the abdomen having

a scale at its base, substituting the first segment, the scale oblong,

decumbent, received into a fovea at the base of the abdomen.

Although the insects which form this genus partake of most of

the characters of the genus Formica, still all the species which I

have seen have the flagellum either filiform or subfiliform, and the

decumbent scale forms, apparently, a gradual approach in form to

the Poneride ; I have therefore retained Foerster’s genus. I am

acquainted with five species; one, which appears to be undescribed,

I have the pleasure of adding myself; it was captured by,Mr.

Dale in Wales.

Tapinoma erratica.

Foemina.—Nigro-fusca, cinerascenti-micans, pilositate abdominis

dorso vix conspicua; pedibus fuscis, tibiarum apice tarsisque

rufescentibus ; metathorace dorso abbreviato, squama oblonga,

subrectangula, depressa, fovea basali segmenti secundi recepta,

vix conspicua; abdomine thorace latiori ventreque pilositate

longiori et magis conspicua preedito.

Operaria.—Nigra, nitida, glabra, angustior, palpis et pedibus

fuscis, geniculis tarsisque rufo-pallidis; squama sicut in foemina ;

abdomine subrotundato.

Mas.—Niger, nitidus, antennis thorace longioribus ; mandibulis

multidentatis, apice acutissimo, pedum articulis tarsisque pallide

rufescentibus ; squama crassa, oblonga, supra rotundata ; alis

fusco-hyalinis; abdomine oblongo-ovata.

Formica erratica, Latr. Hist. Nat. Fourm., p. 182.

Formica glabrella, Nyland. Addit. Adno. Mon. Form., p. 88 8.

Tapinoma collina, Foerster, Hym. Stud. Form., 43, 21, Gen.

2, 9, 8.

Female.—Length 2 lines. Not yet found in this country, the

above diagnosis is from Foerster’s Monograph.

Worker.—Length 13 lin. Black, elongate, smooth and shining,

not pubescent; the scape obscurely ferruginous towards the base,

the extreme base of the flagellum rufo-testaceous ; the teeth of the

112 Mr. Smith’s Essay on the Genera and

mandibles ferruginous ; ocelli not apparent; eyes round, the facets

of a crystalline brilliancy. Thorax compressed, metathorax very

oblique, smooth and shining, the scale small, elongate, inclining

forwards, almost decumbent; legs dark rufo-testaceous, the joints

and tarsi pale testaceous; abdomen sub-ovate, produced anteriorly,

overhanging and concealing the scale.

Male.—Length 2 lines. Black, the antenne elongate, reaching

to the apical margin of the first segment of the abdomen, the

first joint of the flagellum scarcely thicker than the second, all

the joints of about equal length, the second and third a little

longer than the basal joint; the ocelli prominent, of a glassy

brightness, the clypeus convex, the mandibles produced, very

stout, the inner margins straight and serrated, their apex

terminated by an acute stout incurved tooth. Thorax elongate,

rounded anteriorly, smooth and shining, the metathorax rounded

posteriorly, sub-opaque, and having a depression or fossulet in the

middle above ; legs dark rufo-testaceous, the joints and tarsi pale

testaceous ; wings fusco-hyaline, nervures and stigma fusco-tes-

taceous ; scale of the abdomen decumbent, incrassate, rounded at

its superior margin, not concealed as in the worker ; abdomen

elongate-ovate, margins of the segments narrowly and obscurely

testaceous.

The insect which I have described as the male I think must be

correctly assimilated. The worker and male were both captured by

J.C. Dale, Esq., in 1846; the workers in Scotland, the male at

Bournemouth. This is a very interesting addition to our Fauna,

quite a new form, approaching somewhat to that of Ponera, through

which we pass to the division which have two nodes to the abdo-

men, constituting the family Formicide ; the habit of F’. collina also

approaches to that of our British representative of the group

Ponerida—P. contracta—which is found usually under stones, in

which situation Mr. Dale informs me he met with the present

species. I have only seen two workers and one male, all captured

by and in the collection of Mr. Dale.

Tapinoma polita, n. s.

Operaria.—Rufo-testacea, antennis filiformibus ; laevis, tota niti-

dissima, nuda; antennis, mandibulis, pedum articulis et tarsis

pallide testaceis.

Worker.—Rufo-testaceous, smooth and shining ; head elongate,

the sides slightly curved or rounded, having a few scattered long

hairs, slightly emarginate behind ; the scape as long as the head,

Species of British Formicide. 113

and of about the same length as the flagellum, the latter nearly

filiform, the two apical joints being only slightly thickened.

Thorax: smooth and shining, rounded anteriorly, slightly nar-

rowed posteriorly, and strangulated at the junction of the meso- and

metathorax, the latter emarginate behind, the emargination ex-

tending the entire width, the lateral angles obtuse; the scale

of the abdomen decumbent, elongate, slightly narrowed at the

base and rounded above. .Abdomen ovate, smooth and shining,

sprinkled with a few long pale hairs.

The only species which approaches this insect is the Tapinoma

nitens of Mayr; but that has the scape shorter than the flagellum,

and the latter is sub-clavate, the scale is much wider above, and

the abdomen dark rufo-fuscous. I have only seen the single ex-

ample described ; it is in the collection of J.C. Dale, Esq., who

captured it in Wales.

Fam. 1. PONERID, Smith.

Genus Ponera, Latr.

Head elongate, flagellum of the antenne clavate in the females

and workers, filiform in the males; inserted before the middle of

the face: the maxillary palpi short, subsetaceous, 6-jointed, the

labial palpi 4-jointed ; the clypeus short, transverse ; the ocelli

and eyes obsolete in the workers; wings having one marginal,

two sub-marginal and two discoidal cells; the abdominal scale

sub-nodiform, incrassate; the margins of the second and third

segments constricted.

Sp. 1. Ponera contracta.

Feemina.—Elongata, sub-cylindrica, fusca; mandibulis, clypeo,

antennis pedibusque pallide rufis ; oculis magnis, subovalibus,

hirtulis ; ocellis distinctis ; capite magno, confertim punctulato,

sub-opaco ; alis hyalinis,nervis subflavescentibus: squama altis-

sima, crassa, antice convexa, postice !avissima concaviuscula ;

abdomine elongato-ovali, margine parum fusco-testacea.

Operaria.—Fusco-brunnea, sub-nitida, pube cinerascenti sub-

depressa, pilis sparsis erectis ; oculis obsoletis, ocellis nullis.

Mas.—Niger, nitidissimus, pube sericea; pedibus fuscis, tibiis

tarsisque rufescentibus ; antennis elongatis, scapo minimo,

pedicello subgloboso, reliquis articulis cylindricis ; oculis valde

prominulis, ocellis sat magnis; abdominis segmento primo

squama crassa, antice posticeque subconvexa ; segmento ultimo

processu spiniformi deorsum flexo; alis ut in foomina.

VOL. Ill. N. S. PART IV.—APR, 1895. I

114 Mr. Smith’s Hssay on the Genera and

Formica contracta, Latr. Hist. Nat. Fourm., 195, tab. 7, fig.

40, 2; Fabr, Syst. Piez., p. 410, 58.

Ponera contracta, Latr. Gen. Crust. et Ins., iv. p. 128; St.

Farg. Hym., i. 195, 8; Steph. Illus. Brit.

Ent. Supp., p. 15, tab. 42, fig. 2; Foerster,

Hym. Stud. Form., p. 45.

Female. — Length 12 lin. Elongate, subcylindrical, shining

rufo-fuscous ; the antenne, clypeus and mandibles rufo-testa-

ceous; the eyes large and ovate, situated anteriorly at the sides

of the head, opposite the insertion of the antenne, which ap-

proximate at their base; the ocelli placed in a triangle on the

vertex ; a longitudinal impressed line extends from the anterior

stemma to the base of the antenne; the vertex slightly emargi-

nate its entire width. Thorax elongate, the sides nearly pa-

rallel, rounded anteriorly; the metathorax sub-truncate, very

slightly oblique; the scutellum, post-scutellum and legs, rufo-

testaceous, the tarsi palest; wings having one elongate mar-

ginal cell, two elongate submarginal, and one discoidal cell.

Abdomen, the node incrassate, vertical, rising above the base

of the following segment, rounded above ; the margins of the

second and third segments constricted; the extreme apex pale

rufo-testaceous.

Worker.—Black, or dark fuscous ; elongate and sub-cylindrical ;

smooth and shining; head elongate, wider than the thorax, very

finely and closely punctured ; eyes and ocelli wanting ; the face

below the insertion of the antenne, the latter, as well as the Jegs

and extreme apex of the abdomen, rufo-testaceous ; the mandibles

large and triangular, their inner edge very finely denticulate ;

the flagellum clavate; the prothorax convex, rounded ante-

riorly, behind which the thorax is compressed; the metathorax

slightly oblique: scale of the abdomen thickened, broad, and

rounded above ; the margins of the two following segments

constricted, the first most strongly so; the margins obscurely

rufo-testaceous ; the apex pale rufo-testaceous.

This insect was discovered to be indigenous by Mr. J. O. West-

wood, who captured it in St. James’s Park.

I only possess the worker and female; the diagnosis of the

male is from a foreign specimen. PP. contracta is rare in this

country; its communities being small and their living under

stones and other substances, as well as their minute size, combine

to render their detection difficult. I have never seen the insect

alive.

Species of British Formicide. 115

Fam. 2. MYRMICID, Smith.

Genus Myrmica, Latr.

Manica, Jurine.

This genus of ants is separated from Formica by very essential

characters, which consist of the following differences: the abdo-

men has its two basal segments contracted into two nodes, the

females and workers are armed with stings, and the pupe are not

enclosed in cocoons, but cast off a thin pellicle, like the pupe of

many Fossorial Hymenoptera; their labial palpi are 4-jointed,

their maxillary palpi 6-jointed.

The males and females winged, the latter temporarily so. The

males and females furnished with ocelli, which are wanting in the

workers.*

Sp. 1. MWyrmica seabrinodis.

Feemina. — Rufo-testacea, sparse flavido-pilosula; capite supra,

scutello abdominisque dorso medio fuscescentibus; scapo ad

basin arcuatim flexo; capite, thorace et petiolo longitudinaliter

striatis, profunde rugosis; metathorace spinis longiusculis; alis

hyalinis, versus basin parum infuscatis, stigmate ejusdem coloris

distincto.

Operaria.—Rufo-testacea, sparse flavido-pilosula, capite supra,

abdominisque dorso medio fuscescentibus ; capite, thorace et

petiolo longitudinaliter striatis, profunde rugosis; antennarum

scapo ad basin arcuatim flexo, flexura supra angulata; meta-

thoracis spinis longis.

Mas.—Nigro-fuscus, nitidus, sparse tenuiter flavido-pilosulus ;

mandibulis, pedum articulationibus tarsisque testaceo-palle-

scentibus ; antennis fusco-rufescentibus; scapo longitudine

quintz partis totius antenne; abdominis apice pallide rufe-

scentibus.

Myrmica scabrinodis, Nyland. Adno. Mon. Form., p. 930, 3,

$, 2, 3; Foerster, Hym. Stud. Form.,

66, 36.

Myrmica rubra, Curtis, Trans. Linn. Soc., xxi. 213, 1.

Myrmica cespitum, Zett. Ins. Lapp., 450, 1 ¢.

Female.—Length 23 lines. The head above and the clypeus

fuscous ; beneath, the sides, the face on each side of the clypeus,

* None of the British species of the genus Myrmica spin a cocoon, and this

appears to be the case with the majority of the Myrmicide; but the genus

Myrmecia, Fabr., is an exception to the rule. I possess the pupa, and silken co-

coon from which it was extracted, of a species closely allied to M. gulosa, from

New Holland.

1 ee

116 Mr. Smith’s Essay on the Genera and

the mandibles, and the antenne, rufo-testaceous ; the scape stout,

of nearly equal thickness the entire length, and bent at the base,

the curvature produced in front into a sharp angle; the head and

thorax above, rugose-striate; the spines which arm the meta-

thorax long, stout, and acute at their apex; the nodes of the ab-

domen coarsely rugose; the wings hyaline, faintly coloured towards

their base ; the nervures and base of the stigma rufo-testaceous.

Abdomen subovate, smooth and shining, dark fusco-ferruginous,

the base and apex pale ferruginous, thinly sprinkled over with

shining yellow hairs.

Worker.—Length 13—2 lines. The sculpture as in the female;

the ocelli obsolete, the general colouring usually paler, particularly

the head and thorax; the head perhaps scarcely so deeply striated ;

the scape is bent and angulated in the same manner as in the fe-

male ; the thorax is more compressed at the sides, being narrower

towards the metathorax than in the female; the nodes as in that

sex, the legs rather more slender; the abdomen proportionably

smaller.

Male.—Deep nigro-fuscous ; the apical joints of the flagellum,

the tubercle at base of the scape, the mandibles, the apex of the

femora and the tarsi, pale rufo-testaceous ; the mandibles usu-

ally pale yellow; the scape short and stout, about one-fifth

of the entire length of the antennz ; the antennz and legs thinly

sprinkled with pale glittering hairs; the wings smoky towards

their base. Abdomen smooth and shining, pale testaceous at the

apex, the nodes shining above, the anterior one has a shining

depression behind; the metathorax is deeply notched and pro-

duced into an angulated process on each side, the scutellum and

sides of the metathorax striated; the entire insect sprinkled with

pale glittering hairs.

This is a very abundant species: it is found in all parts of the

kingdom, and is frequently met with, occupying one side of the

same hillock in which Formica flava has formed its habitation; it

is met with in great profusion in hilly districts, forming its subter-

ranean channels under stones; in the nest of this insect I met with

a specimen of Batrisus formicarius, in Yorkshire.

Sp. 2. Myrmica ruginodis.

Feemina.—Testaceo-ferruginea, sparse flavido-pilosa, capite supra,

abdominis dorso medio, scutello et macula ventrali plus minus-

ve fuscescentibus ; scapo ad basin arcuatim flexo; capite, tho-

raceque longitudinaliter striatim-rugosis; metathoracis spinis

Species of British Formicide. 117

longiusculis ; alis hyalinis, nervis cum stigmate sub-flavescen-

tibus; nodis petioli rugosis.

Operaria.—Testaceo-ferruginea, sparse flavido - pilosula; capite

supra abdominisque dorso medio et macula ventrali plus minus-

ve fuscescentibus; scapo basin versus arcuatim flexo; capite

thoraceque longitudinaliter striatim-rugosis; metathoracis spinis

binis validiusculis longis ; nodis petioli rugosis.

Mas.—Nigro-fuscus, nitidus, parcissime tenuiter flavido-pilo-

sulus; mandibulis, articulationibus pedum et tarsis testaceo-

pallescentibus; scapo elongato, fuscescente, abdomine supra

obscure rufescente.

Myrmica ruginodis, Nyland. Adno. Mon. Form., 929, 2; Foers-

ter, Hym. Stud. Form., p. 66, 36.

Myrmica vagans, Curtis, Trans. Linn. Soc., xxi. 213, 3.

Female.—Length 23 lines. This sex so very closely resembles

that of the preceding, that it is only necessary to point out the

distinctions of the present species. The scape is more slender,

gradually narrowing to the base, which is bent, but not angulated

in front of the arcuation ; the flagellum is also more slender, and

the joints rather longer ; the mesothorax is not so deeply rugose-

striate,and the thoracic spines are not quite so stout and are more

bent inwards towards each other.

Worker.—Differs from that of the preceding species in the

same characteristics as the female.

Male.—At once distinguished from that of the preceding

species by having the antennz rather longer than the thorax,

the scape being about one-third of their entire length ; they are

usually also paler coloured, and the entire insect is less pilose,

particularly the head and legs; the tarsi are more elongate and

slender; the metathorax is less deeply notched, and sub-angulated

laterally.

This is in ail probability the species described by Linnzeus as

Formica rubra, since it usually possesses the character pointed

out by the author, “ punctum nigrum sub abdomine ;” but, as I

have observed this character in some examples of other species,

I have not thought myself warranted in changing the name: the

species is equally abundant with the foregoing, and found in

similar situations.

Mr. Curtis quotes this species as being the Formica vagans of

Fabricius, but the description of that author would equally well

118 Mr. Smith’s Essay on the Genera and

suit either this, the preceding, or following species; therefore

until the typical specimen can be examined I retain Nylander’s

name for the species.

Sp. 3. Myrmica levinodis.

Feemina.—Sordide testaceo-ferruginea, sparse flavido-pilosula ;

capite, pronoto, scutello abdomineque supra et infra in medio

fuscescentibus ; capite thoraceque longitudinaliter striatim-ru-

gulosis ; metathorace spinis brevibus validiusculis: nodis petioli

subleevibus ; alis hyalinis.

Operaria. — Testaceo-ferruginea, sparse flavido-pilosula, capite

supra abdominisque dorso medio et macula ventrali plus minusve

fuscescentibus; capite et thorace longitudinaliter striatimru-

gulosis; metathorace spinis binis validiusculis; nodis petioli

sublaevibns.

Mas.—Nigro-fuscus nitidus, sparse flavido-pilosulus ; mandibulis

tarsisque pallide testaceis; antennis scapo valde elongato, me-

tathorace inermi, tuberculis utrinque sub-obsoletis ; antennis,

trochanteribus, tibiis abdomineque plus minusve conspicue

fusco-pallescentibus ; alis hyalinis, basin versus obsoletissime

subfuscescentibus.

Myrmica levinodis, Nyland. Adno. Mon. Form., p. 927, 1;

Foerster, Hym. Stud. Form., 46, 35;

Curtis, Trans. Lin. Soc., xxi. 213, 2.

Female.—Length 23 lines. Fusco-testaceous: the head dark

fuscous, the mandibles and antenne pale testaceous, the apical

joints more or less ferruginous; the thorax above usually rufo-

testaceous, sometimes only the scutellum; the metathoracic spines

short, stout and acute, slightly divergent; wings hyaline, the ner-

vures pale rufo-testaceous, the stigma slightly fuscous; the an-

terior node smooth and shining above, posteriorly, as well as the

second node, obsoletely roughened. Abdomen smooth and

shining, more or less fuscous above, and having sometimes a fuscous

spot beneath; the scape of the antenne attenuated at the base,

and slightly bent.

Worker.—Difters very slightly in any respect from the female,

except in being smaller: the mandibles are ferruginous, and the

nodes of the abdomen faintly rugose.

Male.—Length 2 lines. Dark fuscous, the head less shining

than the thorax and abdomen, and obsoletely rugose ; the man-

Species of British Formicide. 119

dibles pale testaceous ; antenne rufo-testaceous, the scape above,

and the three apical joints of the flagellum, slightly fuscous ; ocelli

of a glassy brightness, very prominent, as well as the eyes; tho-

rax: the mesothorax very prominent, anteriorly smooth and

shining, as well as the metathorax posteriorly, which is slightly

notched and laterally sub-angulated; wings hyaline, nervures pale

testaceous, the stigma slightly fuscous; the nodes and the abdo-

men very glossy, the apex of the latter pale testaceous; the

articulations of the legs and the tarsi pale testaceous.

This species most closely approaches 7. ruginodis; the female

of the present species, however, may be distinguished by having

the spines of the thorax smaller, being short angular processes,

very acute at their apex, not bent spines, as in M. ruginodis;

the smooth nodes will also serve to distinguish it. The worker has

the spines longer than the female; the thorax is not so coarsely

sculptured as in M. ruginodis, and the nodes are smooth and

shining, the sculpture on them being very delicate. The male

has the antennze shorter than in M/. ruginodis, and intermediate,

as it were, between M. ruginodis and M. scabrinodis ; the scape is

about one-third of the entire length.

This species does not appear to be so abundant as either of the

foregoing; I have only met with it in Sandown Bay, and in Luc-

comb Chine, Isle of Wight; Mr. Baly found it at Folkestone ; I

suspect it is a local species in this country.

Sp. 4. Myrmica sulcinodis.

Feemina. — Ferruginea, sparse flavido-pilosula, capite et abdo-

mine fusco-nigrescentibus ; mandibulis, antennis, thorace pedi-

busque pallido-ferrugineis; capite, thorace et petiolo longi-

tudinaliter striatis, profunde exaratis; antennarum scapo ad

basin parum subcurvato; metathoracis spinis longis.

Operaria.— Sordide rubida, sparse flavo-pilosula, capite abdo-

mineque fusco-nigrescentibus ; mandibulis antennisque pallide

rufescentibus; capite, thorace et petiolo longitudinaliter striatis,

profunde exaratis; antennarum scapo ad basin paruin curvato:

metathorace spinis longis.

Mas.—Nigro-fuscus, nitidus, parcissime tenuiter flavido-pilosulus ;

mandibulis, antennarum flagellis, articulationibus pedum tarsis-

que pallide rufo-testaceis; alis hyalinis, nervis pallide testaceis ;

capite, metathorace supra, nodis segmenti primi longitudinaliter

striatim-rugulosis.

120 Mr. Smith’s Essay on the Genera and

Myrmica sulcinodis, Nyland. Adno. Mon. Form., p. 984, &.

Myrmica perelegans, Curtis, Trans. Linn. Soc., xxi. 214, 5,

tab.’ 4,figs 15.4, 169, 17-8

Female.—Length 23 lines. Head and abdomen very dark rufo-

fuscous: sometimes the latter is nearly black; the scape usually

rather darker than the flagellum and slightly fuscous above, but

at other times the antenne are entirely rufo-testaceous ; the legs

also differ in being sometimes entirely pale-red, sometimes only

the tarsi are pale, according to the maturity of the insect; the

head is longitudinally roughly rugose; the thorax and nodes of

the abdomen longitudinally rugose-sulcate: the spines of the

metathorax elongate, acute, and curving slightly inwards; the

scape is slightly curved at the base; the wings clear hyaline,

the nervures and stigma pale testaceous; abdomen very glossy

and sprinkled with pale glittering yellow hairs.

Worker.—Length 2 lines. Differs from the female scarcely in

anything except size; the spines are however more erect, and the

workers are usually darker in colour.

Male.—Length 2} lines. Dark fuscous, sometimes nearly black,

the head longitudinally roughly rugose ; the mandibles, flagellum,

and apex of the scape, pale rufo-testaceous, the latter frequently

fuscous above at the base, sometimes only slightly so; thorax

above longitudinally sulecate, most deeply so on the metathorax

above and at the sides; the metathorax sub-marginate behind,

ths posterior truncation smooth and shining; the joints of the legs,

as well as the tarsi, pale rufo-testaceous; the wings of a pale

yellow hyaline; the nervures and stigma pale testaceous ; the

apex of the nodes and of the abdomen pale rufo-testaceous.

This distinct species appears to be very local; I have never

met with it, Mr. Dale has captured the male and worker in

Wales, and I am indebted to Mr. Curtis for examples of the sexes

taken at Bournemouth, Hampshire: the male is here described

for the first time. Possessing several specimens of Nylander’s

species, presented by himself, and also others from M. Mayr, of

Vienna, I have been unable to recognise the slightest difference

between these and specimens presented by Mr, Curtis.

Sp. 5. Myrmica denticornis.

Feemina.— Testaceo-ferruginea, sparse flavido-pilosula; capite

supra abdominisque dorso medio fuscescentibus; mandibulis et

pedibus flavido-testaceis ; alis hyalinis, nervis testaceis, capite

Species of British Formicide. 121

striatim rugosis; thorace et petiolo longitudinaliter striatis,

profunde rugosis ; antennarum scapo ad basin geniculatim flexo,

geniculo supra acute denticulato.

Operaria.—Obscure rubida, sparse flavido-pilosula; catera ut in

preecedente.

Mas.—F usco-pallidus, mandibulis pallide rufescentibus, thorace et

petiolo subleevibus ; alis sub-hyalinis, nervis et stigmate pallide

fulvis.

Myrmica denticornis, Curtis, Trans. Linn. Soc., xxi. 215, 7,

tab. 23, fig. 18,19, 3, &.

Female-—Head above, mesothorax, scutellum and abdomen,

fusco-ferruginous; the metathorax and antenne pale ferruginous ;

the scape, mandibles and legs pale rufo-testaceous ; the meso-

thorax has on each side a longitudinal fuscous stripe uniting with a

transverse one at the base of the scutellum; the scape is geniculated

at the base, having at the upper angle an acute short tooth; the

spines on the metathorax slightly divergent and curved slightly

inwards, they are stout, long and acute.

Worker.—This strongly resembles the female in its sculpture,

but is of an uniform dark fuscous red ; the antennz, mandibles

and legs fulvous; the antennz denticulate as in the female: in

both sexes the first node of the petiole is ovate, the second globose,

both being coarsely rugose.

Male.—Length 23 lines. Pale dull castaneous, sparingly pu-

bescent, the head irregularly and indistinctly striated ; mandibles

straw-coloured ; the antennz and legs fulvous; coxe, tips of the

femora and the tarsi pale testaceous; the margin of the scutellum

and the articulations of the nodes of the abdomen pale testaceous ;

the basal node a little elongated and irregularly striate, the second

node as well as the disk of the thorax smooth and shining, the

latter faintly sculptured ; the spines on the metathorax are short

and acute, slightly divergent: wings slightly tinted, the nervures

and stigma pale fulvous.

Mr. Curtis has described the worker and male of this very

distinct species ; the female I describe from the collection of J. C.

Dale, Esq., who captured it as well as the worker in Scotland ;

it is most closely allied to the MM. lobicornis of Nylander, but on

comparison with specimens of that insect presented to me by

that author, it is immediately seen to be abundantly distinct.

122 Mr. Smith’s Assay on the Genera and

Mr. Curtis captured this insect in Scotland in July, 1825, but

did not find any females.

Sp. 6. Myrmica longiscapa.

Myrmica longiscapus, Curtis, Trans. Linn. Soc., xxi. 213, 4.

Mr. Curtis says, ‘this species resembles M. levinodis, but the

males are much smaller, the antennz much longer, and instead of

the scape being only as long as the two basal joints of the flagel-

lum, as in M. levinodis and M. rubra, it is equal in length to the

eight following joints. ‘The head is less convex, there is no channel

down the forehead, and the clypeus is testaceous: there is a fovea

on the hinder margin of the second nodule ; the wings do not

differ ; the females are very similar to those of M. levinodis, hut

they are darker, and the basal nodule is shorter and stouter. The

neuters are smaller and different in colour from those of JZ. levi-

nodis, being entirely ochreous, excepting. the black eyes and a

brownish cloud on the back of the abdomen.”

I do not possess this species, which must approach very closely

to M. levinodis; the figure of the nodes of the abdomen of the

female, in profile, appear to characterize a distinct species; the

characters of the male, however, are those of MM. levinodis, re-

specting which there is evidently, in the above quotation, some

misconception ; in my typical specimens, named by Dr. Nylander,

the scape is equal in length to 7 or 8 of the basal joints of the

flagellum, and Nylander’s description is, ‘‘ scapus tertiam partem

totius antenne fere excedens, longitudine prope articularum 7

sequenti flagelli.” Nylander does not mention the fovea on the

second nodule, but it exists in all his specimens—the females and

workers of M. levinodis are both characterized by the fuscous

cloud on the back of the abdomen, which renders the affinity of

these species the closer.

Sp. 7. Myrmica cespitum.

Feemina.—Fusco-nigra, nitida, flavido-pilosula ; mandibulis, an-

tennarum flagellis, articulationibus pedum tarsisque pallidis ;

capite, pleuris et metathorace longitudinaliter striatis opacis ;

metathoracis spinis mediocribus validiusculis, obtusiusculis ;

alis hyalinis, stigmate cinereo-fusco. ;

Operaria.—F usco-nigricans, sparse pallide pilosula; mandibulis,

antennis pedibusque rufo-testaceis, articulationibus et tarsis

Species of British Formicide. 123

rufo-pallescentibus; capite thoraceque subtiliter longitudinaliter

rugulosis; spinis metathoracis minutis dentiformibus; nodis

petioli subleevibus.

Mas.—Niger, parcissime flavido-pilosulus ; mandibulis, antennis

pedibusque sordide pallescentibus, flagellis et tarsis dilute pal-

lidis; capite parvo thoraceque subtiliter striatulis; thoracis mar-

ginibus anticis et lateralibus nitidis; alis hyalinis, nervis palle-

scentibus, stigmate pallide fuscis: spinis metathoracis nullis ;

nodis subleevibus.

Formica cespitum, Linn. Faun. Suec., No. 1726 9; Syst. Nat.,

963,11; Latr. Hist. Nat. Fourm., p. 251,

tab. 10, fig. 63 3.

Formica binodis, Amcen. Acad., vi. p. 418, 94 % ; and Sp. in

Cab. Mus. Linn. Soc.

Myrmica fuscula, Nyland. Adno. Mon. Form., 935, 6 6, %, tab.

18, fig. 36, 3; Addit. Adno., p. 1053, @ ;

Foerster, Hym. Stud. Form., p. 56, 29.

Myrmica cespitum, Curtis, Trans. Linn. Soc., xxi. 215, 8.

Manica cespitum, Jurine, p. 279.

Female.—Length 3} lines. Very dark fuscous, or quite black ;

the head narrower than the thorax, and longitudinally striate ; ocelli

of a glassy brightness; the mandibles and antenne dark ferru~

ginous; the scape, except the extr eme apex, slightly fuscous, as

nell as the flagellum towards the apex, the apical joint paler;

thorax Seineibat flattened above, the mesothorax being on each

side delicately and obliquely strigose; the scutellum finely strigose;

the mesothorax has on each side, a little within and before

the insertion of the wings, an abbreviated impressed line, and has

in front a smooth shining space; the metathorax longitudinally

rugose above, the lateral spines short, stout and sub-acute; the

truncated portion of the metathorax below the insertion of the

spines is transversely sulcate; the wings clear hyaline, the ner-

vures very pale, the stigma pale fuscous; sometimes the wings

are very faintly smoky at their base; the legs rufo-fuscous, their

articulations, as well as the tarsi, rufo-ferruginous. Abdomen

elongate ovate, rather broader than the thorax, and rather longer,

the apical margins of the segments rufo-piceous ; the first node

is rugose, the second faintly roughened behind, the superior

margin of both nodes smooth and shining,

Worker.—Length 14~2 lines. The colour like that of the

124 Mr. Smith’s Essay on the Genera and

female, but frequently paler, the legs being usually so; the head

subquadrate, much wider than the thorax, and longitudinally striate,

the mandibles and antenne as in the female; the vertex is slightly

concave behind, the angles being rounded; the thorax a little

longer than the head, widest in front, finely longitudinally rugose-

striate; the metathoracic spines short and acute; the nodes

smooth and shining above, faintly strigose at the sides; the legs

and abdomen as in the female.

Male.—Length 2}—8-lines. Dark fuscous, or black; head

small, much narrower than the thorax, sub-opaque, longitudinally

rugose-striate, ocelli glassy and bright; the mandibles, antenne,

joints of the legs and the tarsi, pale testaceous, the flagellum fuscous

at the base. Thorax rounded and swollen anteriorly ; on each side

anteriorly is an oblique impressed line, meeting in the middle of

the mesothorax ; the angular shape thus formed is highly polished

and impunctate ; on each side before the insertion of the wings,

about half-way between that and the oblique line, is an abbreviated

impressed line; the centre of the thorax behind the angular shape

in front is longitudinally striated; a shining space on each side

surrounding the lateral impressed line ; the scutellum transversely

and very finely strigose ; the metathorax longitudinally striate ;

wings hyaline, the stigma pale fuscous ; the nodes obsoletely

rugose. Abdomen ovate, smooth and shining; the apical margins

of the segments pale rufo-testaceous.

The antennze of the male have apparently ouly ten joints, but

when viewed under a high power of the microscope, the third

joint will be found to-consist in reality of three joints; the fifth is

composed of two, thus making the number really thirteen.

This is a local but abundant species on many parts of the coast;

it appears to frequent such situations, I have not found it in any

other; it is very plentiful at the back of the Isle of Wight, in San-

down Bay, Luccomb and Shanklin Chines; there are large colo-

nies at Shoeburyness, below Southend, where in August I ob-

tained all the sexes: Mr. Dale has taken it at Charmouth. I

have little doubt of this being the F. cespitum of Linnzus, as

quoted by Latreille; it is certainly that of the latter author.

Sp. 8. Myrmica acervorum.

Iceemina.—Sordida, pallide rubida, sparse pilosula; capite, tho-

race abdomineque fusco-nigricantibus supra; capite longitudi-

Species of British Formicide. 125

naliter striatulo; alis totis albo-hyalinis, spinis metathoracis

mediocribus ; nodis parum scabris.

Operaria.—Sordide rubra, sparse pilosula; capite abdomineque

supra fuscescentibus; capite longitudinaliter striatulo; thorace

nodisque petioli rugoso-scabriusculis, metathorace spinis medio-

cribus.

Mas.—Niger, cinereo-pilosulus; tibiarum basi apiceque, tarsisque

dilute pallidis, metathoracis apice polito, utrinque angulatim

tuberculato; alis lacteo-hyalinis.

Formica acervorum, Fabr. Ent. Syst., ii. 358, 38, 8 ; Syst. Piez.

p- 407, 50.

Myrmica acervorum, Zett. Ins. Lapp., 451, 3, 2,%; Nyland.

Adno. Mon. Form., 936, 7, ¢, 2, 3;

Foerster, Hym. Stud. Form., 61, 32;

Curtis, Trans. Linn. Soc., xxi. 215, 6.

Myrmica lacteipennis, Zett. Ins. Lapp., p. 452, 5, ¢.

Female.—Length 12 lin. Head elongate, subquadrate; above

the insertion of the antennz, but not quite extending to the ver-

tex, fuscous; the rest of the head pale ferruginous; the three

apical joints of the antennz fuscous ; the thorax, legs and nodes

pale ferruginous; the thorax indistinctly longitudinally striated,

slightly fuscous at the insertion of the wings; spines of the meta-

thorax short, stout and acute; the first node slightly roughened

behind, the second smooth, or faintly sculptured. Abdomen ob-

long-ovate, dark fusco-ferruginous, pointed at the apex, and

sprinkled with pale glittering hairs.

Worker.—Length 13 lin. ‘This scarcely differs from the female

in anything but size, except in the usual compression of the sides

of the thorax, and in the absence of the ocelli; the spines are

rather stouter and longer, and the second node is rather more dis-

tinctly sculptured with fine striae.

Male.—Black, the tarsi and articulations of the legs pale testa-

ceous; the entire insect is thinly clothed with long cinereous

pubescence; the antennz apparently 12-jointed ; the palpi minute,

pale testaceous ; the mandibles truncate at their apex.

This, like most of the small species, is rarely met with. I once

found a colony on Shirly Common, under the bark of a decaying

tree ; it consisted of one female and about fifteen workers. Mr.

Dale has taken it in the New Forest, at Glanvilles Wootton, and

at Lulworth. I have also received it from Scotland.

126 Mr. Smith’s Essay on the Genera and

9. Myrmica graminicola.

Feemina.—Rufo-pallida, sparse pilosula; capite et thorace supra

longitudinaliter striatulo; alis totis albo-hyalinis: spinis meta-

thoracis parvis dentiformibus; nodis sublzevibus, primo elongato,

secundo globoso.

Myrmica graminicola, Latr. Hist. Nat. Fourm., p. 255; Curtis,

Trans. Lina. Soc.,; xxi. 216, 11.

‘“emale.—Totally pale ferruginous: head elongate, subqua-

drate, strongly longitudinally rugose-striate; the scape slightly

bent, tips of the mandibles fuscous; the thorax longitudinally

rugose; the metathoracic spines short and acute; the wings hya-

line, the nervures and stigma pale testaceous ; the first node of

the abdomen petiolate, not toothed beneath, the second node glo-

bose; the abdomen oblong ovate; the entire insect sprinkled with

pale glittering hairs, rather thickly so on the head and abdomen.

Worker.—Length 13 lin. Rufo-testaceous: the head elon-

gate, strongly longitudinally rugose-striate; eyes black, round

and very minute; flagellum 11-jointed, gradually thickening from

base to apex, the apical joint conical and acute; the head ante-

riorly, mandibles, antennze and legs, pale ferruginous; thorax :

narrow, elongate, strongly longitudinally rugose-striate; ante-

riorly rounded and widest, deeply strangulated at the junction

of the meta- and mesothorax; the teeth on the metathorax short,

acute and dentiform. The first node petiolate, the second rather

wider than the first, globose, both are shining above ; abdomen

smooth and shining, pale testaceous at the base and apex.

Male.—Dark fuscous: shining and sparingly pubescent, the

parts of the mouth and the tarsi pale ferruginous; the flagellum

obscure reddish brown, the scape black; the head and thorax

rugose ; the metathorax oblique, smooth and shining, subdentate ;

the wings entirely dark fuscous, with the nervures black.

I have not seen the male of this species; the above description

is compiled from Latreille. I have twice taken the female flying;

once at Paddington, in the month of September, and a second

example near London, but do not recollect the precise locality.

A third winged female was captured by the late Mr. Wing, on

the 4th of December, at Vauxhall. The scarcity of some species

of Myrmicide is to be attributed to their peculiar economy,

and also to their societies being few in number. As an example

of the first, I refer the student to the remarks under M. fugaz.

Species of British Formicide. 127

I feel pretty certain of this species being Latreille’s, since it

not only agrees in colour, but also in having the first node of

the abdomen elongated into a petiole, and in not being toothed

beneath.

Sp. 10. Myrmica fugax.

Operaria.—Minuta, pallide flavescens, laevis, nitida; antennarum

clava flagelli biarticulata ; metathorace declivi mutico, pedibus

pallescentibus; abdomine medio supra subfasciatim fuscescente.

Formica fugax, Latr. Hist. Nat. Fourm., p. 265.

Myrmica flavidula, Nyland. Addit. Adno. Mon. Form., p.

43, 122

Worker.—Length #-1 lin. Head and thorax of a pale reddish

yellow, the abdomen usually having a dark obscure fascia, and

a similar spot on the front of the head, towards the insertion

of the antennz; sometimes entirely very pale yellow, particularly

the smaller specimens. Head elongate, the sides nearly parallel,

slightly widest at the eyes, which are very minute and black; the

club of the flagellum composed of two joints, the apical joint

thrice the length of the first, conical, and very acute at the apex;

the antenne slightly pubescent. Thorax: rounded anteriorly,

slightly strangulated between the meso-and metathorax, the Jatter

obliquely declined posteriorly, not having the slightest tubercle or

tooth; the first node wider than the second, somewhat pear-

shaped, the second globose; abdomen oblong-ovate, and the entire

insect highly polished and shining.

I have not yet obtained British examples of the other sexes: I

possess females sent to me by M. Mayr of Vienna; these very

closely resemble the female of I. cespitum, but are only 14 of a

line in length, being of a very dark brown-black; the mandibles,

antennz and legs are pale rufo-testaceous, and the wings hyaline.

This minute species was not known as a British insect until

the autumn of 1854, when I discovered a colony under ground, on

the shore below Southend. The habit of the species appears to

be subterraneous; I visited the spot daily at all hours, but never

saw one above ground, but by digging I could always find them ;

visiting the spot at night was attended with the same results ;

some of the chambers, at the depth of six inches, contained pupx

of males and females, but I failed in bringing them to maturity

in an artificial situation.

128 Mr. Smith’s Essay on the Genera and

If this species be not identical with the M. flavidula of Nylan-

der, it must be very closely allied.

Sp. 11. Myrmica unifasciata.

Feemina. — Rufo-pallida, sparse setulosa, abdominis segmento

secundo fuscescente; capite et mesothorace subtiliter longitu-

dinaliter scabriusculis; alis hyalinis, nervis pallidis subobso-

letis; spinis metathoracis minutis dentiformibus; nodis subla-

vibus.

Operaria. — Rufo-pallida, sparse setulosa; capite abdomineque

fasciis fuscescentibus ; capite longitudinaliter striato, thorace

nodisque subtiliter rugoso-scabriusculis ; spinis metathoracis

mediocribus acutiusculis.

Mas.— Fusco-testaceus, nitidus; abdominis segmentis dilutio-

ribus; metathorace tuberculis utrinque obsoletis; alis lacteo-

hyalinis; nervis sub-obsoletis; antennis, palpis pedibusque

pallide testaceis.

Formica unifasciata, Latr. Hist. Nat. Fourm., 257.

Myrmica unifasciata, Nyland. Addit. Adno. Mon. Form., p.

44; Curtis, Trans. Lin. Soc., xxi.

216, 12.

Manica unifasciata, Jurine, Hym., p. 279.

Female.—Length 13 lin. Rufo-testaceous: sprinkled with a

few erect scattered hairs; the head finely longitudinally rugose-

striate; the stemmata very prominent, and of a glassy brightness ;

the scape and base of the flagellum pale flavo-testaceous, the

legs are of the same colour; antennze apparently 12-jointed.

Thorax rounded anteriorly, the mesothorax finely longitudinally

striated; the insertion of the wings, the scutellum and post-scu-

tellum, rufo-fuscous, the scutellum smooth and shining in the

middle; the spines on the metathorax short and acute; the wings

hyaline, the nervures scarcely discernible; the nodes nearly

smooth, shining, the first slightly roughened. Abdomen ovate,

smooth and shining, the first segment pale at the base, beyond

which it is rufo-fuscous, sometimes entirely fuscous, or with the

basal margins pale.

Worker.—Closely resembles the female, differs in wanting the

ocelli, and in having the sides of the thorax compressed, and

slightly strangulated at the apex of the mesothorax, which is

much more finely sculptured than in the female, and granulated:

the teeth -on the metathorax minute, acute at their apex.

Abdomen ovate, very smooth and shining, the first segment

Species of British Formicide. 129

having a broad rufo-testaceous fascia; sometimes the following

segment rufo-testaceous.

I have not captured the male of this species; the diagnosis is

from a specimen sent to me by M. Mayr of Vienna, and from the

only British example which I have seen in Mr, Dale’s collection ;

the species is rare. I have usually taken it in winter in moss,

but once met with a colony in some decayed wood, and cap-

tured several females; this was nearly twenty years ago, in

Colney Hatch Wood, since which I have not found it. The late

Mr. Wing found a colony at Lambeth, and Mr. Dale has taken

it in the New Forest and at Lulworth; he has also captured the

male, which I suspect to be the Stenamma albipennis. The

species very closely resembles the JZ. muscorum of Nylander,

which species is more strongly sculptured, and the thorax longer

and more deeply strangulated. ‘The male has scarcely the slightest

trace of neuration in the wings.

Sp. 12. Myrmica simillima.

Operaria.— Rufo-pallida, abdomine fuscescente, basi pallido; capite

longitudinaliter striolato; thorace longitudinaliter striatim-ru-

guloso; metathorace spinis parvis acutis dentiformibus.

Myrmica simillima, Nyland. MSS.; Smith, Cat. Brit. Hym.,

p- 118; Curtis, Trans. Linn. Soc., xxi.

216, 10.

Worker—Length ? line. Head, thorax and nodes of the

abdomen rufo-testaceous; the mandibles, flagellum and legs

pale flavo-testaceous; abdomen shining, rufo-fuscous, pale at

the base and extreme apex; head longitudinally strigose ; an-

tenne 12-jointed. Thorax above rugose-striate ; nearly trans-

verse anteriorly or very slightly rounded, the angles acute, the

usual divisional suture between the meso- and metathorax obso-

lete; the sides are doubly notched ; the metathoracic spines short,

dentiform and acute; the thorax is gradually narrowed towards

the metathorax, which is truncate at the apex. Abdomen highly

polished, and more or less rufo-fuscous, varying a little in different

individuals; the nodes are finely rugose, the first being the most

coarsely so. The entire insect is very thinly sprinkled with short

erect pale hairs, most apparent on the abdomen at its apex.

I received this insect some years ago from Mr. Dale, who in-

formed me that he had found them near his house at Glanvilles

Wootton, Dorsetshire. It is closely allied to AJ. tuberum ; indeed

I had considered it to be that species, and as such had included

VOL, III. N. S. PART Iv.—aPpr. 1855. K

130 Mr. Smith’s Essay on the Genera and

it in my British list, but Dr. Nylander presented me with the

insect which is considered on the continent to be Latreille’s F.

tuberum: M. simillima differs in being much more deeply sculp-

tured on the head, thorax and nodes of the abdomen, but it agrees

in the essential and most characteristic specific distinction pointed

out by Latreille, “le corcelet est court, conique, tronqué, comprimé

insensiblement sur les cétés, aux le dos continu.” For the sake

of uniformity of opinion, however, I adopt with pleasure the views

of Dr. Nylander, and other eminent Hymenopterists.

Sp. 13. Myrmica(?) levigata, sp. nov.

Operaria.—Rufo-testacea, laevis, tota nitidissima nuda; mandi-

bulis, antennis, pedum articulationibus tarsisque pallescentibus ;

nodo primo angusto ; metathoracis spinis minutissimis.

Worker—Rufo-testaceous ; the mandibles, antenne, joints of the

legs, and the tarsi, pale testaceons; head highly polished, smooth

and shining ; antennz 12-jointed, the scape as long as the head,

the flagellum of about the same length: the scape most slender at

its base ; the three apical joints of the flagellum elongate, forming

an elongate club, the apex acute; the three apical joints half the

length of the flagellum. Thorax: smooth and shining, forming a

sort of neck anteriorly, behind which it is dilated and rounded at

the sides; above convex, smooth and shining ; beyond the dilata-

tion it is elongate, the sides being parallel, the apex of the meta-

thorax truncate and delicately reticulated, the spines very minute ;

the nodes smooth and shining, the first petiolated; the second

widest and globose; abdomen ovate, smooth, and shining; the legs

elongate.

I captured this insect some years ago at Battersea ; it differs so

materially in form from the rest of the genus, that it is placed here

with some hesitation and a suspicion that it may prove to be the

female of Stenamma, but having only the single specimen described,

I am unable to examine the parts of the mouth as satisfactorily as

I could wish and leave it to be determined by some more fortunete

student of this interesting group.

Sp. 14, Myrmica domestica.

Foemina.—Pallide testacea, thoracis macula antica, scutello abdo-

mineque fusco-nigris, basi solum pallido ; clava flagelli triarticu-

lata, metathorace mutico,

Species of British Formicide. 131

Operaria.—Pallide flavo-testacea, laevis ; abdomine nitido, apice

fuscescente.

Mas.—F usco-testaceus, nitidus ; antennis pedibusque pallide testa-

ceis, antennis 13-articulatis; metathorace inermi; alis albo-

hyalinis.

Myrmica domestica, Shuck. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., p. 626,

(1838) % ; Bostock, Trans. Ent. Soc.

Lond., 11. 65; Smith, Cat. Brit. Hym.

Append., p. 119, 9, 6; Daniell, Proc.

Linn. Soe. ri.) px'172:; Curtis,Erans;

Linn. Soc:, xxi. 217, 13.

Female.—Length 13 lines. Pale rufo-testaceous, the antennz

apparently 12-jointed ; a minute black stain behind the anterior

ocellus, and a similar one within each of the lateral ones, the stains

touching the ocelli. Thorax elongate-ovate, having anteriorly a

central elongate stain, a smaller one on each side, and the scu-

tellum behind, fuscous; the legs very slender, and pale rufo-

testaceous as well as the tips of the femora. Abdomen fusco-tes-

taceous: ovate, smooth and shining; the base pale, also the apical

margins of the two, or sometimes three, following segments.

Worker.—Pale reddish yellow: the apex and sides of the ab-

domen more or less fusco-testaceous, the antennz 12-jointed; the

head and thorax sub-opaque, the abdomen smooth and shining ; the

metathorax without spines; the thorax strangulated at the junc-

tion of the meta- and mesothorax.

_Male.—Length 1 line. Fusco-testaceous: the head usually

darkest, very delicately roughened and sub-opaque ; ocelli promi-

nent: the antenne and legs pale testaceous; the scape slightly

fuscous, sometimes only towards the base, the antennz covered

with very short pubescence. ‘Thorax: very closely and very deli-

cately punctured; the wings hyaline, the metathorax not spined.

Abdomen ovate, smooth and shining; the scutellum is very

convex, and the metathorax has a central longitudinal impressed

line.

I have included this species amongst our indigenous insects, it

having apparently become quite naturalized, but I have very strong

reasons to believe that it was introduced. I resided in a house

where this little pest had taken up its abode. The Formicarium

was in the kitchen beneath the hearth, from thence up to the top of

the house was a continuous line of ants constantly passing in opposite

directions ; the line became less multitudinous as it extended up-

Kk 2

132 Mr. Smith’s Essay on the Genera and

wards. Atevery meal the ants swarmed on the dishes, and became

exceedingly annoying by getting under the dresses of the inmates.

Their multitudes were in the first instance thinned by putting

pieces of meat into bottles without corking, and laying them near

their Formicarium. Attracted by these baits, millions were

destroyed, and in summer when the males and females first ap-

peared, the hearth-stone was raised, and boiling water thrown

over apparently countless myriads! At that time I obtained the

sexes, which usually escape notice from their minuteness, but in

houses infested they may be found on the windows. I never saw

a female winged, and I have taken that sex at the same time as the

winged males from the nest.

Genus Myrmecina, Curtis.

Antennz inserted in the middle of the face, not approximate,

12-jointed apparently in the female, 13-jointed in the male; the

females mandibulate; mandibles sometimes wanting in the males.

Maxillary palpi 4-jointed ; labial palpi 3-jointed. Wings, anterior

pair having one marginal cell, appendiculated at its apex ; one sub-

marginal cell, a little longer than the marginal; the discoidal

cells wanting; the metathorax armed with spines in the females ;

the abdomen having two nodes at it its base.

Sp. 1. Myrmecina Latreilli.

Feemina.—Rufo-fusca; clypeo bidentato; clypeo, mandibulis,

antennis, metathorace postice pedibusque rufo-pallidis ; capite

ruguloso, thorace supra longitudinaliter profunde striato ; meta-

thoracis spinis dentiformibus acutis ; alis fusco-brunneis.

Mas.—Fusco-niger ; ocellis prominulis ; flagellis pallide rufo-tes-

taceis; scapo brevi crassiusculo, fusco ; pedibus testaceo-rufis ;

alis fusco-brunneis.

Myrmecina Latreillii, Curtis, Brit. Ent., vi. tab. 226 8 ; Trans.

Linn. Soc., xxi. 218, 16, tab. 4, fig. 22 ;

Westw. Introduc., ii. tab. 86, fig. 11.

Myrmica graminicola, Foerster, Hym. Stud. Form., 58, 30 ¢.

Female.—Length 1? lin. Head, thorax above, and the abdo-

men, nigro-fuscous ; the face before the insertion of the antenne,

the latter as well the mandibles rufo-testaceous ; the scape stout,

about two-thirds of the length of the flagellum, of equal thickness

Species of British Formicide. 133

its entire length ; the antenne pubescent ; the head finely rugose ;

the mandibles stout, curved and obliquely truncated at their apex,

the truncation finely denticulate ; the clypeus bidentate. Thorax :

above finely longitudinally rugose-striate, the scutellum shining

and smooth; the metathoracic spines short, slightly bent outwardly ;

wings of a fuscous brown, the stigma large and trigonate, and,

as well as the nervures, fusco-testaceous; the wings covered with

very fine short pubescence, and their margins ciliated with short

hairs ; the legs, neck and suture of the scutellum pale ferruginous ;

the thorax at the sides and beneath and also the nodes rufo-fus-

cous; the latter coarsely rugose. Abdomen: shining, oblong-ovate,

and slightly widest posteriorly.

Worker. —Not known.

Male.—Length 1} lines. Dark fusco-testaceous; the eyes

ovate, large and prominent; ocelli prominent, of a glassy bright-

ness ; the mouth, antenne and legs pale rufo-testaceous, the scape

usually fuscous above; the antennz pubescent, the head has a

few scattered hairs ; the thorax above and the nodes finely rugose ;

the scutellum smooth and shining in the middle; the matathorax

emarginate the entire width, the angles prominent, sub-dentate ;

wings of a rather paler colour than in the female. Abdomen

oblong-ovate, smooth, shining and having, as well as the nodes,

a few scattered long hairs.

Although this genus very closely approximates to that of Myr-

mica, still the different neuration of the wings, a certain difference

in the proportions of the antenne, and of the structure of the nodes

of the abdomen, constitute a series of characters which I consider

of generic value. It is not by the examination of the single British

species that I am induced to arrive at this conclusion; others

from New Holland, &e., show a beautiful modification in form

between this and allied genera. I must observe, however, that

the males of some species have their mandibles more or less de-

veloped,

This species was discovered by Mr. Curtis some years ago: at

that time males only were captured ; the type is beautifully figured

in “ The British Entomology” of Mr. Curtis. I have captured

this apparently rare insect in the same locality that Mr. Curtis first

discovered it, at the back of the Isle of Wight, near Luccomb Chine,

when I took one female and one male; one male at Colney Hatch,

and one female at Camden New Town. I expect the societies, like

those of Ponera, must be very small, as no one has discovered the

worker.

134 Mr. Smith’s Essay on the Genera and

Genus STenamma, Steph.

Basal joint of the antennz long; abdominal peduncle 2-jointed,

the first petiolate ; antennee 13-jointed ; maxillary palpi 4-jointed,

labial palpi 3 jointed ; mandibles broad, oblique and 5-dentate.

Sp. 1. Stenamma Westwoodii.

Mas.—Pallido-fuscus, nitidus; antennis, partibus oris, tarsis,

pedum articulationibus pallide testaceis ; alis hyalinis, nervis

testaceis ; metathorace sub-dentiforme.

Stenamma Westwoodii, Steph. Syst. Cat., p.356, 48,38; Westw.

Intro. Class. Ins., ii. 226, tab. 86, fig.

11, and details.

Male.—Length 13 lin. Fusco-testaceous ; the antenna, tarsi

and articulations of the legs pale testaceous ; the head and thorax

finely rugose above; the eyes and ocelli prominent, the latter of

a glassy brightness: the neuration of the wings as in M/. unifas-

ciata, the metathorax emarginate its entire length, the lateral

angles acute and prominent, scarcely dentate. Abdomen: oblong-

ovate, smooth and shining, the extreme apex pale testaceous; the

petiole elongate ; the first segment pear-shaped ; the second sub-

globose, wider than the first, and smooth and shining.

I have great doubts whether this insect possesses sufficient

generic distinctive differences to entitle it to a separation from

the genus Myrmica. I do not possess a specimen, and therefore

cannot examine, as I could wish, all parts of the sect; but the

only character in which it appears to differ from Myrmica is in

having 3-jointed labial palpi. An examination of the parts of the

mouth of several males proves the relative proportions of the

joints to be various, and in M. unifasciata the basal joint is so

small, or altogether wanting, that I cannot detect it; I think this

male may possibly prove to be that of M. levigata.

Sp. 2. Stenamma albipennis.

Stenamma albipennis, Curtis, Trans. Linn. Soc., xxi., 217, 15,

6 & Y.

I do not know this species; Mr. Curtis gives the locality of

Folkestone, near Dover.

Species of British Formicide.

DESCRIPTION OF PLATE Ix.

Tapinoma erratica. Male.

Tupinoma levigata. Worker.

Profile of the abdomen of the same, showing the decumbent scale, and

the metathorax.

Formica umbrata. Female.

Abdominal scale of Formica umbrata. Female.

. Abdominal scale of Formica umbrata. Worker.

Myrmica levigata. Worker.

. Antennx of Myrmica levigata. Worker.

Myrmica graminicola. Female.

. Myrmica cespitum. Male.

« Myrmica cespitum. Female.

- Abdominal scale of Formica sanguinea. Male.

- Abdominal scale of Formica rufa. Male.

- Abdominal scale of F. cunicularia, Male.

. Abdominal scale of F. fusca. Male.

- Abdominal scale of F. nigra. Female.

Abdominal scale of F. flava. Female.

Abdominal scale of F, flava. Worker.

- Mandible of F. rufa. Worker.

Antenne of Myrmica ruginodis. Worker.

Antenne of M. scabrinodis. Worker.

Wing of Myrmica levinodis. Female.

Wing of M. scabrinodis. Female.

- Wing of Myrmecina Latreillii. Female.

- Wing of Stenamma Westwoodii.

- Antenne of Myrmica identicornis.

- Wing of Formica nigra. Female.

Wing of Formica flava. Female.

(1367)

XVI. British Species of the Genus Stenus. By Messrs.

G. R. Waternouse and E. W. Janson.

{Read Ist January, 1855. ]

In the paper which we have now the honour of laying before the

meeting, we originally proposed to furnish a list of the British

species of the genus Stenus, as identified with the descriptions in

Erichson’s ‘‘ Genera et Species Slaphylinorum,” but subsequently

we thought it desirable to append to the last our determination of

the species of Stenus contained in the collection of the late Mr.

J. F. Stephens as well as in that of the Rev. W. Kirby.

To render the list as perfect as possible, we have been kindly

assisted by the loan of the entire collection of Stenide of several

of our most assiduous Entomologists, and we have especially to

thank Messrs. Wollaston, J. Curtis, and S. Stevens for such

assistance.

With regard to the Stephensian collection (now in the British

Museum), it is desirable to state, that the specimens which Mr.

Stephens used to call his ‘ Type specimens” are almost always

marked by some kind of ticket attached to the pin holding the

insect. ‘The Marshamian specimens are thus marked by a round

yellow ticket; and when the species is described in the ‘““Hntomologia

Britannica,’ a number will be found on the under side of the

ticket, corresponding to the number of the species in that work.

Other type specimens are either marked by a round white ticket

without a number, or by a small square ticket with anumber. Mr.

Stephens’ own species are not marked. The species follow in

succession, in the cabinet, in accordance with the descriptions in

the ‘ /llustrations,”’ but in one or two instances there have un-

doubtedly been some accidental transpositions; and to prevent

further changes of this nature, all the species, and indeed nearly

all the specimens, have now been numbered to correspond with

the numbers of the species as given in the * Manual.” The

numbers here alluded to are on small oval tickets attached to the

specimens, and it is to these numbered specimens that we more

particularly refer in the notes which are contained in this eom-

munication.

The paper is divided into two parts: the first containing a list

British Species of the Genus Stenus. 137

of all the British species which have come under our observation,

with a notice of the localities in which they were found, the species

being determined from Erichson’s descriptions. The second por-

tion of the paper consists of observations upon the Kirbyan and

Stephensian species.

Sp. 1. Stenus biguttatus, Linn.

Whittlesea Mere; Shenton, Leicestershire; Tintern, Mon-

mouthshire; Northampton; Wales; and Lincoln—T, V. W.*

Highgate—G.R. W.t Finchley, Middlesex, beneath dead leaves

in the dry bed of a rivulet, end of August—E, W. J.t

Sp. 2. Stenus bipunctatus, Erichs.

Whittlesea Mere; Shenton; Knaith, and Scawby, Lincolnshire ;

Cransley, Northamptonshire ; Wales, and South Ferriby on the

Banks of the Humber—T. V. W. Highgate Ponds and Wands-

worth Common—G,. R. W. Croydon Canal; May-water Mea-

dows; Wilton and Nayes Park; Blackgang Chine—J.C.§ Borders

of the Brent, near Kingsbury, Middlesex, August ; Wanstead,

Essex, August; Chalk-pit, Charlton, Kent, May—E. W. J.

Sp. 3. Stenus guttula, Miller.

Luccomb Chine, Isle of Wight, and Highgate—G. R. W. Banks

of the Lea, Tottenham, March—E. W. J.

Sp. 4. Stenus bimaculatus, Gyll.

In moss, in the month of March; and under bundles of reeds,

in the month of May; marshes, Suffolk—J. C. Cransley ; on

the banks of the Ouse, Bedfordshire; Ambion Wood, Leicester-

shire; Cainby and Spridlington, Lincolnshire; and Rosnalee,

county of Cork—T. V. W. Berwickshire, (Mr. J. Hardy) ;

Finchley, July—E. W. J.

Sp. 5. Stenus Juno, Fab.

Shenton and Boston, Lincolnshire; Cransley ; Slapton Ley,

Devonshire; Whittesea Mere; Box-hill, Dorking ; Norwich and

Lowestoft—T. V. W. Neighbourhood of London, common—

* Mr. T. Vernon Wollaston. + Mr. G. R. Waterhouse.

¢ Mr. E. W. Janson. § Mr. John Curtis.

138 Messrs. G. R. Waterhouse and E. W. Janson on

G.R. W.* = Weston-on-the-Green, Oxfordshire, Mr. Matthews.”

—J.C. Berwickshire (Mr. J. Hardy); Northampton (Mr. R.N.

Greville) ; banks of the Lea at Tottenham, March—E. W. J.

Sp. 6. Stenus asphaltinus, Erichs.

Chalk-pit, Greenhithe, Kent—G. R. W. Chalk-pit, Charlton,

May—E. W. J.

Sp. 7. Stenus ater, Mann.

Greenhithe, in the month of June—G. R. W.

Sp. 8. Stenus buphthalmus, Grav.

Highgate and Wandsworth Common—G. R. W. Bedfordshire,

on the banks of the Ouse; Whittlesea Mere; Withington, Cots-

wold Hills, Gloucestershire ; Boston; Slapton Ley ; Holyhead ;

Slayford Bridge, Hampshire; Kelham, Northamptonshire, banks

of the Trent; and Killarny, Ireland—T. V. W. Wilton, Wilt-

shire—J. C. Banks of the Lea, near Tottenham, March; Colney-

hatch, March; Northampton (Mr. R. N. Greville)—E. W. J.

Sp. 9. Stenus morio, Erichs. ?

A single specimen taken running on the muddy bottom of a

water-course, in a wood near Highgate, on the 28th of August,

1854—E. W. J.

Sp. 10. Stenus cinerascens, Erichs.?

See notes upon species 9 and 10 in the portion of the paper

which relates to the Kirbian species.

Sp. 11. Stenus incrassatus, Erichs.

Wandsworth Common, June ; Wimbledon Common, from moss

in the winter—G. R. W.

Sp. 12. Stenus melanopus, Marsham.

Highgate—G. W. R. Deal; Bassel Down, Wilts ; and Boston

—T. V. W. Potter’s Bridge, near Southwold, Suffolk—J. C.

Banks of the Brent, near Kingsbury, August ; Hampstead, June ;

Finchley, July—E. W. J.

* This, as well as the Stenus speculator, is tolerably common in the court in

front of the British Museum, where many Coleoptera are found by my children.—

G,.R. Wi

British Species of the Genus Stenus. 139

Sp. 13. Stenus emulus, Erichs.

Whittlesea Mere—T. V. W.

Sp. 14. Stenus canaliculatus, Gyll.

Highgate, July—G. R. W. Deal; Fleetwood, Lancashire ;

Whittlesea Mere; Boston; Slapton Ley ; Holyhead ; Lowestoft ;

Headley—T. V. W. Horning, Norfolk—J. C. Banks of the

Brent, near Kingsbury, Senemben: Northampton (Mr. R. N.

Greville)—E. W. J. :

Sp. 15. Stenus opacus, Erichs.

Two specimens in Mr. Waterhouse’s collection, which he has

reason to believe are from Northumberland.

Sp. 16. Stenus pusillus, Erichs.

Highgate—G. R. W. Bedfordshire; Ferriby ; Cransley ; and

Deal—T. V. W. Downham, Norfolk—J.C. Northampton (Mr.

R. N. Greville)—E. W. J.

Sp. 17. Stenus exiguus, Erichs.

Spridlington, Lincolnshire; and Rosnalee, county of Cork—

ESV, 5 W

Sp. 18. Stenus speculator, Erichs.

Common in the neighbourhood of London—G. R. W. Rosnalee,

county of Cork; Treneglos, Cornwall ; Spridlington ; Cransley ;

Mablethorpe, coast of Lincolnshire; Dublin; Pencraig, S. of

Anglesea; Southend—T. V. W. Suffolk; Norfolk; and Wilt-

shire—J. C. Berwickshire (Mr. J. Hardy); Northampton (Mr.

R. N. Greville) ; copiously throughout the year at Colneyhatch,

Finchley, &c.—E. W. J.

Sp. 19. Stenus providus, Erichs,

Whittlesea Mere; Isle of Wight; and Cransley—T. V. W.

Colneyhatch and Finchley, among moss, late in the autumn and

in winter—E. W. J. From moss, January, Wimbledon Common

—G. R. W.

Sp. 20. Stenus argus, Grav.

Spridlington—T. V. W.

140 Messrs. G. R. Waterhouse and E. W. Janson on

Sp. 21. Stenus vafellus, Erichs.

Spridlington ; and Killarny—T. V. W.

Sp. 22. Stenus fuscipes, Grav.

Neighbourhood of London—G. R. W. Killarny, Ireland—

T. V. W. Northampton (Mr. R. N. Greville)—E. W. J.

Sp. 23. Stenus circularis, Grav.

Downham, Norfolk—J. C.

Sp. 24. Stenus declaratus, Erichs.

In moss, Hampstead Heath—G. R. W. Withington, Glou-

cestershire ; Trebartha, Cornwall; Chepstow and Tintern, Mon-

mouthshire ; Holyhead; Killarney; and Rosnalee—T. V. W. In

moss, Finchley, November; Northampton (Mr. R. N. Greville)

—E. W. J.

Sp. 25. Stenus nigritulus, Gyll.

Dover; Bedfordshire; Tintern; and Mablethorpe—T. V. W.

Cosmore Quay, Dorsetshire—J. C,

Sp. 26. Stenus campestris, Erichs.

Neighbourhood of London?—G. R. W.

Sp. 27. Stenus unicolor, Erichs.

Common in the neighbourhood of London; in moss, in the

month of December; Hampsteed Heath—G. R. W. Tintern;

Flamborough, Yorkshire; Spridlington; Whittlesea Mere ;

Holyhead; Rosnalee ; and South Ferriby—T. V. W. Peters-

field, Hants ; and Glanvilles Wootton—J. C. Highgate, Colney-

hatch; Finchley ; in moss in the winter—E. W. J.

Sp. 28. Stenus binotatus, Ljungh.

Neighbourhood of London—G. R. W. Holyhead—T. V. W.

Tollesburs, Essex—-J. C.

Sp. 29. Stenus subimpressus, Erichs.

Dartford, Kent—G. R. W. Whittlesea Mere and Lincoln—

T. V. W. Banks of the Lea, near Tottenham, March; North-

ampton (Mr. R. N. Greville)—E. W. J.

British Species of the Genus Stenus. 141

Sp. 30. Stenus plantaris, Erichs.

Whittlesea Mere; and Slapton Ley—T. V. W. Northampton

(Mr. R. N. Greville)—E. W. J.

Sp. 31. Stenus plancus, Erichs.

Roots of trees, in the winter ; Christchurch Meadows, Oxford

—J.C. Colneyhatch, in moss, February ; Wanstead, in moss,

March ; Finchley, not uncommon in the autumn—E, W. J.

Sp. 32. Stenus bifoveolatus, Erichs.

Sp. 33. Stenus rusticus, Erichs.

Cransley ; Avebury, Wilts; Withington; Spridlington; South

Ferriby ; Mona, near Pencraig, S. of Anglesea; Northampton ;

Danes Dyke, Flamborough; Holyhead ; Ambion Wood, Leicester-

shire; Killarny and Rosnalee—T. V. W. Colneyhatch and

Finchley, in moss, late in the autumn-—E W, J.

Sp. 34. Stenus tempestivus, Erichs.

Shenton; Whittlesea Mere; Ferriby; Treneglos, and Rosna-

lee—T. V. W. Berwickshire (Mr. J, Hardy); Northampton (Mr.

R. N. Greville)—E. W. J.

Sp. 35. Stenus subeneus, Erichs.

Northampton—T. V. W. Mickleham—J.C. Chalk-pit, Charl-

ton, May; Renfrew (Mr. J. Scott); Shanklin, Isle of Wight, in

moss (Mr. G. Guyon)—E. W. J.

Sp. 36. Stenus picipes, Stephens.

palustris, Erichson, var. ?

Whittlesea Mere; Spridlington; and Rosnalee—T. V. W.

Finchley, July and August—E. W. J.

Sp. 37. Stenus impressus, Germ.

Glanvilles Wootton —J.C. Trebartha; Withington; Mona;

Spridlington; Deal; Scawby; Mablethorpe; Slayford-bridge,

Hampshire ; Ambion Wood; Holyhead ; Rosnalee ; and Killarny

—T.V.W. Isle of Wight—G. R. W. Highgate, in moss, Janu-

ary; Hampstead; Finchley, in spring and autumn—E. W. J.

Sp. 38. Stenus geniculatus, Grav.

Slayford Bridge, Hampshire—T. V. W.

142 Messrs. G. R. Waterhouse and E. W. Janson on

Sp. 39. Slenus flavipes, Erichs.

Colneyhatch; Finchley, in moss, in winter and early spring ;

Shanklin, Isle of Wight, in moss (Mr. G. Guyon)—E. W. J.

Sp. 40. Stenus fuscicornis, Erichs.

Greenhithe, Kent—G, R. W.

Sp. 41. Stenus pallipes, Grav.

Colneyhatch, in moss, January ; Finchley, September—E. W. J.

Sp. 42. Stenus filum, Grav.

Isle of Wight—G. R. W. Cotswold Hills, Gloucestershire ;

Spridlington; Bridlington, Yorkshire; Treneglos; Cransley ;

Ferriby ; Ambion Wood—T. V.W. Hampshire and Dorsetshire

—J.C. Water Down, near Tonbridge Wells (Rev. J. F. Daw-

son); Shanklin, Isle of Wight, in moss (Mr. G. Guyon)—E. W. J.

Sp. 43. Stenus tarsalis, Ljungh.

Common in the neighbourhood of London—G. R. W. Bed-

fordshire ; Tintern; Cransley ; Northampton; Llangollen; North

Wales ; Killarny—T. V. W. Glanvilles Wootton—J. C. Wan-

stead, in moss, March; Northampton (Mr. R. N. Greville)—E. W.J.

Sp. 44. Stenus oculutus, Grav.

Hampstead Heath, in moss, December—G. R. W. Bridling-

ton; Mablethorpe ; Spridlington; Headley; Rosnalee, and Kil-

larny—T. V. W. Dover; Dorset, and Suffolk — J.C. Finch-

ley, abundant in spring and autumn; Shanklin, Isle of Wight (Mr.

G. Guyon)—E. W. J.

Sp. 45. Stenus cicindeloides, Grav.

Neighbourhood of London—G. R. W. Whittlesea Mere—T.

V.W. Battersea Fields, June; Shanklin, Isle of Wight, in moss

(Mr. G. Guyon)—E. W. J.

Sp. 46. Stenus paganus, Erichs.

Epping Forest—J. C. North Wales; Trebartha; and Rosna-

lee—T. V. W.

Sp. 47. Stenus latifrons, Erichs.

British Species of the Genus Stenus. 143

Sp. 48. Stenus contractus, Erichs.

basalis, Curtis.

fornicatus, Kirby’s collection.

New Forest—J.C. Colneyhatch, in moss, February—E. W. J.

Notes on the Species of Stenus described by Kirby; and, in

the “ Illustrations of British Entomology,” by Mr.

Stephens; together with Observations upon the Specimens

in Mr. Stephens’ Collection.

Dr. J. E. Gray, the present possessor of the Kirbyan Manuscripts

on the Staphylinide, having kindly lent one of us the three

volumes in which they are contained, we will venture to say a

word or two respecting them, before we proceed to the imme-

diate object of the present communication. The descriptions are

each written on separate slips of paper;* and the number of

genera and species, described with considerable detail, is about six

hundred, or rather more, these comprising the greater portion of

the British Staphylinide, together with some Continental species

(often from Swedish specimens sent by Gyllenhal) and some

exotic. ‘The generic characters are given in great detail, and not

unfrequently accompanied with drawings of parts of the mouth,

&c. As regards the descriptions of the British species, they

were drawn up from the specimens in the author’s own collection,

and those of several other cabinets; those most frequently re-

ferred to are the cabinets of Mr. Spence, Dr. Leach (now in the

British Museum), Messrs. Sheppard, Marsham and Simpson, and

Dr. Joseph Hooker. Mr. Wilkin’s collection is also referred to.

This last mentioned collection became the property of Mr.

Vigors, and was presented by him, together with his collections

in other branches of Natural History, to the Zoological Society.

In it will be found a tolerably good series of British Staphylinide,

with Kirby’s names attached, and there are good grounds for

believing that many of them were examined and named by

Kirby.}

* Evidently early in the present century.

+ Itappears by notes attached to some of the species of Stenus, that Mr. Wilkin

was not satisfied, in all cases, with the names furnished him by Kirby. Of the

species named angustatus there are three or four specimens, one of which has

144 Notes on the Species of Stenus

With regard to Mr. Stephens’ collection, it is desirable that it

should be known that Mr. Stephens visited Mr. Kirby, and took

with him a large number of insects to compare and name, the

Stenide amongst others: further, one of us was informed, by

Mr. Stephens, that Kirby furnished him, in many instances, with

specimens. The Stephensian collection will therefore furnish a

certain amount of assistance to those who are anxious to deter-

mine the Kirbyan species; there are, however, several instances

in which the insects, placed to represent the Kirbyan species,

differ widely from the Kirbyan types.* Should the foot note at

p- 99, vol. v. “ Mandibulata,” of Mr. Stephens’ work, have been

overlooked, it will be asked, why not regard the Staphylinide, in

Mr. Stephens’ collection, as the true types of the species whose

names they bear? The answer is contained in the note referred to.

The descriptions in the “ Illustrations,” so far as the Kirbian

species of Staphylinide are concerned, are in fact translations of

Kirby’s Latin descriptions, often somewhat abbreviated. That

they are abbreviated is to be regretted, and this regret was shared

by Mr. Stephens. ‘J greatly fear,” says the author, “ that not-

mithstanding the elaborate descriptions, I shall fall into error in my

attempted abridgment of them in order to suit the limits of this

work, as I have not sufficient time to investigate them,” i. e. the

species of Staphylinide.

Having consulted the manuscripts alluded to, and also having

carefully examined the Stent in the collections of Kirby, Leach,

Wilkin and Stephens, we will now furnish the determination

which we have arrived at from these sources, taking the species

and sections as they stand in the Kirbian manuscripts.

been separated from the rest, and has the following note attached :—‘‘ Named

angustatus, K., quite distinct, not so long and narrow, and smooth.” Another

specimen, named binotatus, is separated from that species as being “ less punc-

tured” and having the “ tarsi flavescent.’ Wilkin applies the name flavitarsis to

this insect ; the species had, however, been previously named pallitarsis by Kirby,

and is described by Erichson under the name plantaris. Stephens gives it in the

“* Manual” as var. ? tarsalis. It has the abdomen margined, and therefore cannot

be tarsalis.

* The extremely liberal manner in which Mr. Stephens threw open his col-

lections to al] Entomologists who wished to consult them is well known. Often

on Mr. Stephens’ “ Wednesday Evenings” many Entomologists were assembled,

each one of whom was engaged in comparing his specimens with those in Mr. Ste-

phens’ collection. Minute species were necessarily removed from the cabinet for

this purpose, and it will be pretty evident, under such circumstances, that trans-

position of the specimens will sometimes have occurred.

described by Kirby, &c. 145

Section 1 (* of the manuscript).

Elytra mith a pale spot.

Sp. 1(1). binotatus, Kirby, MSS.

Stephens’ Illustrations, Mandibulata, vol. v.

(1833).

- bimaculosus, Steph. Manual.

Unquestionably introduced by Mr. Stephens, by mistake, as a

British insect; his collection does not possess the species, and the

notices of its habitats must refer to some other insect. St. bino-

tatus of Kirby’s MSS. (from which Mr. Stephens’ account is

taken, with the exception of the localities) is founded upon a single

specimen seen in the cabinet of Mr. Lee, the habitat of which

was not known, but Kirby seems to have felt no doubt it was a

foreign insect, for he includes it in his list of “ Foreign Staphy-

lini,” which will be found near the end of his MS. Catalogue, now

in the Library of the Entomological Society.

Sp. 2 (2). cerulescens, Kirby, MSS.

Dianous cerulescens, Stephens, Curtis, Erichs. &c.

Described in the MSS. from Swedish specimens furnished by

Gyllenhal; a subsequently added note states that the species

had been found at Hastings, by Dr. Hooker.

Sp. 3 (3). biguttatus, Kirby, MSS., and also of his Collection.

Stephens’ [llustr.

Erichs.

Staphylinus bipustulatus, Marsham, according to the

type specimen in Stephens’ Collection.

Sten. bipustulatus, Steph. Collection.

Sp. 4 (4). bipustulatus, Kirby, MSS. and Collection.

Steph. Ilustr.

biguttatus, Steph. Coil.

bipunctatus, Erichs.

The basal joint of the palpi is testaceous jn Kirby’s specimens,

and the second and third joints are black; the palpi are therefore

not wholly black, as stated in the description. The trochanters

are pitchy black. In the Stenus biguttatus of Kirby’s Collection

the palpi have the first joint, and half the second, pale, and the

remainder dusky: it is the more slender and delicately made

species, with a smaller spot on the elytra, and that rather nearer

the suture than in Kirby’s bipustulatus.

VOL. III. N.S. PART IV.—APR. 18055. i

146 Notes on the Species of Stenus

Sp. 5 (5).f Juno, Kirby, MSS., in Index of the Species.

biguttulus, in the text.

bimaculatus, Steph.

Erichs.

Sp. 6 (6). bipunctatus, Kirby, MSS. and Collection.

guttula, Steph. Erichs.

Kirbyi (Leach), Steph., and of Leach’s Collection.

Gyllenhal.

Section 2 (**, a1, Kirby). Abdomen margined, legs pale.

Sp. 7 (1). brevis, Kirby, MSS. and Collection.

of Wilkin's Collection,

circularis, Erichs.

Steph. Ilustr. (the description from Kirby),

not of Collection.

immunis, Steph. Coll.

Sp. 8(2). flavipes, Kirby, MSS.

Steph. Illust. and Coll.

pallipes, Grav.? Kirby, MSS.

Leach, Coll., Kirby, Coll.

jilum, Erichs.

Sp. 9 (3). tmmunis, Kirby, MSS. and Collection.

Steph. Illustr. (not Coll.)

pallipes, Erichs.

Sp. 10 (4). aceris, Kirby, MSS. and Collection.

Steph. Ilustr. and Collection.

Leach, Coll.

Wilkin’s Coll.

+ The numbers in brackets correspond with those on the insects in Kirby’s

Collection, and also with the numbering of the species in the MSS.

¢ Each section of the Seni is preceded in the MSS. by a slip bearing the names

of the species which it contains, but cometimes the names in the Index do not cor-

respond with those heading the descriptions, for it appears that at some subsequent

period particular species were identified by Kirby with the descriptions published

by other authors. Thus, in the present instance, we find added to other synonyms

(and subsequently inserted ), “ St. Juno, Gray.’’-—the name adopted in the Index.

It may here be stated, that the numbering of the species recommences with each

section, and hence, in consulting Kirby’s Collection (the specimens in which are

numbered to correspond with this MSS ), it is highly important that the sectional

characters of the specimens be attended to.

described by Kirby, &c. 147

subrugosus, Steph. Coll., also Sé. tenuicornis, of Steph.

Collection, but his description seems to belong

to St. subeneus, Er.

impressus, Erichs.

St. fuscipes of Steph. Collection is the same, but does

not agree with the description.

Sp. 11 (5). gonymelas, Kirby, MSS. and Coll.

Steph. Illustr. and Coll.

Leach, Coll.

geniculatus, Steph.

subeneus, Erichs.

Sp. 12 (6). canaliculatus, Kirby, MSS., and Coll.

Steph. Illustr. and Coll.

Wilkin’s Coll.

clavicornis, Steph. Coll.

punctatissimus, Steph. Coll.

speculator, Erichs.

Sp. 13 (7). nigricornis, Kirby, MSS. and Coll.

Steph. Illust. and Coll.

Leach, Coll.

boops, Steph. Collect., also St. atricornis of the same.

speculator, Erichs.

Sp. 14 (8). nitediusculus, Kirby, MSS. and Coll.

Steph. Ilustr. (not Coll.)

Leach, Coll.

juncorum (Leach), Stephens.

tempestivus, Erichs.

St. nitidiusculus of Stephens’ Collection is speculator,

Er.

Sp. 15 (9). picipes, Kirby, MSS, and Collection.

Steph. Illustr. (not of the Collection.)

rusticus, Erichs.

The St. pictpes of Stephens’ Collection is referred to in the ac-

count of St. osstum, No. 17.

Sp. 16 (10). pheopus, Kirby, MSS. and Coll.

Steph. Ilustr. (not the Coll.)

bifoveolatus (Gyll.), Erichs.

St. pheopus of Stephens’ Collection is St. rusticus, Er.

148 Notes on the Species of Stenus

Sp. 17(11). Ste. ossium, Kirby, MSS. and Collection.

palustris, Erichs. ?

We have before us three specimens of Stenus differing more or

less, but which agree in having a slight bronze tint, in having the

legs more or less pale, with dark knees; the thorax with a

broadish shallow dorsal channel and two depressions behind; the

tarsi elongate, slender, and with the fourth joint strongly bilobed.

Two of these agree in having the two basal joints, and the apex

of the antenne, black (or nearly so), and the intermediate joints

pitchy testaceous. One of these has rather coarse and somewhat

scattered ‘punctures on the abdomen; this we take to be the S¢.

subeneus of Erichson, and it is certainly the St. gonymelas of

Kirby. The second of these two differs from gonymelas in

having the abdomen very finely and thickly punctured, and the

puncturing, both of the thorax and elytra, less coarse. It stands as

St. picipes, St. bifoveolatus and St. ossium in Stephens’ Collection.

In both these insects the femora have the basal half testaceous,

and the apical half black; the tibia and tarsi pitchy, or pitchy-

testaceous. We believe these to be good species, having ex-

amined very many specimens; both are common in England.

The third insect is the true St. ossium of Kirby’s Description,

and of his Collection. Whilst St. gonymelas is rather the largest

of the three insects under consideration, this is decidedly the

smallest, being equal to St. pallipes.* Here the antenne are tes-

taceous, with the apex dusky, the basal joint black, and the

second joint very slightly tinted with piceous on the upper sur-

face; the tibiz are pale, excepting at the base, and the tarsi are

for the most part pale also. Besides these points we can perceive

no difference between this insect and that which Stephens calls

picipes. Further, it appears to us that the Stenus osstum of

Kirby must be the same as the St. palustris of Erichson. We

doubt whether St. osstwm, and the so-called St. picipes, be distinct,

but having seen a single specimen only presenting the peculiari-

ties of the former, we must leave the question open.

Sp. 18 (12). sulcicollis, Kirby, MSS.

In Kirby’s MSS. there is no full description of this species, all

that is given being the short Latin diagnosis, which precedes the

description in Mr, Stephens’ work, with this exception, that, in the

* The shorter thorax and elytra and the more coarse sculpturing of these parts,

as well as the entirely pale legs in pallipes, will prevent the St. ossium being con-

founded with it.

described by Kirby, §c. 149

original, the last phrase is “ pedibus piceis,” not “ rufo-piceis,” as in

the “ Illustrations.” The detailed description in this work is pos-

sibly from a small specimen ef St. subeneus, Er. The insect in

Mr. Stephens’ cabinet which stands for swlcicollis evidently is

misplaced by a black-legged species, i.e. St. melanopus, of Mar-

sham.

Sp. 19 (13). submarginatus, Kirby, MSS. and Coll.

Steph. Illustr. (not of Coll.)

vafellus, Erichs.

St. submarginatus of Steph. Coll. is St. rusticus, Er.

Section 3 (** a2). Abdomen margined, legs black.

Sp. 20 (1). lineatulus, Kirby, MSS. and Coll.

Steph. Ilustr. and Coll.

Leach’s Coll.

buphthalmus (Gyll.), Steph. Coll.

Juno, Erichs., Steph.

Sp. 21(2). pubescens, Kirby, MSS. and Coll.

Steph. Illustr. and Coll.

Leach, Coll.

levis, Steph. Ilustr. and Coll.

levior, Wilkin’s Coll.

Steph. Coll.

subimpressus, Erichs.

According to the MSS., Kirby first imposed the name levius-

culus; this was afterwards altered to /evior, and ultimately to

pubescens. He does not make two species, as would appear from

the descriptions in the Illustrations.”

Sp. 22 (3). pilosulus, Kirby, MSS. and Coll.

Steph. Hlustr. (not Coll.)

binotatus, Erichs.

affinis, Steph. Coll.

pilosulus, of Stephens’ Collection, is rusticus

of Erichson.

Sp. 23(4). argenteus, Kirby, a Swedish insect, received

from Gyllenhal.

150 Notes on the Species of Stenus

Sp. 24 (5). affints, Kirby, MSS. and Coll.

Wilkin’s Coll.

Steph. Ilustr. (not Coll.)

Canaliculatus, Erichs.

St. affinis of Stephens’ Collection is St. bino-

tatus of Erichs.

Sp. 25(6). angustatus, Kirby, MSS. and Coll.

Steph. Illustr. and Coll.

Wilkins, Coll.

buphthalmus, Erichs.

Sp. 26 (7). melanarius, Kirby, MSS. and Coll.

Steph. Illustr. (not the Coll.)

cinerascens, Erichs. ?

Stenus melanarius, Kirby.

Black, sparingly clothed with whitish pubescence; thorax and

elytra but little glossy; abdomen glossy. Head thickly punc-

tured, about one-third broader than the thorax, the frontal sulci

moderately impressed, and separated by an evenly convex space ;

antenne with the third and fourth joints nearly equal (the third

rather the longer); palpi black, with the basal joint testaceous.

Thorax subcylindrical, the sides gently rounded, and the broadest

part rather in front of the middle; thickly punctured, the inter-

spaces between the punctures very narrow, but for the most part

flat: a slight transverse depression near the front, and the base

obscurely depressed, and somewhat rugulose in the middle. Elytra

rather small, but little longer than the thorax; rather thickly but

not strongly punctured, the interspaces flat, depressed at the

suture, and with an oblong depression between this part and the

shoulder; these parts scarcely torulose. Abdomen considerably

elongated, and narrow; but little convex, and with fine, and some-

what widely scattered, punctures. Tarsi rather short.

Amongst the British species this approaches most nearly in size

and general appearance to the St. buphthalmus, Er., but it has

a narrower thorax, and the sides of this segment are not so much

dilated ; the elytra are Jess strongly punctured (not rugulose), and

the middle basal depression, as well as the sutural one, are more

marked; the punctures on the abdomen are less strong, and less

numerous. The head, moreover, is rather narrower, and the frontal

ridge is rather Jess strongly marked than in St. buphthalmus.

described by Kirby, &c. 151

Of the species described by Erichson there are two, which in

their general characters must approach very nearly to Kirby’s St.

melanarius ; we allude to the St. incanus and St. cinerascens, in

both of which the elytra are but little longer than the thorax, and

the abdomen sparingly and finely punctured. The first, however,

is said to have the forehead deeply bisulcate; the elytra longitudi-

nally torulose, and the basal joint of the palpi piceous—points

which do not accord with Kirby’s insect. On the whole, the

description of St. cinerascens agrees so nearly with Kirby’s insect,

that we suspect we might safely remove the note of doubt after

that name, given as a synonym; the phrase ‘* Caput thorace paulo

latius, coleopteris dimidio angustius,” however, seems to imply that

the head is rather narrower, and the elytra somewhat broader, in

cimerascens than in melanarius.

We have seen but one specimen of the S¢. melanarius—that in

the Kirbian Collection.

The insect which stands as melanarius, Kirby, in Stephens’ Col-

lection, is the St. wnicolor of Erichson, and does not agree with

the description given in the ‘“ Illustrations.”

We will here notice a nearly allied species,* which we think will

prove to be the St. morio, Erichs.

It has the elytra more ample and the abdomen more thickly

punctured than the St. melanarius, and differs, moreover, in the

forehead being somewhat concave. This last-mentioned character

will likewise serve to separate it from the St. canaliculatus, Er., as

well as the absence of the dorsal channel to the thorax. The

thorax itself is rather narrower, and this part, as well as the elytra,

are a little less thickly punctured. In other respects, it much

resembles the St. canaliculatus.

Sp. 27(8). melanopus, Kirby, MSS. and Collection.

Steph. Illustr. and Coll.

Wilkin’s Coll.

Staph. melanopus, Marsham, according to the type

specimen in Stephens’ Coll.

Niger, nitidus, albido- pubescens, parcius punctatus, interstitiis

planis; fronte profunde bisulcato; palpis articulo primo

testaceo; thorace breviusculo, breviter, at sat profunde

canaliculato ; elytris thorace longioribus ; abdomine parcius

punctulato.

Long. corp. 14 lin.

* Tn the collection of Mr. Janson.

152 Notes on the Species of Stenus

This species is rather smaller than St. canaliculatus, Er., and

its puncturing, though strong, is much less dense than in that, and

many allied species ; hence it appears more black and glossy. ‘The

short and rather strong groove on the disc of the thorax also helps

to distinguish it. The head is very little broader than the thorax;

the forehead deeply sulcated on either side, the convex mesial ridge

well marked ; antennze moderate, with the third and fourth joints

equal (or, very nearly so); palpi black, with the basal joint tes-

taceous: thorax rather short, posteriorly a little narrower than in

front, the sides rounded and the greatest breadth rather in front

of the middle; strongly punctured and with flat interspaces

between the punctures, which, for the most part, rather exceed

in width the punctures themselves ; a short but distinct groove on

the disc, sometimes extending nearly to the base, and frequently

are seen two small foveze at the last mentioned part, not far removed

from the mesial line; elytra about half as broad again as the thorax,

their length and width about equal, the surface punctured like the

thorax, the region of the scutellum depressed, excepting on the

hinder part. Abdomen strongly margined, the surface of the

segments more finely punctured than the other parts noticed, and

the punctures rather more scattered. Legs moderate, the fourth

joint of the tarsi simple.

A common and widely distributed insect in England, which we

cannot clearly identify with either of Erichson’s descriptions ; it

must be very close to St. nitidus, but the phrase relating to the

antenne, ‘‘articulo tertio quarto sesquilongiore,” cannot be applied

to our insect.

Sp. 28 (9). pusillus, Kirby, MSS. and Coll.

Steph. Ilustr. and Coll.

Leach, Coll.

Erichs.

Sp. 29 (10). nitidus, Kirby, MSS. and Coll.

Steph. [llustr. (not Coll.)

Leach, Coll.

plancus, Erichs.

There is a single specimen in Mr. Stephens’ Collection under the

name nitidus; it is in bad condition, but appears to be the Sté. latifrons

of Erichs.

Sp. 30 (11). nitens, Kirby, MSS.

Steph. Illustr, (not the Coll.)

described by Wirby, &c. 153

Described by Kirby from an insect in Dr. Leach’s Collection,

which we find to be the St. @mulus of Erichson. The ‘ nitens”

of Stephens’ Collection does not answer to his description: it is

St. rusticus of Erichson.

Sp. 31(12). pallitarsis, Kirby, MSS. and Coll.

Steph. Illustr. and Coll.

Leach, Coll.

flavitarsis, Wilkin’s Coll. (not of Steph.)

plantaris, Erichs.

Section 4 (* * 61). Abdomen immarginate, legs pale.

Sp. 32(1). oculatus (Grav.) Kirby, MSS. and Coll.

Steph. Ilustr. and Coll.

Leach, Coll.

Wilkin’s Coll.

Erichs.

cognatus, Steph. Ilustr.

Sp. 33 (2). cicindeloides (Grav.), Kirby, MSS. and Coll.

Steph. Ilustr. and Coll.

Leach, Coll.

Wilkin’s Coll.

Erichs.

scabrior, Steph. Illustr. and Coll.

Kirby originally gave the name scabrior to this species; but,

subsequently, finding it described under the name cicindeloides by

Gravenhorst, he adopted the latter name.

Sp. 34 (3). brunnipes, Kirby, MSS. and Coll.

Steph. Illustr. and Coll.

Wilkin’s Coll.

Marshami and gracilis, Steph. Coll.

unicolor, Erichs.

The insect which we have regarded as St. unicolor of Erichson

has the fourth joint of the tarsi obcordate, or sub-bilobed, and in

this respect does not agree strictly with the description; when

compared, however, with the species which it most resembles—St?.

latifrons, Er., there is a marked difference in the tarsi, the last-

mentioned insect having the fourth joint very strongly bilobed.

The more distinct ridge on-the head of the insect, which we regard

as unicolor, will also help to distinguish it from Jatifrons.

154 Notes on the Species of Stenus

Sp. 35 (4). fulvicornis, Kirby, MSS.

Steph. Illustr. and Coll. ; and St. pallipes

(Grav.), Steph. Coll.

Leach, Coll.

paganus, Erichs.

The insect in Kirby’s cabinet, which, according to the number it

bears, should be his S¢. fulvicornis, is St. tarsalis of Erichson, and

does not agree with Kirby's description, which is no doubt from the

St. paganus of Erichson. In the MSS., Leach’s collection is said

to possess the species, and there we find the St. paganus named

as fulvicornis ; the same insect is similarly named in Stephens’

Collection.

Sp. 36 (5). curvipes, Kirby, MSS.

Described from an insect in Wilkins’ Collection. The specimen

is in bad condition, having lost one of its elytra, as well as the

abdomen : its posterior tibiz are bowed inwards and forwards in

a marked degree, but it appeared to us that they were not both

quite alike, and this leads us to doubt their presenting a natural

condition of the parts in question. On the whole, after a careful

examination, we came to the conclusion that it was a crippled spe-

cimen of Stenus fuscipes, Er. This guess we subsequently found

to accord well in one important particular with the description by

Kirby, for we find the phrase ‘“ abdomen teres submarginatum” in

the MSS.

Sp. 37 (6). similis, Kirby, MSS. ?

Steph. Ilustr. and Coll.

paganus, Erichs.

This species is merely named by Kirby in his MSS.: the de-

scription in the I]lustrations is original. The insect which in Mr.

Stephens’ cabinet stands as S¢. similis (and which is no doubt the

insect described), is the paganus of Erichson, whilst the St. similis

in Kirby’s Collection is the very nearly allied species, differing in

having the antennz pitchy in the middle (instead of pale testa-

ceous), the elytra narrower, and the sculpturing rather less

coarse, in fact the species which we regard as the St. latifrons of

Erichson.*

* There is some confusion in the differential characters as pointed out by

Erichson, which however is readily corrected by perusal of the descriptions.

described by Kirby, &c. 155

Section 5 (* * 62). Abdomen immarginate, legs black.

Sp. 38 (1). rufitarsis, Kirby, MSS. and Coll.

Steph. Illustr. and Coll.

Leach, Coll.

tarsalis, Erichson.

Steph. IHlustr. and Coll.

flavitarsis, Steph. (not Wilkin’s Collection; see palli-

tarsis, K),

Sp. 39 (2). nigriclavis, Kirby, MSS.

Steph. Ilustr. and Coll.

tarsalis, Erichs.

There are varieties of St. tarsalis in which the tarsi are almost

black, and others in which they are pale; the former, it would

appear, constitute the St. nigriclavis of Kirby, and the latter

his St. rufitarsis.

Sp. 40 (3). unicolor, Kirby, MSS.

St. unicolor of Stephens’ Collection is no doubt the same as

St. unicolor of Erichson, but the description in the I}lustrations

(which is from Kirby’s MSS.) gives the legs as being black. The

true unicolor of Kirby is most probably the St. campestris of

Erichson.

Sp. 41 (4) fornicatus, Kirby, MSS. and Collection.

Leach, Collection.

Steph. Illustr. (not of his Coll.)

contractus, Erichs.

This species was originally described from Dr. Leach’s Collec-

tion. Kirby did not notice the pale spot at the base of the tibize

of this singularly formed species.

Sp. 42(5). assimilis, Kirby, MSS.

Not known to us. St. assimilis of Stephens’ Collection is St,

unicolor, which, however, cannot be the insect described by Kirby,

nor that of the Jdlustrations.

Sp. 43 (6). crassus, Kirby, MSS.

Steph. Illustr. and Coll.

nigritulus, Erichs.

156 Notes on the Species of Stenus, &§c.

Besides the Stephensian species already noticed in this list, there

remains in the ‘ /lustrations”—

Sp. 22. St. argyrostoma, Steph., which is fuscipes, Erichs.

Sp. 55. St. carbonarius (Gyll.), Steph.

With this name there are no specimens in Stephens’ Collection,

but in its place are two insects, viz., fuscipes, Erichs., and fusci-

cornis, Erichs. |

Sp. 59. nanus, Steph. Coll.

declaratus, Erichs.

One of the specimens is Sé. pusillus of Erichson.

XVII. Descriptions of some Species of Brazilian Ants

belonging to the Genera Pseudomyrma, Eciton and

Myrmica (with Observations on their Economy by Mr.

H.W. Bares). By Frepericx Smira, Esq.

[Read January Ist, 1855.]

Genus Psteupomyrma, Guér. ©

Antenne sub-clavate, 13-jointed in the females, 12-jointed in

the workers, the antennez slightly thickened towards their apex,

not quite so long as the head and thorax, inserted on the anterior

part of the face, near the mouth, on each side of a short elevated

carina. Mandibles triangular, denticulated on their inner margin.

Eyes elongate-ovate, very large, occupying a large portion of the

head: ocelli three, placed in a triangle on the vertex. Thorax

elongate, compressed at the sides; the anterior wings having one

marginal and two complete submarginal cells, the second receiving

the first recurrent nervure near its base; one discoidal cell; legs

short and stout. Abdomen ovate; the first segment forming an

elongate pedunculated node, the second large and globose.

The name Pseudomyrma is proposed for the insects comprised

in this genus by Lund, in the Annales des Sciences Naturelles,

1831; but the only character there given is the extraordinary

Mr. Smith’s Descriptions of Species of Brazilian Ants. 157

size of the eyes; the genus is fully characterized by Guérin in

the Iconographie du Régne Animal.

The observation of the habits of these curious ants given by

Lund is, that they are to be found running on the trunks and

leaves of shrubs and trees; our indefatigable and observant coun-

tryman, Mr. H. W. Bates, sends me the following account of one

of the species, P. oculata: “Its colonies I have hitherto found only

in the tumuli of different species of Termes; in some instances

I found them in spacious elliptical chambers, in the outer walls

of the Termitaria; one colony to each chamber; the cham-

bers wide apart and having no connection with each other; the

number of individuals few in each colony; the pupe are not en-

closed in cocoons. In some instances I have found them with

their Jarva and pupz within the same chambers as the Termes, in

different parts of the Termitarium; the workers are sometimes

found in numbers, coursing rapidly over trees and_ herbage.

Another species constructs its Formicarium in the pith tube of

dried twigs, the colonies are not numerous.” We may from

these circumstances perceive that they are insects of varied habit,

and that, like those of the genera Formica and Myrmica found in

this country, some prefer to construct their habitations under

ground, others in decaying trees, whilst at least one species chooses

part of the same mound or tumuli, as a species of Termite; in the

same manner we find species of Myrmica scabrinodis occupying one

side of a little hillock, and Formica flava the other.

I have a very strong suspicion that some of the species described

in this paper belong to the genus Condylodon, proposed by Lund,

whilst others would fall into that of Pseudomyrma; the distine-

tions between these being merely indicated by that author in his

communication to his friend Audouin; but as the species which

presents the greatest disparity to the type (P. advena) is one of

which I possess the winged female, and as I find the neuration

identical with that of the typical species, I retain them all in one

genus.

Sp. 1. Pseudomyrma bicolor, Guér.

Pseudomyrma bicolor, Guér., Icon. Reg. Anim. Ins., 437.

Worker.—Length 5 lines. Obscure black; shining and thinly

covered with a fine sericeous pile; the mouth, anterior margin of

the face, the scape at the base and apex beneath, and the flagellum

beneath, rufo-testaceous; the articulations of the joints of the

legs, the anterior tibize and tarsi, rufo-testaceous. ‘The first node,

158 Mr. Smith’s Descriptions

and the petiole of the abdomen, red; the node elevated anteriorly ;

the second segment globular, the extreme apex testaceous.

This species is from Columbia, and I think must be the same

as that described by Guérin. I have only seen the single specimen

which is in my own Collection.

Sp. 2. Pseudomyrma unicolor, n. s.

Worker.— Length 5} lines. Black, smooth and shining,

covered with fine, short, pale, glittering pubescence, interspersed

with scattered, erect, long, pale hairs; the upper surface of the

thorax flattened, having the sides sharp and angulated ; the man-

dibles rufo-testaceous ; the claws rufo-piceous, the calearia pale

testaceous; the metathorax slightly curved above, from the base

to the apex.

This species is from Brazil. I believe this insect would fall

into the genus Condylodon of Lund. I have been unable to detect

anything beyond specific differences between that genus and

Pseudomyrma, as characterized by M. Guérin. In my own Collec-

tion.

Sp. 3. Pseudomyrma termitaria.

Female.—Length 33 lines. Head black; the anterior margin

of the face, the mandibles and scape ferruginous; the thorax and

legs ferruginous, the wings hyaline, the nervures pale testaceous,

the stigma fuscous; the tibiz have the calcaria pale testaceous ;

the metathorax rounded posteriorly; the two nodes and basal

segment of the abdomen ferruginous; the apical segments black ;

the entire insect is smooth and thinly covered with a very fine

sericeous pile; the form of the thorax is an elongated oval, rather

widest in front.

Worker.—Length 23 lines. Coloured the same as the female;

the thorax rather widest in front, the sides being compressed.

Mr. Bates finds this species constructing its elliptical chamber,

or dwelling, in the walls of the tumulus of a species of white ant.

I have no doubt of this being a species of Pseudomyrma, as de-

scribed by Lund; its head is rather larger, and the eyes larger

than in the other species.

Sp. 4. Pseudomyrma maculata.

Worker.—Length 3 lines. Head, antenne, thorax and legs pale

ferruginous; a small fuscous spot on the vertex, enclosing the ocelli;

the eyes, a stripe down the middle of the metathorax, not reach-

ing the apex, fuscous; the femora above, and the posterior tibiz

of some Species of Brazilian Ants. 159

and tarsi, slightly fuscous; the petiole and first node of the ab-

domen pale ferruginous; the second node and the abdomen fus-

cous, and covered with a fine sericeous pile; the extreme apex

rufo-testaceous ; the apical segment has a number of long fuscous

hairs; the head and thorax have a similar fine pile to that on the

abdomen.

The habitat of this species is Brazil. In my own Collection,

Sp. 5. Pseudomyrma sericata.

Worker.—Length 33 lines. Black, thickly covered with fine

short silky pubescence; the anterior margin of the face and

the mandibles testaceous-yellow ; the antennz rufo-testaceous,

the flagellum sometimes slightly fuscous above ; the legs testace-

ous, the anterior tibize and tarsi pale: the prothorax and margins

of the scutellum rufo-testaceous ; the petiole of the abdomen is

of the same colour as the prothorax.

This species is also from Brazil. In my own Collection.

Sp. 6. Pseudomyrma elegans.

Worker.—Length 3 lines. The head and abdomen black ; the

scape in front, the base of the flagellum, the anterior margin of

the face and the mandibles, ferruginous: the thorax, legs and

nodes of the abdomen, ferruginous ; the apical joints of the tarsi

slightly fuscous ; the entire insect destitute of pubescence.

This species was captured by Mr. Bates, at Para. In my own

Collection.

Sp. 7. Pseudomyrma nigriceps.

Worker.—Length 23 lines. Head black: the antennz, man-

dibles, and the anterior margin of the face, rufo-testaceous ; the

thorax, abdomen and legs pale rufo-testaceous: the first node of

the abdomen subtriangular, the upper margin being curved, the

curve channelled from the base to the apex, the latter emarginate ;

the second node globose ; the sides of the abdomen compressed,

but not strangulated in the middle.

This species was captured by Mr. Bates, at Santarem, Brazil ;

it was found coursing over herbage, and also on sandy banks. In

my own Collection.

Sp. 8. Pseudomyrma oculata. (PI. XIII.)

Female.—Length 2} lines. The head, antenne, prothorax,

tibize and tarsi, pale rufo-testaceous ; the head elongate, full two-

thirds of the length of the thorax ; it is also wider than the latter ;

160 Mr. Smith’s Descriptions

the eyes very large, placed rather more within the face than in the

other species; the antenne rather more thickened at the apex

than in the other species of the genus; the meso- and metathorax,

abdomen and femora, fusco-testaceous; wings hyaline, nervures

pale testaceous, the stigma fuscous; the sides of the thorax nearly

parallel, transverse in front, the angles rounded; the metathorax

obliquely rounded at the sides.

Worker.—2 lines. Closely resembling the female, but having

the thorax strangulated in the middle, and compressed at the sides,

and being altogether of a paler colour.

There is considerable difference in the form of the thorax and

head of this species when compared with the others; and had I

not possessed the female, and had an opportunity of observing

that the neuration of the wings is identical with that of the

others, I should probably have placed this insect in a separate

genus. In addition to these reasons for retaining it, I have the

observation of Mr. Bates on its habits, that of coursing over

trunks of trees and leaves, in the same manner as the other species ;

and his note of observation—‘ this curious Myrmica is closely

allied to No. 70,” P. nigriceps.

Also from Brazil, in my own and other Collections.

Sp. 9. Pseudomyrma pallida.

Worker.—Length 2 lines. Pale testaceous yellow, smooth,

shining and impunctate; the eyes and tips of the mandibles

black; the thorax compressed at the sides, and somewhat nar-

rowed posteriorly; the petiole of the first node of the abdomen

pear-shaped, flattened above, and margined at the sides, the

second node globular: the abdomen of a paler colour than the

head, which is of a reddish yellow.

This species was found by my friend, the late Edward Double-

day, in East Florida, a locality in which he captured many rare and

beautiful Hymenoptera ; to this order he was greatly attached, and

on the habit of many species he imparted much valuable information.

Genus Ectton, Latr.

Formica, pt. Fabr. Ent. Syst. ii. p. 364; Latr. pt. Hist. Nat.

Fourm. p. 265.

Myrmecia, pt. Fabr. Syst. Piez. p. 425.

Eciton, Latr. Hist. Nat. des Crust. et des Ins.

Ancylognathus, Lund, An. Soc. Nat. xxvii.

Camplognatha, Westw. Griff. An. King. xv. 516.

The maxillary palpi 2-jointed; the basal joint clavate, broadest

of some Species of Brazilian Ants. 161

at the base; the second joint a little shorter than the first, truncate

at the apex: the labial palpi 3-jointed; the basal joint longest,

the apical one shortest, its apex truncate. Workers, of two

sizes ; the larger individuals, in some species, having their mandi-

bles protruded in an elongate curve, sickle-shaped, acute at their

apex; the smaller workers having the mandibles short, curved,

broad and flattened in the middle; their apex acute: the tongue

and palpi, when in repose, covered and protected by the labrum,

which is convex, large and transverse, its inferior margin rounded ;

head large, wider than the thorax, in some individuals dispropor-

tionately large; eyes very minute, placed somewhat backwards

and within the sides of the head, not visibly reticulated : the ocelli

obsolete in the workers. Thorax unarmed; abdomen with two

nodes at its base. The males and females not known.

Sp. 1. Eciton hamata.

Formica hamata, Fabr. Ent. Syst., ii. 364, 58; Latr. Hist. Nat.

Fourm., p. 242, tab. 8, fig. 54.

Myrmica hamata, Fabr. Syst. Piez., p. 425, 6.

Eciton hamata, Latr. Gen. Crust. et Ins., iv. 129.

Ancylognathus, Lund. Ann. Soc. Nat., xxvii.

Camptognatha, Westw. Griff. Anim. King., xv. 516, tab. 76,

fig. 4,

Worker.—Length 4—413 lines. Antennz longer than the head

and thorax; the flagellum sub-filiform and pubescent, the pube-

scence short and scattered; the head very large, full twice the

width of the thorax, widest in front, and armed behind with two

short spines of a pale yellow-testaceous colour; smooth, shining

and thinly sprinkled with short pale hairs; mandibles elongate,

sickle-shaped, and bent suddenly inwards at their apex, forming

a pointed hook ; sometimes rufo-piceous, sometimes black. The

thorax, Jegs and abdomen of an opaque reddish yellow, the tarsi

fuscous: the nodes of the abdomen without spines beneath; the

abdomen ovate; the entire insect thinly sprinkled with pale pu-

bescence.

This insect is exceedingly abundant in Brazil; Mr. Bates has

observed its legions in processions of great extent, but up to the

present time has been unable to meet with the other sexes ; this,

however, he hopes to accomplish, but the societies are so numerous

and the sting of the insects so severe, that an attack on one of

their colonies for that purpose is not to be rashly undertaken.

VOL. Ill. N.S. PART V.—-JULY, 1855. M

162 Mr. Smith’s Descriptions

Sp. 2. Heiton vagans.

Formica vagans, Oliv. Ency. Méth., vi. 501.

Worker.—Length 4—5 lines. Entirely opaque, reddish brown ;

some individuals have the head and thorax blackish brown ; the

mandibles as in Z. hamata; the head has, on each side behind, a

short bent tooth, and a central impressed line running from the

insertion of the antennz and nearly extending to the vertex ; the

eyes larger than in LZ. hamata, the thorax of the same form as in

that species: the first node of the abdomen has a short acute spine

beneath, curving backwards, the second has also a minute spine

pointing forwards; the abdomen concolorous with the head and

thorax ; but sometimes fulvous.

Worker (minor).—8 lines. Has the head of a different form to

the larger worker, being oblong and rounded at the angles; the

spines behind very small; the mandibles small, curved, and very

broad at their apex, the inner edge very finely serrated ; the tho-

rax similarly formed to that of the larger worker ; the articulations

of the legs pale, the tarsi palest. Abdomen pale reddish yellow,

the nodes having sharp spines beneath, as in the large worker.

This species appears to be equally abundant as the former, but

has been hitherto confounded with it.

Sp. 3. Leitton curvidentata.

Formica curvidentata, Latr. Hist. Nat. des Fourm., p. 269,

tab. 8, fig. 55.

Worker.-—3} lines. Reddish yellow; the head paler than the

other parts; the flagellum fusco-ferruginous, the scape ferru-

ginous and inserted in a fossulet, the edges of which are raised in

front, and recurved round the base of each scapus ; the mandibles

dark brown; short, stout and broadly expanded, the inner edge

finely denticulate : head wider than the thorax, narrowed behind,

the posterior angles having each a short bent spine. Thorax: an

obtuse tubercle on each side at the base of the metathorax ; the

first node of the abdomen having at its base beneath a small

tooth on each side; the second node has a tooth at its base be-

neath, pointing forwards. Abdomen ovate, and pointed at the

apex: the entire insect thinly sprinkled with pale hairs.

This is probably a smaller form of the worker, either of L.

hamata or vagans: it appears to be equally abundant with both

those species.

of some Species of Brazilian Ants. 163

Sp. 4. Heiton rapax, n. s.

Worker.—Length 43 lines. The head, thorax and legs of an

opaque black; seven or eight of the apical joints of the flagellum

fulvous beneath; the head and mandibles as in LZ. curvidentata ;

the edges of the cavity for the reception of the antenne rather

more raised at the sides; the metathorax armed with two acute

spines ; the articulations of the legs, the apex of the tibia and

tips of the joints of tarsi, ferruginous ; the first node of the abdo-

men having beneath a small spine curved backward: the abdo-

men reddish-yellow, thinly sprinkled with pale pubescence ; the

legs, head, thorax and antenne sprinkled with black hairs.

Worker (minor),—Very closely resembling the larger worker ;

the flagellum has more of the fulvous colouring; the tip of the

scape, the anterior margin of the face and inner edge of the man-

dibles, more or less ferruginous ; the legs rufo-fuscous, with their

articulations as well as the tarsi ferruginous; the metathorax

without spines, but having two longitudinal carinee, not produced

at their termination. The first node of the abdomen armed

beneath, as in the larger worker; there is also a minute tooth

at the base of the second node, pointing forwards; abdomen

reddish yellow.

This species was found by Mr. Bates at Para, and also at

Santarem ; I have not been able to tind any description of it, and

believe it to be a new species. It is found in the virgin forests of

Brazil, as observed by Mr. Bates, not in open sandy situations

like most of the other species.

Sp. 5. EHciton crassicornis, n. s.

Worker.—Dark reddish brown; the head, thorax and legs

Opaque; antenne short and thickened; the scape clavate, the

flagellum having the joints short, the apical ones being broader

than long, and fulvous beneath: mandibles black, short, stout

and longitudinally strigose, the inner margin of the apical dilata-

tion quadridentate ; the head wider than the thorax, and deeply

emarginate behind; the lateral angles acute, scarcely dentate ; the

metathorax has on each side, near its base, a minute tubercle, and

is produced and emarginate behind: the legs shorter and stouter

than in the foregoing species, their articulations bright ferru-

ginous. The basal node of the abdomen has an elevated central

carina, acute at its apex, the second node unarmed ; the abdomen

thinly covered with short yellow pubescence, the other parts very

thinly sprinkled with short erect pale hairs.

M 2

164 Mr. Smith’s Descriptions

but having the legs proportionably more slender and longer; the

head is narrower.

This species is from Villa Nova, Brazil; its short legs and

thickened antenne readily distinguishing it.

Worker (minor).—23 lines. Closely resembles the preceding,

Sp. 6. Eciton simillima, n. s.

Worker.—Length 2 lines. Reddish yellow; the antennz short

and clavate; head elongate, emarginate behind, the lateral angles

acute: the metathorax having two longitudinal carinz, not pro-

duced at their apex ; legs shorter than in any of the other species,

except /. crassicornis, the first node of the abdomen having

a minute acute spine beneath, at its base; the second also having

a very minute tooth, or spine, directed forwards: the entire insect

very thinly sprinkled with pale glittering hairs.

This species approaches nearest to /. crassicornis ; but its fla-

gellum is much more slender at the base, the head is more elongate,

and the metathorax differently formed. Sent from Para, by Mr.

H. W. Bates.

Sp. 7. Eciton legionis, n. s.

Worker.—Length 3 lines. Reddish yellow and shining ; an-

tenne the length of the head and thorax, inserted in a large

cavity in front of the head ; the margins of the cavity raised

in front, curving inwards round each scapus and passing upwards

to the edge of the cavity: the head elongate ovate, slightly

emarginate behind, the angles not produced; the eyes very

minute. Thorax narrower than the head, compressed at the

sides, and rugose above ; the metathorax without carinz or spines;

the nodes of the abdomen unarmed beneath: abdomen ovate, very

smooth and shining.

Worker (minor).—2 lines. Excepting in size I can detect no

very distinctive difference from the large worker.

Of this species Mr. Bates observes, “I have only found it in

open sandy and grassy campos; it shows the same irritability and

hurried movement as the other species ; is very quick to break line,

and to attack furiously, any intruding obstacle. In a procession

which I observed there were no individuals with the largely de-

veloped mandibles, as in other species. The locality in which lt ob-

served it being an open district, it afforded me an opportunity of

observing some parts of its habits, and the business which occupies

of some Species of Brazilian Ants. 165

its immense processions ; the columns of the other species I have

always observed marching in the dense thorny thickets of the

forest, so that the same facilities for observation do not offer

themselves, and no human endurance can sustain the overwhelm-

ing attacks, the cruel sting and bite of these formidable insects.

In this smaller species, although they climb by hundreds over one’s

person, in the same sudden way, the sting is not at all formidable.

The first time I met with this species, it was near sunset: I found

the column consisted of two trains of ants, moving in opposite

directions ; one train empty handed, the other laden with a variety

of the mangled remains of insects, chiefly however the larvee and

pupe of ants. I had no difficulty in tracing the line to the spot

from which they were conveying their prey; this was in a low

thicket, the Heitons were moving rapidly about a heap of dead

leaves; the tropical twilight was deepening, and I deferred

further examination till the next day.

“On the following morning I found no trace of the ants in the

place I had left them the preceding day, nor in the thicket were

there any signs of insects of any description: but, at the distance

of eighty or one hundred yards, | found them again, evidently

engaged on another piece of business, a razzia of a similar kind,

but requiring other resources of their instinct; they were eagerly

occupied on the face of an inclined bank of light earth, excavat-

ing mines, whence, from the depth of eight or ten inches, they

were extracting the bodies of a bulky species of Forniica. It was

curious to see them crowding round the orifices of the mines, and

assisting their comrades to lift out the bodies of the Formic@; the

latter, being too bulky for one Eciton to carry, it was torn into

pieces, and the laden marauders forthwith started off with their

booty. On excavating the earth about the mines, I found the

Formice at the depth of about eight inches, also their larvee and

pupe. As fast as I excavated, the Ecitons rushed in, seizing the

ants; I had great difficulty in securing a few specimens, they

disputed them with me even in my hands: in excavating their

mines, they assisted one another in so systematic a manner, with

an appearance of so much intelligent co-operation, that it was

truly a wonderful sight: those in the mines lifted up the pellets

of earth to others stationed at the entrance, who forthwith con-

veyed them to a few inches distance from the place.

“T now turned towards the line of ants returning with their

spoil of mutilated remains. For some distance there were many

lines of them moving along the declivity of the bank, but at a

short distance these converged; I then traced them to a large

166 Mr. Smith’s Descriptions

indurated and ancient Termitarium: up the ascent of this the

Ecitons were moving in a dense column, like a stream of liquid

metal ; many were now assisting in lugging up the bodies of the

Formice, and the whole disappeared in one of the spacious tubu-

lar cavities which always traverse these old Termitaria from the

summit to the base.

“It would appear, from what I observed, that Hciton feeds its

larvee with animal food; the species of Formice seized by this

species of Eciton has a soft succulent body, and, if not in-

tended as food for the larva, for what other purpose are they

procured? probably, like the leaves gathered by Cicodoma, they

pass through a process of comminution, before being supplied

to the larve.”

Genus Myrmica.

Myrmica sevissima.

Worker.—Length 23 lines. Rufo-testaceous; smooth, shining

and impunctate ; the head oblong, rounded behind, having a central

impressed line on the forehead, which passes forward, dividing

into a fork ; the forked lines running to the base of the antenne ;

the mandibles short, stout and longitudinally striated ; their inner

margins armed with four black teeth; the scape slender, slightly

thickened towards the apex, about the length of the head; the

flagellum nine-jointed, the club dilated, formed of the two apical

joints. Thorax strangulated between the meso- and metathorax ;

the latter unarmed : the legs elongate, thinly sprinkled with erect

short pale hairs: abdomen sub-ovate, truncated at the base, the

apical half black, or dark rufo-fuscous ; the nodes without spines

beneath, the first compressed, its superior margin rounded and

elevated a little above the second node, which is globose ; the entire

insect very thinly sprinkled with erect pale hairs.

Worker (minor).—1}3 lines. Very closely resembling the larger

worker, but not having an impressed line on the forehead ; in

other respects they correspond.

This appears to be one of the most fearful and dreaded of all

the visiting ants. We have heard of houses, in this country, being

deserted in consequence of their being infested by MZ. domestica,

certainly an unpleasant inhabitant, but not calculated to strike

terror, and to drive every one out of their houses; such is how-

ever the effect of the appearance of M. sevissima. Mr. Bates

says, “on the borders of the river Tapajos, this is the much

dreaded ant, the terrible scourge of the river Tapajos. In 1852

of some Species of Brazilian Ants. 167

I found, along the shores of the long sandy bays of the Tapajos,

a continuous line of sediment, eight or ten miles in length, formed

entirely of the bodies of the winged individuals of this species.

It was the end of the rainy season, and the swarms had been

carried away by the squalls of wind into the river, and had

subsequently been cast ashore by the swell. This species is

exclusively found in sandy soils, in open semi-cutivated or neg-

lected places: in the shade of the woods not an individual is

to be found; careful cultivation and weeding expels them from

limited spaces ; they increase only in the neighbourhood of de-

serted houses, or unweeded plantations; consequently, they are

a scourge only to the lazy and worthless people who inhabit the

shores of this magnificent river. Sometimes they increase to such

an extent, that not an inch of ground is free from them; they

dispute every fragment of food with the inhabitants ; clothing they

destroy for the sake of the starch, and attack persons with such

cruel fury, that the lords of the creation are obliged to beat a re-

treat and the village becomes deserted. Their sting is very severe,

the Brazilians liken it to the pain of a prick from a redhot

needle, or point,—hence the name ‘ Formiga de fogo.’ Their For-

micarium is subterranean, and in the village of Aveyros the un-

weeded streets are covered with their mounds : there are one or two

on the floor of the church,—it is impossible in fact to avoid an at-

tack. The ‘Formiga de fogo’ lets no one have any repose ; one’s legs

are instantly covered with them, and they appear to attack in sheer

malice. I was frequently obliged to retreat to the house of the

Commandant, where it was my daily custom to enjoy an evening

chat with the priest and a few neighbours, seated on chairs, with

stools to support the feet, the ground being in full possession of

the spiteful” ‘* Mymica sevissima.”

APPENDIX.

Since the foregoing paper was read to the Entomological Society,

I have obtained a new species of the genus Pseudomyrma, which is

of great interest, not only in exhibiting a very remarkable form,

but also in throwing a light upon the history of the genus, which

observation alone could furnish us with. For this I am indebted

to the untiring industry of my friend Mr. W. H. Bates in observ-

ing the habits of these interesting insects. All the sexes were taken

from the nest, formed in narrow, hollowed pith chambers in dried

twigs; the sting of this species is very faint; the pupa do not

spin cocoons.

168 Mr. Smith’s Descriptions

In 1852 I published a paper on some Indian Hymenoptera in

the Annals and Magazine of Natural History, in which was de-

scribed and figured a new genus of ants, Telraponera. At that

time I was only acquainted with two species, Tetraponera atrata,

from India, and J’. testacea, from South America, the latter de-

scribed in a note; these insects, both females, were remarkable

for having an elongated head, nearly as long as the thorax, having

the sides parallel; these insects prove to be females of the genus

Pseudomyrma. In the British Museum are workers of a species

of the genus from India, probably the same species as the female

described in the Annals.

In order to render the present communication as complete as

possible on the South American species of Pseudomyrma, I add

the description of the species described in the Annals.

Sp. 10. Pseudomyrma testacea.

Tetraponera testacea, Smith, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 2nd

Ser. ix. 45.

Female.—Length 33 lines. ‘Testaceous, smooth and shining ;

the head elongate, truncate behind, slightly emarginate at the

vertex; a shallow impressed line running from the anterior

stemma to the insertion of the antenna, where it terminates in a

deep sulcation, carinate at its sides; the eyes black, and elongate-

ovate; the mandibles ferruginous, roughly channelled longitu-

dinally, with irregular striations, the teeth black. Thorax elon-

gate-ovate, the pro- and metathorax rounded, the meso-thorax

fusco-testaceous above; the whole very smooth and _ shining.

Abdomen: the basal segment clavate, the second globose, the

third slightly constricted, the whole very smooth and shining.

Hab. South America (Napo).

In the British Museum.

Sp. 11. Pseudomyrma cephalica, n. s.

Female.—Length 3 lines. Pale yellow testaceous, very smooth

and shining; the head thrice as long as broad, the sides parallel,

the eyes elongate-ovate; the mandibles black at their tips; the

posterior margin of the vertex slightly emarginate. ‘Thorax

narrower than the head, elongate, rounded in front and behind; a

minute black spot at the insertion of the wings, which are hyaline

and beautifully iridescent; the femora broad and compressed.

Abdomen petiolate, the petiole of nearly equal width throughout,

or very slightly widest towards the apex; the second segment

of some Species of Brazilian Ants. i69

sub-globose; the base of the third segment fuscous, the two

apical ones black, or fuscous.

Worker.—Length 23 lines. Rufo-testaceous; the head and

thorax palest; the entire insect is covered with a delicate silky

pile, most observable on the abdomen; the head oblong, the

eyes large, occupying a large portion of the sides of the head;

the petiole of the abdomen narrowest at the base ; the first seg-

ment sub-globose, widest at the apex, this and the following

segments slightly fuscous, and sprinkled with a few glittering hairs.

This sex is very like the P. oculata, of which a figure is given,

but the head is proportionably rather narrower ; the prothorax is

oval, not widest in front; the petiole is rather shorter, and not

so slender at the base.

Male.—Length 23 lines. Testaceous; the antenne and legs

pale testaceous ; the head scarcely longer than broad; the eyes

large, oval and placed at the sides of the head anteriorly; the

ocelli large and glassy bright; the sides of the head rounded

behind the eyes; the vertex emarginate. Thorax, the scutellum

prominent; the wings hyaline, and beautifully iridescent, the

nervures and stigma pale testaceous; the abdomen of the same

form as that of the worker; the insect thinly covered with fine

short silky pubescence.

Hab. Brazil (Villa Nova, on the Amazons).

EXPLANATION OF PLATE XIII.

. Eciton crassicornis. 9%.

. Antenna of Eciton crassicornis. 3 -

- Head of Eciton raptor. 3.

. Antenna of Ecitun raptor, 8.

. Antenna of Eciton curvidentata, 3.

. Head of Eciton hamata. 3.

6a, the eyes.

7. Mentum of Eciton hamata.

a, the labial palpi.

8. Maxilla of Eciton hamata.

a, the lobe of the maxilla; 6, the maxillary palpus.

9. Pseudomyrma advena.

10. Wing of the female.

11. Antenna of the same.

12. Pseudomyrma cephalica. 9.

13. Pseudomyrma cephalica. g.

14, Anterior leg of Pseudomyrma cephalica. 9.

15. Abdomen of Pseudomyrma cephalica @ in profile.

16. Antenna of Pseudomyrma cephalica. Q.

17. Head of Pseudomyrma cephalica. 9.

18. Myrmica sevissima. 3.

19. Nodes of the abdomen of the same in profile.

Fig.

Don p COW me

XVIII. Monograph of the Australian Species of Chrysomela,

Phyllocharis and allied Genera. By J. 8. Bary, Esq.

[Read November 6th, 1854. ]

IsoLaTED descriptions of many insects belonging to the present

group are scattered through various Entomological works, both

abroad and in this country; but hitherto no effort has been made

to collect and arrange them under the different genera to which

they properly belong: in the present paper I have attempted

this, at the same time giving descriptions of the many new species

existing in Collections.

I must return my best thanks to all those gentlemen, who have

so liberally allowed me access to their Collections, placing in

my hands, for description, many unique and valuable insects.

TasLe oF GENERA.

Antenne dilated laterally ae ap. .. Diphyllocera.

Antenne simple.

Claws toothed.

Palpi ovate; antennz moniliform me .. Phyllocharis.

Palpi ovate; antennee subfiliform aS » Chalcolampra.

Palpi clavate; antenne filiform . an .. Eulina.

Palpi clavate; antennz subincrassate .. .. Australica.

Claws simple.

Palpi ovate; body elongate .. ate .. Lamprolina.

Palpi ovate; body globose.

——- last joint of palpi short .. .. Cyclomela.

— last joint of palpi as long as the third Chalcomela.

Palpi clavate .. 2 aie o5 .. Chrysomela.

Genus 1. Puyziocnaris, (Details, Pl. XIV. figs. la, 1b, 1c.)

Dal. Eph. Ent. 20.

Antenne \ongitudine dimidii corporis, sub-moniliformes, arti-

culo basali subgloboso, tribus proximis moniliformibus,

equalibus, ceteris sub-filiformibus. Palpi breves, ovati,

articulis brevibus, basali minuto, secundo et tertio cla-

vatis, penultimo incrassato, ultimo conico, obtuso. Unguiculi

dentati. Corpus oblongum; thorax transversim quadratus,

lateribus subrectis; prosternum inerme; elytra thorace

vix latiora, oblongo-ovata.

This genus, first separated from Chrysomela by Dalman in his

Mr. J. S. Baly’s Monograph, §c. 171

‘“‘ Ephemeride Entomologice,” has for its type Chrysomela cyani-

cornis, Fabr., the original specimens of which are in the Banksian

Cabinet.

I, Elytra red, with dark spots or bands.

Sp. 1. Phyllocharis cyanicornis, (Fab.)

Oblongo-ovata, nitida; antennis pedibusque nigro-cyaneis,

thorace maculd dorsali punctisque duobus, elytris maculis

8 cyaneis.

Long. lin. 4.

Chrysomela cyanicornis, Fab. Ent. Syst., i. 222, n. 61; Syst.

El., i. 436, n. 85; Oliv. Ent., v. 541,

tab. 4, fig. 46.

Phyllocharis cyanicornis, Dalm, Eph. Entom., 21.

Var. A. Klugii, Mac Leay.

Thorace macula cyanea, coleopteris maculis anticis

4 cruceque magna postica cyanea.

Phyllocharis Klugii, Mac Leay; Appendix to King’s

Survey, il. 453; Homb. et Jacq. Voy. au Péle Sud,

Zool., iv. 332, Atlas, pl. 19, fig. 1; Boisd. Voy. de

l’Astrol., 547.

Var. B. Elytrorum maculis anticis duabus coalescentibus.

Var. C. Elytrorum maculis anticis duabus obsoletis.

Oblong ovate, shining red, a vertical patch on the head, and

antenne deep blue. Thorax narrowly margined, almost twice as

broad as long, sides nearly straight, narrowed from behind

towards the front, which is rounded; anterior angles subacute,

slightly thickened, front margin concave; surface smooth, in-

distinctly punctured, on the sides of the base, which are deeply

impressed, are a few coarse punctures; in the centre of the disc

is a large deep blue patch, on either side of which is a smaller one

the same colour. Scutellum smooth, blue black. Elytra oblong-

ovate, four times as long as the thorax, rather wider than the

latter, their sides slightly ovate, apex acutely rounded; finely

punctate-striate, the puncturing irregular and indistinct towards

the apex; surface covered with eight deep blue spots, placed as

follows,—two basal, ovate, smaller than the rest—two, just before

the middle, submarginal, irregular, a fifth large, ovate, placed

on the centre of the suture, with the two preceding forming a

semicircular band—two marginal, beyond the middle, irregular

172 Mr. J. S. Baly’s Monograph of the

and transverse ; lastly, one triangular, apical, sending a short thick

ramus upwards along the suture. Beneath red, sides of the pleura,

base of abdomen and legs deep blue.

Var. A. The two lateral spots on the thorax obsolete, the

four posterior spots on the elytra united in the form

of a cross.

Var. B. Two anterior spots on the elytra united.

Var. C. Two anterior spots entirely wanting.

This species is found in the more northern parts of Australia.

It is rather rare in Collections. The type is in the Banksian

Cabinet. I have also specimens in my own Collection. Var. A.

in the British Museum Collection. Var. B. and C. in that of

M. Deyrolle.

Sp. 2. Phyllocharis cyanipes, (Fabr.)

Oblonga, rufa, nitida; antennis, pedibus, fasciisque duabus

elytrorum cyaneis.

Long 34—43 lin.

Chrysomela sinuata, Oliv., v. 543, tab. 7, fig. 100.

Phyllocharis sinuata, Boisd. Voy. de )Astrol., 573.

Phyllocharis cyanitarsis, Cuvier, Regne Animal, pl. 73, fig. 1.

Phyllocharis cyanipes, Homb. et Jacq. Voy. au Pole Sud, Zool.

iv, 330, Atlas, pl. 18, fig. 18.

Var. A. Rufa, nitida ; elytris punctis posticeque cyaneis.

Chrysomela cyanipes, Fabr. Syst. Ent., i. 320, n. 60; Syst. El.,

i. 436, n. 84; Oliv. Ent., v. 541, tab. 4,

fig. 50.

Phyllocharis cyanipes, Dalm, Eph. Ent., 21.

Oblong, shining red. Face deeply impressed. Antennz deep

blue. ‘Thorax narrowly margined, twice as broad as long, rather

wider in front, the sides nearly parallel, slightly convex anteriorly,

front margin concave, anterior angles subacute ; surface convex,

swollen in front, smooth; on the dise are a few indistinct punc-

tures, a few coarse punctures are placed along the base at its

extreme edge; on either side of the base is a shallow punctured

fovea, the posterior margin of the thorax blue black in the centre.

Scutellum smooth, blue. Elytra nearly four times the length of

the thorax, apex obtusely rounded, their sides more parallel than

in cyanicornis, slightly excavated behind the shoulders; surface

irregularly punctured, the punctures indistinct towards the apex,

Australian Species of Chrysomela, Phyllocharis, §c. 173

disposed in irregular striz near the suture; just before the

middle is a broad, deep blue, flexuose, transverse band, from

which a broad process passes upwards along the suture to the

base; below the middle is a second band, from which a narrower

process runs downwards to the apex of the elytra. Beneath deep

blue, sides and apex of abdomen red.

Var. A. The posterior half of the elytra, a short process

running upwards along the suture, and some spots

near the base, deep blue; near the apex of the

elytra is a small marginal red spot. This ap-

pears to be but an extreme variety, as it agrees

with the common form in every thing but colour-

ing. A single specimen, on which Fabricius

founded his description, is in the Banksian Cabinet.

The great dissimilarity in colouring has led Olivier

and others to describe the ordinary form under the

name of sinuata. I have however no doubt but

that they are both belonging to the same species.

The typical form is in many Collections. Var. A. in the

Banksian Cabinet.

Sp. 8. Phyllocharis leoparda, n. sp.

Oblongo-ovata, rufa; capite macula, thorace lineis duabus in-

terruptis elytrisque maculis undecim nigris.

Long. 2} lin.

Oblong ovate, narrowed behind, shining red; a_ triangular

patch on the face, and several stains in front, pitchy. Antenne

black. ‘Thorax transverse, twice as broad as long, narrowed in

front, sides slightly rounded, front margin slightly concave, an-

terior angles acute; surface convex, a few fine punctures on

the disc, which is smooth and shining; the sides of the base with

a few coarse punctures; on either side the medial line is a

narrow, longitudinal line, interrupted in the centre, pitchy black ;

just within the anterior angle is also a small spot, the same colour.

Scutellum smooth, pitechy black. Elytra three times the length

of the thorax, ovate-elongate, narrowed towards the apex, the

latter acutely rounded ; surface punctate-striate, the puncturing

less distinct towards the apex; on the side, beneath the shoulder,

is a large, shallow depression ; the suture and eleven spots pitchy

black; the latter placed on the surface of the elytra as follows—

174 Mr. J. 8. Baly’s Monograph of the

two basal, three above the middle, four just below, and two sub-

apical, forming four transverse bands.

From Moreton Bay.

A single specimen in my own Collection.

Il. Elytra blue or black, mith fulvous markings.

Sp. 4. Phyllocharis cyanipennis, n. sp. (Plate XIV. fig. 1.)

Oblonga, cyanea, nitida; capite, thorace, maculisque quatuor

elytrorum fulvis.

Long. 43 lin.

Oblong, shining blue; head, thorax and two spots on each

elytron fulvous. Five basal joints of antennz blue, the rest black.

Thorax narrowly margined, transverse-quadrate, twice as broad

as long, broader in front, anterior margin concave, and together

with the anterior angles slightly thickened, sides in front convex,

narrowed and nearly parallel behind; disc smooth, remotely

punctured, base coarsely punctured on each side, near the side

is a large irregular depression: a dark fuscous patch arises from

the base, and extends more or less across the disc (in some

specimens it is entirely obsolete). Scutellum smooth. Elytra

rather wider than the thorax, nearly four times its length, sides

nearly parallel in front, slightly hollowed behind the shoulder,

gradually rounded beyond their middle, surface irregularly punc-

tate-striate; on the shoulder is a large subquadrate fulvous spot,

deeply emarginate within, extending from the external margin

nearly to the scutellum; on the outer margin of the elytron, just

before its apex, is a second spot, smaller and subtriangular.

Beneath blue; the head, thorax and apex of abdomen fulvous.

Port Essington.

In the Collections of the British Museum, Mr. Waterhouse

and myself.

This insect at first sight appears to be merely a variety of the

following ; it differs, however, in the puncturing, which is coarser,

and in the shape of the humeral spot; the latter in nigricornis

is narrower, placed obliquely on the shoulder, and often divided

into two.

Australian Species of Chrysomela, Phyllocharis, &c. 175

Sp. 5. Phyllocharis nigricornis, (Fab.)

Oblonga, nigro-zenea; capite, thoracis lateribus, elytrorum ma-

cula duplici basali ferrugineis.

Long. 43 lin.

Chrysomela nigricornis, Fab. Ent. Syst., i. 318,n.55; Syst. El.,

1. 455, n. 79; Oliv. Ent., v. 540, tab.

4, fig. 43.

Oblong, brassy black. Head ferruginous, a frontal patch and

antenne black. Thorax narrowly margined, brassy black,

beneath and on the sides ferruginous, sides broader and slightly

rounded in front, anterior edge concave, its angles obtuse.

Elytra nearly four times the length of the thorax, sides nearly

parallel in front, slightly excavated behind the shoulders ; surface

finely punctured, brassy black; on the shoulder are two small

ferruginous spots placed obliquely, more or less confluent; the

second sometimes entirely wanting, the two together forming a

short narrow patch, which runs obliquely inwards: sometimes near

the apex of the elytron is a small marginal spot the same

colour. Abdomen blue-black, the base and apex ferruginous.

The two specimens in the Banksian Cabinet, from which

Fabricius drew his descriptions, are much injured by time. In

the observations on the preceding insect, I have pointed out my

reasons for keeping them distinct; they are nevertheless very

closely allied.

Sp. 6. Phyllocharis flexuosa, n. sp.

Ovata, nigra; capite antice, thoracis margine lineisque, elytro-

rum margine lineaque flexuosa fulvis.

Long. 3—4 lin.

Ovate, rather broader behind. Head fulvous, vertex and an-

tenne black. Thorax twice as broad as long, its sides nearly

straight, parallel, front margin slightly excavated, feebly lobed in

the centre, anterior angles obtuse; surface smooth, sides of the

base excavated and coarsely punctured; the side and front mar-

gins, a central vertical line (sometimes interrupted in its middle),

and a short one on either side, attached to the border in front,

fulvous. Scutellum smooth, black. Elytra black, ovate, rather

broader behind, scarcely wider than the thorax at their base, nearly

four times its length; surface finely punctured, punctures arranged

in striz near the suture, irregular on the sides, nearly obso-

176 Mr. J. 8. Baly’s Monograph of the

lete towards the apex of the elytra; the outer third of the base,

the margin and a flexuose line on the disc fulvous; the latter,

commencing at the base, from the inner edge of its fulvous

line, runs obliquely downwards and inwards to below the

middle of the elytron, there curving upwards nad outwards to

join the fulvous border at the termination of its second third ;

it unites with the latter, and runs along the inner edge for one-

third its length; here it again passes across the disc, and joins

the descending portion about its middle; sometimes it ends

abruptly in a short process, soon after leaving the margin. Beneath

black, head, front of thorax, pleure and apex of abdomen fulvous.

Moreton Bay, Melbourne.

In the Collections of the British Museum, M. Deyrolle, Messrs.

Bond, Waterhouse and my own.

This species varies much in colouring; sometimes the fulvous

portion occupies nearly the whole of the elytra.

Genus 2. Drenytiocera, Westw. Ent. Trans., v. 213.

Antenne elongate, subincrassatez, extus seriate, articulis tertio

ad sextum sensim externe dilatatis, 8vo, 9no et 10mo extus

valde dilatatis, wtimo ovali. Palpi truncati, articulo basali

minimo, 2do et 3tio majoribus subaequalibus apice crassioribus,

ultimo brevi subquadrato. Thorax quadratus, elytris angus-

tior, lateribus rectis, prosterno obsolete dentato, Unguiculi

dentati. Corpus elongatum metallicum.

This genus, remarkable for the dilated antennze, has been placed

by Mr. Westwood amongst the Hispide. It appears to have a

much greater affinity, in the structure of its tarsi and other cha-

racters, to Lamprolina and the insects of the present paper.

Sp. 1. Diphyllocera gemellata, Westwood.

Elongata, cupreo-zenea, nitida; elytris punctis magnis exca-

vatis.

Long. 53 lin.

Westw. Trans. Ent. Soc., v. 214, pl. xxii. fig. 1.

Elongate, metallic green, with a coppery reflection. Head

smooth, with a deep triangular impression on the face, and a

short groove on either side. Thorax subquadrate, its sides

straight, slightly narrowed from behind forwards, anterior mar-

gin concave, anterior angles acute; surface with irregular foveze on

Australian Species of Chrysomela, Phyllocharis, §&c. 177

the sides, disc remotely punctured in front, more closely and with

coarser punctures towards the base. Elytra elongate, nearly four

times the length of the thorax, their apex rounded; surface

regularly punctate-striate in front, very finely and irregularly

punctured behind, the sides and disc in front with eight deeply

excavated round pits, arranged in three rows; these, together

with the suture, cupreous. Beneath, with the thighs and base of

tibiae, pitchy red.

In the Collections of the British Museum and M. Deyrolle.

Genus 3. Lamprotina. (Details Pl. XIV. fig. 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d.)

Phyllocharis pars, Boisd., Dejean.

Antenne longitudine dimidii corporis, subfiliformes, articulis

versus apicem leniter incrassatis. Palpi ovati; articulo basali

minimo, secundo et tertio obovatis, penultimo incrassato,

ultimo conico truncato. Thorax transverso-quadratus, late-

ribus subrectis. Prosternum infra angulatum, antipectore

dentato. Unguiculi simplices. Corpus oblongum, nitidum,

elytris metallicis.

This genus, the type of which is Phyllocharis ceneipennis,

Boisd., is distinguished from the last by its subfiliform antenne,

simple claws and toothed antipectus ; all the species at present

known to me are more or less red, with metallic green or blue

elytra; they appear to inhabit the warmer parts of Australia.

Sp. 1. Lamprolina eneipennis, (Boisd.)

Oblongo-ovata, rufa, nitida; elytris viridi-zeneis, thoracis lateri-

bus foveis quatuor, elytris punctis magnis excavatis.

Long. 4—5 lin.

Phyllocharis eneipennis, Boisd. Voy. de |’Astrol., 574.

Oblong ovate, shining red; elytra brassy or metallic green.

Head with the face deeply impressed in front, surface smooth,

antenne steel blue. Thorax subquadrate, narrowly margined,

broader than long, its sides nearly straight, narrowed in front,

anterior angles acute, front margin concave; surface smooth,

the disc with a few remote punctures ; on either side are two deep

excavations, placed just within the margin, the latter slightly

thickened. Scutellum smooth. Elytra rather wider than the

thorax at the base, more than three times its length, sides sub-

oval, slightly excavated behind the shoulders, the apex acutely

VOL, Ill, N.S. PART V.—JULY, 1855. N

178 Mr. J. S. Baly’s Monograph of the

rounded; surface shining, finely punctate-striate, the puncturing

coarser on the sides in front, indistinct towards the apex; over

the anterior portion of the disc and along the sides are scattered

from eight to ten deep punctures. Abdomen red, the base some-

times pitchy. Legs red, apex of tibiae and the tarsi black. Anti-

pectus acutely toothed,

Sydney.

In most Collections.

Sp. 2. Lamprolina grandis, n. sp.

Oblonga, rufa; elytris abdomineque (hoc apice excepto) vio-

laceis, tarsis nigris, thorace foveis quatuor excavatis, elytris

tenuiter punctato-striatis.

Long. 6 lin.

Oblong, shining red. Head smooth, sparingly punctured, face

grooved longitudinally ; basal joint of antenne red, the two fol-

lowing black (the rest wanting). Thorax transverse, twice as

broad as long; the sides thickened, parallel behind, rounded and

slightly widened in front, anterior angles obtuse, front margin

concave ; disc smooth, indistinctly punctured, towards the sides

are a few shallow impressions ; immediately within the lateral mar-

gin are two deep and punctured foveze. Scutellum smooth, brassy

black. Elytra violet-blue, four times the Jength of the thorax,

sides parallel in front, slightly excavated below the shoulders,

surface finely punctate-striate, irregularly punctured behind.

Abdomen violet, its apex red, basal joints of tarsi black (the

rest wanting). Antipectus obtusely toothed.

A single specimen of this fine insect, unfortunately very im-

perfect, is in the British Museum.

Sp. 3. Lamprolina simillima, n. sp.

Oblongo-ovata, rufa, nitida; elytris abdomineque (hoc apice

excepto) cupreis, tarsis nigris, thorace levi, foveis quatuor

excavatis, elytris tenuiter punctato-striatis,

Long. 4—4} lin.

Oblong ovate, shining red; elytra cupreous. Face grooved

longitudinally, clypeus distinctly punctured ; antenne blue black,

two basal joints red beneath. Thorax narrowly margined, trans-

verse-quadrate, nearly twice as broad as long, narrowed in front,

sides slightly thickened, sinuate, the posterior angles acute, front

Australian Species of Chrysomela Phyllocharis, &c. 179

margin concave, the anterior angles subacute; surface smooth,

shining ; on either side, within the lateral margin, are two deeply

impressed fovez, on the disc are a few remote punctures, the sides

of the base coarsely punctured. Scutellum impunctate. Elytra

broader than the thorax, nearly four times its length, the sides

oval, the apex rounded; beneath the shoulder is a shallow fossa ;

surface of elytra finely punctate-striate at the base, irregularly

and indistinctly punctured behind. Beneath cupreous, the front

portion of the thorax, apex of abdomen and the legs red, their

tarsi black. Antipectus acutely toothed.

In the Collections of Mr. Curtis and M. Deyrolle. From the

latter gentleman’s specimens I have drawn the foregoing descrip-

tion. This insect is intermediate between eneipennis and punc-

tecollis ; from the former it is separated by the absence of lateral

foveze on the elytra, by their finer punctuation and the colour of the

abdomen ; from the latter by its smooth thorax: its smaller size

and ovate form will at once distinguish it from grandis.

Sp. 4. Lamprolina puncticollis, n. sp.

Oblonga, rufa, nitida; elytris abdomineque eneis, tarsis nigris,

thorace fortiter punctato, elytris punctato-striatis, prosterno

obsolete dentato.

Long. 33—4 lin.

Var. A. Thorace nigro-notato.

Oblong, shining red. Head coarsely punctured, vertex pitchy,

basal joints of antenne more or less stained with rufous, the

rest steel blue. Thorax transverse-quadrate, twice as broad as

long, its sides parallel, subsinuate, slightly enlarged and thickened

behind the anterior angles, which are acute, front margin concave ;

surface irregularly crowded with coarse punctures, the sides

variolose. Scutellum red. Elytra brassy green or cupreous,

nearly four times the length of the thorax; their sides suboval,

slightly excavated below the shoulders, scarcely wider than the

latter at their base, apex obtusely rounded; surface punctate-

striate, the striz irregular on the sides, punctures indistinct

towards the apex; below the shoulder is a larger impression.

Abdomen blue green, coarsely wrinkled, its apex red. Legs red,

tarsi black. Antipectus obsoletely toothed.

Var. A. Thorax with several black spots on the disc.

Australia (Richmond River).

In most Collections.

180 Mr. J. 8. Baly’s Monograph of the

Genus 4. Eurina. (Details, Plate XIV., fig. 3a, 3b, 3c.)

Antenne filiformes, longitudine dimidii corporis, vix incrassate,

articulis (tertio ad apicem) equalibus. Palpi clavati, articulo

ultimo truncato. Z'horax transversus, elytris angustior. Llytra

elongata, lateribus rectis. Pedes simplices, unguiculis den-

tatis. Corpus obscurum, elongatum, angustatum.

A singular genus, remarkable for its narrow elongate form; it

is nearly allied to Phyllocharis, but differs in its clavate palpi and

filiform antenne; the joints of the latter are elongate, nearly

equal in length and scarcely thickened towards their apex.

Sp. 1. Eudina Curtis. (Plate XIV. fig. 3.)

Elongata, lete fulva; elytris punctato-striatis fuscis, maculis

plurimis et pone medium linea transversa flexuosa fulvis ante

apicem linea flava, pedibus flavis, quintus tarsisque nigris.

Long. 43 lin.

Elongate, piceous, with a light metallic reflection. Head shin-

ing, vertex fuscous, face canaliculated, separated from the clypeus

by a semicircular groove. Antenne black, half the length of the

body, filiform, joints nearly equal. ‘Thorax subquadrate, rather

broader than long, narrower than the elytra; sides straight and

parallel behind, narrowed before, front slightly concave; disc smooth

and shining, impunctate, with a large fuscous patch in the centre,

sides deeply and irregularly pitted. Elytra dark fuscous, narrow,

nearly four times longer than the thorax; their sides parallel,

slightly narrowed behind near the apex, at their extreme tip

truncate ; above slightly convex, surface strongly punctate-striate,

the interstices marked with deep fulvous spots ; about the middle

is an irregularly waved transverse fulvous band ; near the apex is

a second, yellow, broader than the first. Beneath fulvous, sides of

the pleurze narrowly marked with black. Legs yellow, knees and

tarsi black.

This insect, which I have named after Mr. Curtis, is unique

in that gentleman’s Collection; he does not know the precise

locality.

Genus 5. Cuatcotamrra, Homb. et Jacq. (Details, Plate XIV.

fig. 4a, 4b, 4c.)

Homb. et Jacq. Voy. au Pole Sud, Zool. iv. fol. 328.

Antenne filiformes, longitudine dimidii corporis, versus apicem

leniter incrassate, articulo secundo brevi. Palpi ovati,

Australian Species of Chrysomela, Phyllocharis, §c. 181

articulo ultimo conico. Thorax transverso-quadratus vel

transversus, elytris angustior, lateribus subrectis. Llytra

oblongo-ovata vel oblonga. Pedes simplices, unguiculis den-

tatis. Corpus obscurum vel metallicum, elongatum.

This genus approaches very near to Phratora,. but in the latter

the second joint of the antenne is as long as the third, and the

third joint of the tarsi is more or less deeply bilobed; several

of the species of Chalcolampra, although of larger size, have a

very strong resemblance to our Phratora vitelline ; the genus has

been characterized by Hombrom and Jacquinot in the Voyage

au Pdle Sud. Several species had been previously described by

Germar and Erichson, to one of which, acervata, Germ., the type

of Homb. and Jacq. has been referred with doubt; their descrip-

tion being too short and imperfect to enable me to decide with

certainty.

Promechus eneus of Boisduval, Voyage de |’Astrolabe, pro-

bably belongs to this genus, but the description is too slight to

be of the least use in determining the species.

I. Elytra much wider than the thorax.

Sp. 1. Chalcolampra pustulata, n. sp. (Plate XIV. fig. 6.)

Elongata, convexa, picea; elytris oblongo-ovatis, thorace fortiter

punctato, lateribus antice tuberculatis, fulvis; elytris irregu-

lariter fortiterque punctato-striatis, singulo tuberculis elevatis

11, pallide fulvis.

Long. 4 lin.

Elongate ; elytra oblong ovate, convex, wider than the thorax,

pitchy brown. Head shining, clypeus separated from the face by

a deep semicircular groove, mouth and seven basal joints of an-

tenne fulvous. ‘Thorax subquadrate, scarcely broader than long,

sides and front nearly straight; surface coarsely and irregularly

punctured; on the edge, just behind the anterior angle, is a raised

smooth tubercle, which, together with the margin itself, is fulvous.

Elytra oblong-ovate, convex, much broader than the thorax and

nearly three times the length; sides ovate, broader behind, apex

obtusely rounded; surface coarsely and irregularly punctate-

striate; the raised margin and about eleven smooth shining tuber-

cles, scattered over the disc and along the edge of each elytron,

pale fulvous. Legs fulvous, thighs darker.

Melbourne.

I have seen but two specimens of this species, one in my own

cabinet, the other in the British Museum.

182 Mr. J. 8. Baly’s Monograph of the

This curious insect, which, as well as constricta, differs from

the rest of the species in its nearly square thorax and bread elytra,

when seen in certain positions somewhat resembles a Notiophilus ;

its tubercuiated thorax representing the prominent eyes of the latter

genus.

Sp. 2. Chalcolampra constricta, (Erich.)

Elongata, ovata, convexa; elytris oblongo-ovatis, viridi- (vel

fusco)-zenea, ore, antennis, thoracis angustioris margine, tibiis

tarsisque testaceis, elytris punctato-striatis, margine lineo-

lisque nonnullis, flavis.

Long. 3—4 lin.

Chrysomela constricta, Erich. Arch. fiir Nat. 1842, f. 230.

Australica? strigipennis, White, in Stoke’s Voyage, Append.

Oe Plawe fla ao.

Elongate-ovate, brassy green (or fuscous), shining. Mouth and

antennze testaceous, the latter filiform, slightly thickened towards

the apex. Face sparingly and indistinctly punctured, slightly

canaliculated, separated from the clypeus by a deep curved groove.

Thorax much narrower than the elytra, scarcely broader than

long, the sides parallel, the base and apex truncate; surface

slightly convex, sparingly covered with deep coarse punctures,

margin testaceous. Scutellum smooth. Elytra oblong ovate,

convex, deeply punctate-striate, the puncturing less deep near the

apex; the lateral margin, a short line on the middle of the last

interstice, a longer one on the last but one, confluent behind with

the margin, and a shorter stria on the last but two, near its middle,

yellow. Legs, coxe and trochanters pitchy testaceous, thighs

brassy, tibiae and tarsi yellow testaceous.

Van Diemen’s Land (Erichson).

Melbourne, my Collection.

An insect in the collection of the British Museum, described

by Mr. A. White under the name of 4ustralica strigipennis,

agrees with the above in all particulars except its colour, which is

fuscous. I have a single specimen in my own collection from

Melbourne, somewhat larger, its thorax rather wider and slightly

rounded on the sides, the yellow markings on the thorax and

elytra absent, with the exception of a few spots at the base of the

latter, and a single stria running along the posterior half of the

third interstice from the margin; it is probably a variety of the

other sex ; it would doubtless be found in a long series to vary

much in its markings.

Australian Species of Chrysomela, Phyllocharis, §c. 183

II. Elytra scarcely broader than the thorax, their sides more or less

parallel.

Sp. 3. Chalcolampra thoracica, n. sp. (Plate XIV. fig. 4.)

Elongata, fusco-zenea; thoracis lateribus fulvis, puncto rotun-

dato fusco.

Long. 4 lin.

Elongate, brassy-brown. Head shining, face separated from the

clypeus by a deep groove, mouth and vertex fulvous, Antenne half

the length of the body, slightly increased in thickness towards the

apex. Thorax transverse, two-thirds as long as broad, anterior

margin slightly concave, sides rounded in front, nearly straight

and slightly narrowed behind; surface convex, with a few distinct

punctures scattered over the disc, more crowded at the base ; sides

broadly fulvous ; on the margin in front is a large round spot, the

same colour as the disc. Elytra rather broader than the thorax,

three times the length, their sides oval, apex acutely rounded ;

surface shining, punctate-striate, near the apex the puncturing Is

much fainter and irregular.

Adelaide.

In the Collections of Mr. Waterhouse, the British Museum and

my own.

Sp. 4. Chalcolampra parallela, (Germ.)

Elongata, fusco-zenea; antennis ferrugineis, pedibus piceis,

thorace disco remote, lateribus confertim punctato, elytris

punctato-striatis.

Long. 3 lin.

Chrysomela parallela, Germ, Lin. Ent., v. 3, fig. 237.

Elongate, brassy-brown. Antenne red, half the length of the

body, slender, filiform, slightly thickening by degrees towards the

apex, third joint elongate. Head slightly punctured, face separated

from the clypeus by a deep semicircular groove, mouth pitchy.

Thorax twice as broad as long, sides rounded in front, anterior

margin slightly concave, hinder rounded, its disc remotely, sides

more closely punctured, Scutellum smooth. Elytra slightly

broader than, and three times the length of the thorax, their sides

parallel, apex obtusely rounded; surface punctate-striate. Body

beneath nigro-eneous, punctured; apex of tibia and the tarsi paler.

Adelaide (Germar).

Some specimens in the British Museum, formerly in the Cabinet

of the Entomological Club, sent from Adelaide by Mr. Davis,

agree in most particulars with the above description; they are

rather smaller, and the antenne are scarcely half the length of

the body ; they are possibly the other sex.

184 Mr. J.S. Baly’s Monograph of the

Sp. 5. Chalcolampra acervata, (Germ.) (Details, Plate XIV.

fig. 4a, 4b, 4c.)

Elongata, fusco-zenea; pedibus piceis, thorace acervatim punc-

tato, elytris punctato-striatis.

Chrysomela acervata, Germ. Lin, Ent., v. 3, f. 238.

Chalcolampra conveca? Homb. et Jacq. Voy. au Pole Sud,

Zool. iv. fol. 329, pl. 19, fig. 6.

Long. 23—33 lin.

Elongate, brassy-brown. Antenne black, half the length of the

body, less slender than the last, thickened towards the apex, third

and fourth joints equal. Palpi black. Head sparingly punctured,

clypeus separated from the face by a deeply impressed curved line.

Thorax half as long as broad, its sides slightly rounded ; surface

coarsely punctured, puncturing thicker towards the posterior

angles. Elytra oblong ovate, scarcely wider than the thorax, three

times its length, punctate-striate, striz distinctly punctured.

Beneath sparingly punctured, legs pitchy.

Adelaide, Melbourne.

In most Collections.

This insect, which appears to be the most common in the genus,

is sent in most collections from South Australia; it differs from

the last in having thicker antenna, and in the relative length of

the third and fourth joints; the sides of the elytra are rather

less parallel.

Sp. 6. Chalcolampra repens, (Germ.)

Elongata, fusco-anea ; subtus nigra, thorace lateribus punctato,

elytris punctato-striatis.

Long. 3# lin.

Chrysomela repens, Germ. Lin. Entom., v. 3, f. 237.

Elongate, the elytra more convex than in the last species; the

thorax has a steel-blue tint, and the elytra occasionally a metallic

green reflection. Antenne black, stouter than in the two pre-

ceding species, half the length of the body, third and fourth joints

equal. Head and palpi black, the former finely and remotely

punctured ; clypeus separated from the face by a deep groove.

Thorax twice as broad as long, sides slightly rounded, coarsely

punctured, dise smooth and shining, slightly convex, with a few

deep punctures scattered on its surface. Elytra obsoletely sul-

cate, sulci deeply punctured. Body beneath finely punctured,

brassy black, legs black.

Adelaide, Melbourne.

In the Collections of the British Museum, Mr. Waterhouse and

my own.

Australian Species of Chrysomela, Phyllocharis, §c. 185

Sp. 7. Chalcolampra chalybeata, n. sp.

Elongata, chalybeo-cyanea; ore pedibusque rufis, tarsis nigris.

Long. 33 lin.

Elongate, steel-blue ; sides of the elytra nearly parallel, the

general form of the insect being that of parallela. Head and

basal joints of antenne rufous, the rest and a large patch on

the face black. Antenne half the length of the body, joints as

thick as in the last species and increasing in size towards the apex.

Thorax twice as broad as long, slightly concave in front, sides

somewhat rounded, surface shining, with a metallic green reflec-

tion, disc with a few scattered dots, sides coarsely punctured ; the

whole surface under a lens is seen to be crowned with very fine

punctures. Elytra finely punctate-striate, the single row of dots

composing each stria more regularly placed, and at more distant

intervals than in the other allied species ; the puncturing becomes

indistinct near the apex. Beneath with the extreme apex of the

abdomen and the legs red, tarsi black.

From Van Diemen’s Land. A single specimen in the British

Museum.

Sp. 8. Chalcolampra simillima, n. sp.

Elongata, fusco-aznea; antennis pedibusque pallide piceis, tar-

sorum articulo basali dilatato.

Long. 3 lin.

Elongate, convex; elytra not broader than the thorax, their sides

oval. Head shining, clypeus coarsely punctured and separated

from the face by a shallow semicircular impression. Antenne

slender, half the length of the body, scarcely thickened towards

the apex, third joint elongate, equal in length to the fourth and

fifth united. Thorax convex, its sides rounded, front margin con-

cave; surface shining, covered with scattered punctures. Elytra

three times the length of the thorax, sides oval, slightly convex

above, surface punctate-striate, the punctures placed on the striz

at more irregular intervals than in the last. Legs pale pitchy,

basal joints of the tarsi (particularly in the two anterior pairs)

dilated.

Swan River.

One specimen in my own Collection.

In my insect, the fourth and fifth joints of both antenne are

soldered together. As this is probably a monstrosity, I have not

mentioned it in the specific character.

186 Mr. Baly’s Monograph of Chrysomela, Phyllocharis, &c.

Sp. 9. Chalcolampra 18-guttata, Fab.

Ovata; elytris fuscis, punctis octo pallidis quibusdam connexis.

Chrysomela 18-guttata, Fab. Entom., Syst., 1, 322.

Phyllocharis 18-guttata, Boisd. Voy. de PAstrol., 575.

Head pale fulvous, with a basal spot and the antenne black.

Thorax transverse, above convex, pale fulvous, with three fuscous

spots on the disc. Elytra finely punctate-striate, fuscous, with

eight pale fulvous spots, sometimes connected at the base. Ab-

domen black, the margin pale.

The specimens in the Banksian Cabinet, described by Fabricius,

are in too imperfect a state for examining the parts of the mouth,

or for detailed description. I have however no doubt that they

belong to the present genus; there are several nearly allied spe-

cies from Ceylon and other Islands of the Indian Ocean.

SPECIES NOT KNOWN TO ME.

Chrysomela pacifica, Erich.

Sub-elongata, enea, nitida; ore tibiisque piceis, pygidio tes-

taceo, elytris subtiliter striato-punctatis,

Long. 24 lin.

Erich. Arch. f. Nat. 1842, f. 238.

Chrysomela aucta, duplo major et paulo magis elongata, sub-

cylindrica, cenea, nitidula. Antenne picee. Caput fronte

sparsim, medio subtiliter, lateribus fortius punctata utrinque

suleata, clypeo parum convexo, sulco arcuato a fronte dis-

tincto, ore piceo. Thorax coleopteris paulo angustior, lati-

tudine plus dimidio brevior, lateribus subrotundatus, basi

leviter rotundatus, apice leviter emarginatus, leniter con-

vexus, dense subtiliter punctatus, ante latera utrinque punctis

majoribus conspersus, dorso utrinque subimpressus. Scutel-

lum leve. Coleoptera oblonga parallela, leniter convexa,

subtiliter striato-punctata, punctis apicem versus obsole-

scentibus, intersticiis omnium subtilissime transversim stri-

gosis. Abdomen segmento ultimo inferior! margine piceo,

superiori toto late testaceo. Pedes tibiis apice tarsisque

piceis. Unguiculi basi obsolete dentati.

Van Diemen’s Land.

Cinige)

XIX. Observations on the Honey Bee, in Continuation of

the Prize Essay of the Entomological Society for the Year

1852. By J. G., Desporovaeu, Esq.

[Read 2nd April, 1855.]

On the 16th July, 1852, the observatory hive was stocked with a

cast from a hive which had swarmed on the 4th of July. The

object in stocking it with a cast in lieu of a swarm was simply

that the space within the hive was thought to be too confined to

admit a swarm. It had been stocked three times previously by

an Apiarian friend in a situation where I had the opportunity of

inspecting it daily, once with a swarm and twice witha cast; on the

first occasion the bees deserted the hive entirely on the day after

being hived; on the second, though the stock flourished during

the summer, and the labours of the bees were constantly under

inspection, the approach of winter was fatal; and on the third

occasion, in the month of January, the hive was removed into my

bed room, but too late to save the lives of the bees—damp and

disease had taken too deep a root, and the stock died; there was

plenty of food, and starvation was evidently not the cause of

death. This happened in January, 1852.

My attention was then specially directed to the possibility of

keeping a stock alive during the winter, so as to be able to watch

the proceedings of the queen during the entire year; and not-

withstanding the discouraging results of the previous attempts I

resolved to establish the hive in a room in my own house, and, on

the approach of winter, to watch attentively the necessities of the

stock, and be guided by circumstances.

The hive was accordingly set up on the 16th July; on the 21st

the queen was depositing eggs; at 10 p.m., on the 29th, a con-

siderable quantity of the brood was sealed over; on the 5th

August I counted 4,090 cells containing brood; on the 10th,

young bees coming forth; on the 19th, second course of brood

sealed over. ‘Thus, during little more than a month, the queen

had laid more than 8,000 eggs; the hive had been about three-

fourths filled with comb, and a considerable quantity of pollen

and honey had been gathered and stored. The laying of eggs was

discontinued by the end of August, and the bees seemed to be

188 Mr. J. G. Desborovgh’s Observations

gradually sinking into a state of repose. I now digress to de-

scribe the hive.

The ground plan of the observatory hive is here represented.

It will be seen to consist of an outer case, the sides whereof are

all moveable. ‘The shaded parts are stuffed with blankets to pre-

serve the natural heat of the bees; the white space is the part oc-

cupied by the bees, and the black dot in the centre is a hollow

pivot on which the whole hive turns, and up which the bees enter

the hive: the hive stands on a square board, with a long passage

therein, communicating with the pivot, and joining a hole in the

sill of the window at which the hive stands. The darker marks

in the plan are grooves in the wooden top and bottom of the hive,

in which plates of glass run, forming the sides of the hive; the

ends of the hive, shown by thick black marks, are of wood, and

form the support of the top of the hive, taking the weight off the

glass sides; they are dovetailed loosely both top and bottom, and

secured by a screw; the hive turns freely on its pivot, so that

each division can be brought directly opposite the eye of the

Apiarian, and this turning of the hive does not in any way inter-

fere with the entry or exit of the bees. Guide combs were placed

in the hive, so as to induce the bees to build the combs straight;

in three divisions they did so, but in the fourth division the comb

was not securely fastened, and on its breaking down the bees

built combs across, in the direction shown by the above plan. I

might probably have remedied this, and have induced the bees

to build the comb parallel to the glass, but my idea was, that

these combs would form a warmer and more natural situation for

the bees to winter in than the other divisions, where each side of

on the Honey Bee. 189

the comb was bounded by glass, whilst here the bees might lie

between two combs. I therefore did not disturb them in their

work, but let it proceed; much to my astonishment, however,

the bees have invariably deserted this division of the hive on the

approach of winter.

To resume—during the months of September and October the

bees seemed much to diminish in numbers; but this apparent

loss was more seeming than real, owing to the bees clustering

more closely together ; still the number was gradually diminishing,

but no dead bees were to be found in the hive.

The month of November altered the aspect of the stock; the

bees were evidently sinking into a state of torpidity, and those on

the outside of the cluster began to fall to the bottom of the hive.

Possibly if the bees had been lying between two combs they would

not have fallen; they could not hold on the glass, and when they

lost their hold of the comb and fell to the bottom, the coldness of

the air chilled them, so that they could not again crawl up the

comb. During this period the space of about an inch and a half

round the queen was always kept at a warmth perceptible to the

hand through the glass; when, however, a day of sunshine came,

most of the bees at the bottom of the hive revived, and thus the

danger of a dwindling exhaustion of numbers to death seemed to

be averted. During the last week of November, however, it

became quite apparent that some artificial means must be resorted

to for the purpose of preventing the bees lapsing into this torpid

state. Under ordinary circumstances this state of torpidity might

be safety; but with so much glass in the hive, which must be

warmed, as well as the atmosphere of the hive, on the return of

the spring it was quite clear that the stock would be absolutely

starved to death long before the sun could exercise any influence

sufficient to resuscitate the stock.

This state of the hive caused me great anxiety, and after much

consideration I determined to try the effect of the administration

of food* in small quantities. I therefore each evening gave them

a small portion of food for the purpose of rousing the bees into

activity; not for the want of food was it supplied, but simply to

prevent the bees from sinking into a state of torpidity. Immedi-

ately after the food was supplied the heat of the hive was always

increased from the commotion it caused, and the few bees which

from day to day fell to the bottom of the hive, in a great measure

revived from this increased heat: thus far my experiment suc-

ceeded. This system was continued during all the months of

* Honey slightly diluted with water, adding a little salt.

190 Mr. J. G. Desborough’s Observations

December, January and February, and the bees even stored the

honey given to them, and sealed it over, thus showing that food

was not wanted so much by them: nor indeed was that my object

in supplying the food; it was merely to keep up the excitement.

The room in which the bees were kept was carefully regulated as

to the heat, the thermometer never being suffered to fall below

46° in the day and 40° in the night. Whenever the sun shone the

hive was placed on its stand at the window and access to the outer

air allowed, but at other times the hive was removed into the centre

of the room; and it is really astonishing to observe the effect a

few hours of even winter sunshine has upon such a hive; if the

hive got really warmed by the sun the bees revived in a most

extraordinary manner, much more so than from any feeding or

heat derived from a fire.

I may here remark, that a limit must be had to the degree of

heat at which the hive must be kept in the winter, and that too

great a heat is as dangerous as too severea cold. One night in

January, having made up a good fire in the room previously to

going to bed (the night threatening to be very severe), and removed

the bees into the room, a sudden change took place, and the

thermometer in the room stood at 65°. The hum of the bees

awaked me, and the remarkable noise made by them at once

evinced distress ; upon opening the hive the bees were in a state

of great excitement, and the temperature in the hive was 82°. I

therefore set the bees on their stand, and gave them access to the

air, when they gradually quieted down; the weather had suddenly

changed, and it would seem that the bees were even sensible of

the change, and the irritation caused by their being shut up had

roused their energy and created the mischief.

These proceedings bring me to the month of March. The

number of bees was now considerably reduced ; I had constantly

removed the dead bees, and at this time the space occupied by

the bees on two sides of the comb, in one division only of the

hive, was a circle of about six inches in diameter in the day, and

reduced to about four inches and a half at night; the number

was certainly under 1000, and I was much afraid the gradual

deaths would reduce that number too low to rally. The month

of February had been very frosty, and much snow fell; on the

23rd of February I had seen a grub brought out of a hive in a

neighbour’s garden, but I could see no signs of breeding in my

observatory; still the few bees looked healthy, and the queen

seemed to become more active, and I fancied increased in size;

and on the Ist of March the bees began to keep very close upon

on the Honey Bee. 191

a small portion of the comb, and reposed in the cells (which

hitherto they had not done). I suspected eggs were laid in these

cells, but I could not see them on account of the bees being in

the cells, and I did not dare to disturb them, so as to make them

come out of the cells, fearing the consequence of too great irritation;

and I therefore waited patiently till the 3rd of March, when I

saw the queen depositing eggs, and the cells where the bees had

clustered all contained brood; on the 5th the cells of brood were

partly sealed over, and the space occupied by the bees was being

gradually enlarged. On the 14th of March the space occupied

by brood on one side of the comb measured 4 x 3 inches, and on

the other side 5 x 3 inches; the number of brood, therefore, being

729. This quantity of brood had not increased since the 8th,

and they were all hatched off prior to the queen again commenc-

ing laying, which she did early in April, as I detected her de-

positing eggs on the 4th, and on the 7th brood was again being

sealed over; on the 2Ist of April the same space was again oc-

cupied by brood as on the 14th of March, and the breeding was

now continued without interruption during the summer.

The progress of the hive may be traced by the Table, showing

the quantity of brood each time of measuring, at intervals of

twenty-one days; a few stray extracts from my Note Book during

the summer may, however, be interesting.

1853.

March 6th. First day pollen collected, and bad weather

till the 10th.

May 6th. Brood increasing rapidly, though weather cold.

18th. Observed one drone grub sealed over amongst

the workers, the cell being lengthened.

31st. The drone grub observed on the 18th appeared

to be breaking the cover of the cell at 4 p.m.;

at 10 p.m. the drone’s head was uncovered,

and the cell broken away to the surface of

the worker comb, but it appeared dead; got

him out of the cell, but he had been killed.

June 9th. Drone cells commenced.

28th. Drone eggs observed.

July 2nd. Store of honey rapidly decreasing, and the cells

occupied with brood. Weather the last ten

days very wet, stormy and bad.

15th. Drone grubs destroyed in the cells, and those

sealed over torn out.

September. Breeding ceased.”

192 Mr. J. G. Desborough’s Observations

The proceedings of the hive from this time to the Ist of

November were a mere repetition of the preceding year, but

the bees appeared more numerous. On the Ist of November, I

began to supply small portions of food, but by the middle of the

month the interior of the hive appeared excessively damp—the

condensed vapour in the shape of water ran down the glass, and

collected at the bottom of the hive, drowning or starving every

bee happening to fall down, and the comb appearing literally sod-

dened with wet. I bored holes in the bottom of the hive to drain

off the moisture, and took every precaution I could, but stull 1

lost a great number of bees.

On the Ist of December I discontinued the feeding, and kept

the room warmer without giving access to the outer air, which

had been extremely heavy and moist during the preceding month,

and an improvement in the state of the hive was soon evident.

The month continued very cold, and on the 26th the bees emigrated

from one division of the hive to another, having consumed all the

store of honey in the first division before departing. I cut out

all the comb from this division, and it could only be compared to

wet brown paper—still it was not mouldy.

1854. The first week of January, 1854, was excessively cold,

with much snow, a thaw commencing on the 8th. I occasionally

administered food during this month, but the mortality amongst

the bees was very great; the interior of the hive began to be very

dirty, and the bees voided their excrement on the glass, nor could

I devise any means to clean it. I however cut strips of paper and

laid them each day on the bottom of the hive, and thereby re-

moving every morning the dead bees and the dirt ; the paper like-

wise absorbed the moisture and in some measure dried the interior

of the hive by that means; still the best remedy of all was the

return of sunshine, On the 20th February I saw pollen collected,

and on the 8rd of March I detected brood.

The bees at this period were reduced to a much smaller number

than in the preceding year ; and any one, however well acquainted

with the habits of bees, would hardly have believed that the small

number then existing would be able to rear sufficient brood to

recruit the strength of the hive. The diameter of the circle occu-

pied by the bees at this time did not exceed four inches and a half

in the day, and three inches at night. It is true I took especial

care that they should not want for food, and the quantity consumed

was great, considering the number ; no doubt the heat kept up for

hatching the brood required a larger consumption of food than the

mere sustenance of the life of the bee would have done. I again

on the Honey Bee. 193

refer to the Table to show the progress during the year, and add

a few more extracts :—

“1854, May 14. Honey sealed over.

», 24. A few drones sealed over.

June 8. First drone seen.

,, 18. Numbers increased so much as to require

extra space, and therefore put on glasses.

», 25. Working in 5 glasses, and the honey depo-

sited in the glasses in the day nearly all

carried down to brood in the night.

July 9. Observed a queen’s cell, which I destroyed

to prevent swarming if possible.

» 27. Drones killed.

Noy.13. Began feeding.

» 25. Hard frost with much sun—got out 205

dead bees.

Dec. 3. Removed 129 dead.

», 10. Removed 74 apparently dead, but only 38

really so, the remainder reviving on being

warmed before a fire.

» 31. To this time no dead removed, probably

about a score lying at the bottom, but I

would not disturb the hive by removing

them.”

The proceedings of the hive during the summer of 1854 do not

eall for any especial remark, except that the drones were this year

allowed by the workers to come to perfection, whilst during the

preceding year (1853) they had all been killed, either in the grub

or pupe state; also that one queen’s cell was begun, which was

likewise not the case the former year: this cell was destroyed by

me as soon as observed, my object being to keep the same queen

under observation as long as possible. The situation of the hive

in the centre of a town rendering the chance of taking a swarm

from the hive extremely doubtful, my only hope of keeping the

original queen under observation is to prevent swarming—hitherto

I have succeeded.

Thus closes the third season of the observatory hive, embracing

a period of two years and a half, during which all the labours of

the bee have been incessantly watched ; and although the trouble

and anxiety have been great, still my efforts have been amply re-

warded by the positive manner in which I can speak as to certain

facts, either previously unknown to Apiarians, or respecting which

considerable doubt existed.

VOL, III, N.S. PART V.—JULY, 1855, o

194 Mr. J. G. Desborough’s Observations

When I sent in the Essay to the Entomological Society for

competition, in December, 1852, the observatory hive had only

been stocked five months, and the observations upon it had only

been registered for that period and had never been continued

through a winter: the advertisement for such Essay was only

brought under my notice in June, 1852, too late to institute any

experiment on the particular subject of the Essay, and it was there-

fore prepared from materials certainly not collected with any—even

the most remote—view to such a purpose; but it is highly gratifying

to see how nearly the actual admeasurement of the numbers pro-

duced in a hive during the season corresponds proportionately

with the table contained in the Essay (which, of course, was but

an approximation of the actual number of bees bred in a hive).

The total numbers are much smaller in the observatory hive than

in the table of the Essay, but it must be borne in mind that the

cubical contents of the observatory is much smaller than an ordi-

nary hive.

It will be seen by the detailed proceedings of this stock of bees,

that from July, 1852, to June, 1854, no drones were existing in the

hive; consequently no second impregnation of the queen could

take place during that period, and therefore that all the eggs pro-

duced were the result of one impregnation; thus proving at least

that the impregnation of the queen lasts for more than one season.

On reference to the notes of the year 1853, it will be seen that

the 6th of March was the first day of pollen being collected —now

on that day, 729 bees had been reared and sealed over without a

particle of pollen or bee bread being present in the hive; all had been

consumed previously; this I can speak to positively, because by

removing the covers from opposite sides of any division of the hive,

I was enabled to look through the comb, and on doing this no bee

bread could be seen, the cells were all clearly to be seen through.

I am now speaking of the month of February. I had fully ex-

pected to see brood before that time; and finding no bee bread,

and the season being so backward that none could be collected, I

naturally attributed the want of brood to the absence of pollen.

I therefore cut up the comb from a dead hive and supplied pieces

containing pollen, but the bees in the observatory would not touch

it, and when I saw brood and that the bees refused to eat the

pollen, I removed the comb altogether ; and I can positively aver,

that these 729 bees were reared with no other food than honey—

honey and honey alone is the food of the grub of the bee. Since

that time I have anxiously watched the parts of the hive where

bee bread has been deposited, and the matured bees during the

on the Honey Bee. 195

night may be observed feeding on the bee bread; indeed almost

every cell containing pollen will have a bee half in the cell eating

the pollen--the pollen is mixed with honey, and this is likewise

done in the night, as the cells containing bee bread fresh brought

into the hive may be seen in an afternoon dry and the pellets may

be distinguished, but the next morning all traces of such pellets

will be gone, and the surface of the pollen in every cell will be

smooth and evidently mixed with honey.

The result then of the observations made during the period of

two years and a half is the proof of these two facts in bee eco-

nomy, viz., that the impregnation of the queen extends over

more than one season, and that the food of the bee in the grub

state is honey, and not farina or pollen. Though these may not be

considered very important, yet when they can be asserted not

merely as speculative theories, but as clearly demonstrated facts,

it must be a further step to the more perfect knowledge of the

habits of the insect.

Since the preparation of the Essay, in December, 1852, I have

certainly continued the observations with a view to prove the con-

clusions drawn by me as to the duration of life in the bee. As to

the queen, the time of direct observation has not yet been ex-

tended sufficiently to add to anything said in the Essay as to her

life : as to the drone, in the year 1853 none were brought to per-

fection, and in 1854 they were killed at the ordinary time as in a

common hive; and as to the worker the calculation of the numbers

produced, and the state of the hive in the spring, especially at the

period when the longest lived bees die off, are so confirmatory of

my views as to their duration of life, that I have no hesitation in

reiterating, that the maximum period of the life of the worker bee

is eight months.

In the winter of 1853-4, I omitted to note the number of dead

bees from time to time removed by me—during this present winter

I have done so, and I am much inclined to think that great assist-

ance will be obtained thereby in determining positively the dura-

tion of their life; but as I have only brought this paper down to

the end of the year 1854, I hope on a future occasion to have the

pleasure of continuing my history of the observatory hive, and

stating at length the result of future observations.

One of the conditions under which the Prize Essay was sent to

the Entomological Society being that it must present the result of

original experiments, it was of course prepared to meet that view:

and ® continuing the present paper the same course has been

followed, and any reference to published works on the subject

196 Mr. J.G. Desborough’s Observations on the Honey Bee.

carefully avoided: the history of the experiment has been invari-

ably given before any conclusion is drawn from it, thus account-

ing for the somewhat egotistical style in which both papers might

otherwise appear ; still the original Essay and this present paper

are in the end, using the words of an eminent member of the

Entomological Society, only what they profess to be—* direct ob-

servations of fact rather than speculative theories of which there

have been too many among Apiarians.”

TABLE suowinc THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF BEES PRODUCED IN

THE Ogservatory Hive purino THE Years 1852, 1853 anv

1854.

1852. 1853. 1854.

Time of Time of Time of

measuring Number. measuring Number. measuring

Brood, Brood.

August 5 4090 March 14

1 26 2970 April 21

August 7 ny

August 13

September 3

1852....0006

1853.

LEA once sesese it

Total of three Seasons..........+6+6. 62,093

Ces ©)

XX. Descriptions of some new Species of Exotic Lucanide.

By J. O. Westwoop, F.L.S., &c.

[Read 5th February, 1855.]

Havine from time to time, since the publication of my memoir

upon the distribution of the Lucanide, in the Annales des Sciences

Naturelles for 1834, made drawings and dissections of various re-

markable species of that family which have fallen under my notice,

and which have possessed characters of an interesting description

with reference to the generical division of the family, I beg leave,

on the present occasion, to offer them to the Entomological

Society, as a supplement to the various memoirs on those insects

by Messrs. Hope,* Parry,t Saunders,t and myself,§ which have

appeared in the Transactions.

SPECIES FROM SOUTHERN AFRICA,

Genus Cotoruon, Westw. (Ann. Sc. Nat. 1834.)

Of this curious type a single species has hitherto only been

noticed, namely—

Sp. 1. Col. Westwoodi. (Plate X. fig. 1, details.)

C. Westwood, G. R. Gray in Griffith’s An. King.; Ins. p. 534,

pl. 46, f. 5; Westwood in Ann. Sc. Nat. 2d

Ser.; Zool. t. 1, pl. 7, f. 5, with generic details.

Having had an opportunity of making a more minute examina-

tion of the type specimen of this insect in Mr. Hope’s Collection,

I am able to add the following particulars, for the most part ren-

dered necessary by the discovery of a second still more remark-

able species of the genus acquired by Mr. Hope.

The head is transverse, emarginate in the middle of the ante-

rior margin, but with the clypeus slightly advanced over the

labrum, which it conceals; it is furnished on the upper side with

* Trans. Ent. Soe. iil. p. 279; iv. pp. 5, 73, 182.

t Ibid. iv. p. 55.

t Ibid. i. p. 177; mm. (N.S.) p. 40.

§ Ibid, iv. p. 275.

198 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions

three raised tubercles, one near the inner base of each mandible,

and the other in the middle of the hind part of the crown of the

head. The mandibles are about the Jength of the head, very

robust, curved, each with a raised tubercle in the middle, on the

upper side, and the apex broadly and transversely truncate, with

two or three obtuse short teeth: the base of each is internally pro-

longed on the under side, next the mentum. ‘The prothorax is

broader than the elytra, the sides rounded, its widest part being

behind the middle, and its hinder lateral angles prominent and

acute; its upper surface is thickly covered with minute punctures.

The elytra are nearly round, with the fore part truncated and

straight; they are smooth and convex, and but slightly polished.

The fore legs are robust, but of the ordinary form; the tibiz

with three teeth on the outside, the first and second small, the

third subapical and large, as is also the apical point.

Plate X. fig. la, head seen from above; 1b, mentum and base of maxille

from beneath; 1c, maxilla and palpus; 1d, anterior tibia; 1 e, meso- and meta-

sternum and abdomen seen from below.

Sp. 2. Colophon Thunbergi, Westw. (Plate X. fig. 2.)

Niger, tenuissime punctatus; pronoto maximo, antice utrinque

retuso, angulis posticis obsoletis, mandibulis magnis falcatis

intus dente porrecto armatis; tibiis anticis extus curvatis,

apice spatulato-dilatatis (mas).

Long. corp. lin. 113; mandibul. lin. 135 pronoti lat. lin. 63 ;

elytror. lat. lin. 52.

Habitat in Caffraria ?

In Mus. Hope.

Caput breve, transversum, angulis anticis lateralibus subobtusis,

margine antico in medio subemarginato ; clypeo haud promi-

nulo, tuberculo utrinque versus basin internum mandibule

singule armato, impressioneque media transverso-ovali inter

oculos instructo. Oculi antice septo emarginato-incisi; man-

dibulz crassze falcatee, capite paullo longiores, apice suba-

cute; intus, ante medium, dente valido infero alteroque

supero porrectis armate. Maxillz longe ciliata, lobis duobus

acutis rectis. Mentum semicirculare, planum, punctatum. La-

bium internum, ciliis apicalibus ultra marginem anticum menti

productis, palpis labialibus articulo ultimo pone marginem

menti exserto. Antenne articulo 1mo reliquis longitudine

aequali, 2ndo minuto, clava 4-articulata. Prothorax maximus,

of some New Species of Exotic Lucanide. 199

latior quam longus, lateribus rotundatis, convexus, medio lon-

gitudinaliter canaliculatus, antice utrinque retusus, nitidus,

tenuissime punctatus. Scutellum breve, Elytra semi-ovata,

prothorace angustiora, convexa, lateraliter marginata, lavia,

sub lente tenuissime punctata; singulo striolis duabus subobli--

quis inter scutellum et humeros. Pedes crassi; antici femo-

ribus brevibus intus sinuatis, tibiis valde curvatis, basi intus

parum dilatatis, apicibus subspatulatis bidentatis. Pedes 4

postici longitudine mediocres, tibiis extus pone medium spina

unica instructis, apicibus externis acute spinosis. Prosternum

simplex, mesosternum obliquum, haud productum.

Plate X. fig. 2, Colophon Thunbergii slightly magnified; 2a, mentum and

maxilla in situ; 2, eye partially incised by the canthus; 2c, 2d, maxilla seen

from above and beneath, showing its component parts; 2, base of fore leg;

22, prosternum and base of mesosternum; 2h, pro- meso- and metasternum, and

hind part of the body, seen from beneath.

I have seen but a single specimen of this very remarkable

insect, which entirely recedes from the general appearance of the

species of this family, and still more strongly than the type recalls

to mind the genus Lethrus. The specimen in question is certainly

a male, and it might perhaps, at first sight, be supposed to be the

opposite sex of the specimens of Col. Westwoodii, with which we

are acquainted; but the structure of the head and mandibles of

the latter, as well as the large pronotum, seem sufficiently to prove

that they also are males of a distinct species.

SPECIES FROM ASIA.

Sp. 3. Lucanus Thibeticus, Westw. (Plate X. fig. 3.)

Elongatus, subparallelus, convexus, niger, elytris subcastaneis

nitidis, in medio subzeneis, capite et pronoto tenuissime

granulatis, mandibulis planis, longe porrectis apice acutis, di-

midio apicali serrato; pedibus gracilibus (mas).

Long. corp. lin. 14; mandib. lin. 4.

Habitat in Thibeta.

In Mus. Parry.

Caput subquadratum, lateribus fere rectis; antice late emar-

ginatum ; supra tenuissime granulatum: mandibulz maris

capitis longitudine, porrecta, plane, apice parum elevate,

dimidio apicali intus obtuse serrate ; ante medium profunde

emarginate, basique obtuse dentate. Antenne articulo 6to

200

Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions

intus acuto, 7mo acuto, seta longa instructo, tribus apicalibus

longe perfoliatis. Oculi septo parum incisi. Mentum sub-

triangulare, antice truncato-emarginatum. Prothorax trans-

versus, capite latior, lateribus fere rectis, dorso tenuissime

granulato medio sublevi. Elytra elongata, latitudine pro-

thoracis, ]evia nitida. Pedes graciles, tibiz anticz intus in

medio subsinuate, extus serrulate denticulisque 5 majoribus,

dentibusque duobus apicalibus armatis ; intermedize in medio

extus spina minuta armate; posticze simplices. Prosternum

angulatum, apice obconicum.

Plate X, fig. 3, Lucanus Thibeticus, magn. nat.; 3a, antenna; 36, mentum;

3c, eye seen sideways; 3d, prosternum seen beneath; 3e, pro- and mesosterna

seen sideways.

This species bears a certain amount of resemblance to the

Madagascar species L. serricornis, and it is remarkable for its

nearly parallel form and slightly eeneous glossy elytra.

Sp. 4. Lucanus biplagiatus, Westw. (Plate X. fig. 4.)

Niger, capite postice obscure rufo, pronoto fulvo-rufo, medio

lateribusque obscuris; elytris nigris, singulo plaga lata late-

rali fulvo-rufa; capite utrinque pone oculos tuberculo

armato, mandibulis maris latis, capite brevioribus intus basi

obtuse denticulatis, apice acuto, tibiis 4 posticis ante apicem

constrictis (mas et fem.)

Long. corp. maris lin, 13; mandibul. lin, 23.

Habitat in Thibeta.

In Mus. Brit., Parry et Westwood.

Mas.—Caput prothorace parum angustius, transversum, mar-

gine antico in medio profunde emarginato, angulis anticis

oblique rotundatis, lateribus pone oculos tuberculo obtuso

instructis; fuscum sub lente granulosum, versus latera punctis

rotundatis. Mandibule late capite breviores, apice acutz

curvatee, basi intus dentibus tribus obtusis armatis. Labrum

inter basin mandibularum porrectum. Oculi septo fere di-

midiatim divisi. Mentum breve, subtriangulare, antice sub-

emarginato-truncatum. Caput infra pone oculos, tuberculis

striolisque obliquis profunde impressis notatum. Antennz

10-articulate, articulo 7mo intus acute producto et 8vo fere

dimidio minori. Prothorax transversus, lateribus subrectis,

angulis posticis oblique rotundatis; supra levis, nitidus,

lateribus punctis rotundatis, fulvo-rufus, medio irregulariter

of some New Species of Exotic Lucanide. 201

lateribusque nigris. Elytra prothoracis latitudine, levia,

nitida, nigra, singulo fascia lata (versus humeros attenuata),

rufo-fulva. Pedes fulvo-rufi, femorum apice, tibiarum basi

et apice, tarsisque nigris ; tibiae anticze extus serrulatz, denti-

culisque circiter 8 majoribus dentibusque duobus apicalibus

armatez; intermediz extus in medio dente minuto, et ante

apicem constrictz, angulo apicali externo acuto; postice

extus inermes, intus prope apicem subconstrictee, tuberculoque

obtuso ante constrictionem instructe. Corpus infra nigrum,

abdomine et lateribus metasterni piceis.

Feemina.—Nigra, pronoto utrinque vitta lata, elytrisque plaga

lata laterali rufo-fulvis; capite supra rugoso; angulis anticis

oblique truncatis, tuberculo pone oculos parum distincto ;

pronoto punctatissimo, punctis versus latera majoribus ;

elytris punctatissimis, dorso versus suturam levi; pedibus

nigris, tiblis quatuor posticis ante apicem haud constrictis,

singula prope medium spina minuta externe armata.

Plate X. fig. 4, Lucanus biplagiatus; mas, natural size; 4a, half of the

head seen beneath, without the mandibles, showing the lateral impressions behind

the eyes; 46, mentum; 4c, one of the eyes seen laterally ; 4d, antenna.

This species is remarkable, not only for the peculiarity of its

coloration, but also from the curious manner in which the four

posterior tibia are constricted just before the apex,—in which

respect it agrees with Lucanus inquinatus, figured in my Cabinet

of Oriental Entomology, pl. 8, fig. 4, of which species both sexes

are contained in the Cabinet in the British Museum. It is indeed

unquestionably closely allied to that species, but I should conceive

the striking difference in the structure of the mandibles of the

males, as well as the colouring, must be assumed to indicate a de-

cided specific distinction.

Sp. 5. Odontolabris Evans. (Plate X. fig. 5.)

Niger, subnitidus, capite antice concavo, lateribus pone oculos

tuberculo lato instructis; mandibulis capite paullo longi-

oribus falcatis, apice truncato-denticulatis; pronoto latis-

simo, angulis posticis emarginatis ; tibiis anticis extus 6-den-

tatis, tarsis subtus spongiosis tiblisque posticis ad apicem

pilis fulvis striatis (mas).

Long. corp. lin. 15; mand. lin. 5.

Habitat in China.

In Mus, Evans.

202

Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions

An var. Odont. emarginatus (Reiche), W. W. Saunders, Ent.

Trans, N.S. iii. p. 49?

Mas.—Niger, subnitidus, preesertim in disco elytrorum. Caput

latum, antice concavum, margine antico late emarginato, late-

ribus pone oculos tuberculo magno instructis ; angulis anticis

oblique truneatis ; vertice sub lente tenuissime granulato,

punctis nonnullis majoribus prope oculos. Mandibulze capite

parum longiores, falcato-curvate, apice oblique truncato,

denticulato basique obtuse dentato. Antenne articulo Gto

subquadrato, intus in angulum parvum setiferum producto ;

7mo paullo majori, intus suboblique truncato; 8vo trans-

verso, intus oblique truncato; 9no subacuto; 10mo subro-

tundato. Oculi septo in duas partes divisi. Caput infra fere

planum, genis parum concavis et profunde punctatis. Pro-

thorax capite paullo latior, lateribus et postice tenuissime

marginatus, disco subgranulato, punctoque majori in medio

laterali, angulis posticis profunde emarginatis, emarginatura

spina antice et postice terminata. Elytra sub lente vix gra-

nulosa; convexa, parum nitida; prothorace paullo angus-

tiora. Pedes longi, antici tibiis sat latis, extus 6-dentatis,

apice intus setoso, spinaque brevi curvato armato: tibie

intermediz et posticee extus inermes apice externo acuto,

intus ad apicem striolis setarum lutearum instructz, tarsi

subtus luteo-spongiosi. Prosternum postice porrectum, suba-

cutum, mesosternum inerme obliquum.

Plate X. fig. 5, Odontolabris Evansii of the natural size; 5a, mentum; 5b,

antenna; 5c, pro- and mesosterna.

I have only seen a single specimen of this species, represented

in the plate, in the Collection of W. F. Evans, Esq., M.E.S.

It is certainly very nearly allied to Odontolabris emarginatus ; but,

as a large and fully developed example of the male of that species

was selected for the figure given in a former part of these Trans-

actions, I can hardly think that the present insect can be consi-

dered as a modification of the male form of O. emarginatus, and

shall, therefore, regard it as distinct until its identity be proved

by a series of links establishing the chain between the two forms.

Sp. 6. Cladognathus picetpennis. (Plate X. fig. 6.)

Niger, sub lente tenuissime granulosus, elytris obscure castaneis,

corpore infra cum pedibus magis castaneis ; mandibulis valde

of some New Species of Exotic Lucanide. 203

elongatis, intus. denticulatis, denteque majori inter basin et

medium posito, prothoracis angulis posticis spina parva por-

recta armatis, tibiis anticis extus serrulatis denticulisque ma-

joribus, dentibusque duobus apicalibus armatis (mas).

Long. corp. lin. 14; mandib. lin. 8.

Habitat in China vel Thibeta.

In Mus. D. Parry.

An var. Cladogn. gracilis, W. W. Saunders, Ent. Trans. N. S, iii.

p. 47?

Mas.—Oblongus, gracilis ; mandibulis, capite et pronoto nigris

et sub lente tenuissime granulatis, granulis valde contiguis.

Caput transversum, lateribus fere rectis, angulis anticis sub-

oblique subtruncatis. Labrum porrectum. Mandibule valde

elongate, graciles, apice acute ; intus prope basin dente unico,

margineque interno denticulis novem vel decem armatis.

Antenne articulo 7mo intus in angulum acutum setiferum

producto, 8vo et 9no intus subobtusis, mentum latum

antice multo angustius et in medio emarginatum. Oculi

partim septo incisi. Prothorax transversus, capite parum

latior, lateribus subrotundatis, angulis posticis in dentem

parvum productis, Elytra prothoracis latitudine, angulis

humeralibus acutis; sub lente punctis minutis oblongis ad

basin impressa, dimidio postico fere levi, nigra, obscure

castaneo (preesertim pone medium) tinctee, Pedes graciles,

tibize anticze extus serrulate denticulis majoribus zquidis-

tantibus dentibusque duobus apicalibus armate, tibiae inter-

mediz spina distincta extus in medio armate; postice

tuberculo minutissimo medio. Corpus infra et pedes cas-

tanei, his supra obscurioribus ; tarsorum articulis 4 basalibus

dense luteo-setosis.

Plate X. fig. 6, Cladognathus piceipennis, of the natural size; 6a, terminal

joints of the antenna; 6b, mentum; 6c, eye partly incised by the septum.

This species is closely allied to Cl. Spencii (Hope), and espe-

cially to Cl. gracilis, of which last it may possibly be regarded as

an extreme form of the male; but, as in the last species, until

connecting links be produced, I must retain the opinion of the

propriety of regarding it as a distinct species.

204 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions

SPECIES FROM SOUTH AMERICA.

The geographical distribution of the Lucanide in South Ame-

rica is extremely interesting, exhibiting to us a series of types

quite peculiar to that portion of the world. Whilst North Ame-

rica presents an European tendency in possessing species of such

genera as Ceruchus, Platycerus, Lucanus proper (L. Elephus, L.

capreolus, (Dama, ¥.) L. lentus), and Dorcus (D. parallelus),

South America* maintains a far more exclusive character in its

representatives of this family. The Leptinopteri (Hope, Psalicert

Dej., Psalidostomi Burm.), Macrocrates (M. bucephalus, K1.),

Scortizus (Westw.), and the Sclerostomi (Burm.), are exclusively

South American types of isolated structure. Hexaphyllum Bra-

siliense and Westwoodit, it is true, approach nearly to the Aus-

tralian Syndesus cornutus, and the South American Chiasognathus,

Sphenognathus and Orthognathus,t are most nearly allied to

Rhyssonotus, as is also Pholidotus to Lamprima.

We thus arrive at the remarkable conclusion that, in this family,

the productions of South America are most nearly allied to those

of Australia,—a fact, however, which is confirmed by various

other instances, especially in groups of anomalous form, such as

the Rhipicere, Pseudomorphe and Helaei among the Coleoptera,

and the Z’hynnide among the Hymenoptera.

Another Brazilian genus belonging to the Lucanide, of consi-

derable interest and great rarity, is

Streptocerus ;

the only known species of which, S. speciosus, a native of Chili,

is described by M. Léon Fairmaire in the Annales de la Soc.

Ent. de France, 1850, p. 53, pl. 1, f. 2, the male of which is in

the Collection of the Marquis de Ja Ferté, and the female in that

of M. Chevrolat. A second specimen of the female was brought

from Chili by J. Miers, Esq., F.R.S., &c., who has kindly placed

it in my hands for examination. A good figure of the male having

been given by M. Fairmaire, I have not thought it necessary to

refigure it; but, as the representation of the head of the female,

given by M. Fairmaire, is inaccurate in several respects, and as

he has given no analysis of its organs, I have represented them

in the accompanying figures (Pl. XI. fig. 1, and details). The

antennz in this sex (fig. 1) are represented by M. Fairmaire as

* Dorcus, according to Burmeister, is found in all quarters of the world ex-

cept South America.

+ Burmeister suggests that Orthognathus albo-fuscus of Blanchard (D’Orbigny,

Voy. Am. Merid. Ins. pl. 12, fig. 7) is probably a Sclerostomus.

of some New Species of Exotic Lucanide. 205

having only a 3-jointed club, whereas it is distinctly 4-jointed.

the basal joint of the club being even slightly longer than the

following. The labrum is small, oblong, slightly porrected. In

fig. 1, the head is purposely represented raised in front, to show

the labrum extended between the base of the mandibles; in fig.

la, the setose extremity of the labrum is shown rather too much

deflexed, its natural position in repose being to rest upon the in-

ternal flattened base of the closed mandibles; it is strongly punc-

tured, bristly, and armed at each interior angle with a thick fas-

cicle of seta. This, I presume, is the part described by M. L.

Fairmaire as ‘ ]’épistome, presque perpendiculaire, en forme de

languette, légcrement creusé en cuilliére 4 son extrémité, qui se

termine par une petite pointe;”—a description not applicable to

the female, being probably made from the male. The maxilla, of

which M. L. Fairmaire gives no description, are, in the female

(fig. 1 6), armed with a curved hook at the extremity of the inner

lobe; the male, as in the Lamprime, &c., have this part most

probably unarmed. The lower lip and its appendages, also un-

described by M. Fairmaire, are especially interesting, as disagree-

ing with that of the majority of the family, the lobes of the labium

and the base of the labial palpi arising from the extremity of the

mentum (fig. 1¢). The pro- and meso-sternal processes (fig. 1d)

are simple.

M. L. Fairmaire, without noticing the above peculiarities, upon

which the relation of the groups of Lucanid@é are so greatly de-

pendent, has, with great tact, asserted the relation of the genus

Streptocerus with the Australian Lamprime, with which, indeed,

it agrees in the porrected labrum and labial palpi, and uncinated

maxillz of the female; it especially, however, differs from that

genus in the distinct and porrected labrum, 4-jointed club of the

antenne, and other characters. In the distinct labrum, and in

the porrected Jabium and labial palpi affixed at the apex of the

mentum, the genus also approaches Sinodendron, which, in these

respects, is thus proved neither so exceptional nor so far removed

from the terminal Lucanide as is indicated by Professor Bur-

meister in his table of the family (Handb. d. Ent. v. p, 315).

Sp. 7. Sclerostomus hastatus. (Plate XI. fig. 2.)

Obscurus, capite piceo, pronoto elytrisque subcastaneis, his

costis duabus castaneo-rufis nitidis instructis, sutura fas-

ciaque transversa submedia nigra notatis; mandibulis elon-

gatis compressis, apice digitato, 4-denticulatis, prothoracis

angulis anticis extus dilatatis (mas).

206 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions

Long. corp. lin. 9; mandib. fere lin. 2; lat. prothoracis antice

lin. 4,

Habitat in Americz meridionalis partibus centralibus.

In Mus. Deyrolle, Parisiis.

Mas.—Caput latum, transversum, antice late emarginatum,

angulis anticis oblique truncatis, et in lobum depressum

utrinque dilatatis, postice oculos dimidiatim dividentibus; ver-

tice utrinque tumido discoque utrinque pone oculos impressione

rotunda notato. Mandibule capite paullo longiores subrecte,

apice subauriculate vel potius subdigitatz, basi intus in dentem

obtusum productee. Maxillze lobis elongatis obtusis dense

setosis. Mentum transversum, antice parum emarginatum,

ciliatum, angulis anticis lateralibus rotundatis. Labrum lobis

duobus gracilibus setosis. Palpi labiales graciles, articulo

Imo longo, 2ndo breviori, 3tio paullo crassiori. Antenne

breves, articulis 2-7 fere equalibus, 8vo, 9no et ultimo intus

acutis. Prothorax transversus, antice capitis latitudine, pos-

tice sensim angustior, medio marginis antici elevato et paullo

prominenti, disco in medio canaliculato impressioneque pro-

funda rotunda inter medium et angulos anticos, his porrectis,

angulis posticis acutis. Elytra prothorace paullo angustiora,

angulis anticis acuminatis disco subconvexo, singulo costa

valida nitida longitudinali submedia instructa striisque sim-

plicibus impressis, interstitiis inter strias punctatis. Pedes

graciles, tibize anticze serrulatee, dentibus 7 vel 8 majoribus

(sensim versus basin magnitudine decrescentibus) armate,

intermedize spina parva media alterisque 2 vel 3 minutis

inter medium et basin; posticee spina media unica; tarso-

rum articulis subtus setosis. Corpus subtus nigrum, nitidum,

punctatum, prosterno punctatissimo.

Plate XI. fig.-2, Sclerostomus hastatus slightly magnified; 2a, the head seen

beneath; 2b, maxilla; 2c, mentum seen from within the mouth ; 2 d, proster-

num seen sideways.

This species is remarkable, not only on account of the curious

form and sculpture of its head, mandibles and prothorax, but also

for its colouring (which is quite unusual in the present family),

and for the strong costation of its elytra, It appears to be closely

allied to Scl. plagiatus, Burm. Handb. d. Ent. v. 425. I have

seen but a single specimen of the male, in the rich Collection of

M. Deyrolle, of Paris.

of some New Species of Exotic Lucanide. 207

Sp. 8. Sclerostomus Neotragus, Westw. (Plate XI. fig. 3.)

Niger, opacus; capite transverso, utrinque pone oculos dente

parvo armato; mandibulis porrectis, fere rectis, apice auri-

culatis, pronoto cucullato (mas).

Long. corp. lin. 5; mandib. lin. 1.

Habitat in Brasilia, St. Paul.

In Mus. Deyrolle, Parisiis.

Caput transversum, tenue varioloso-punctatum, medio verticis

minus punctato et excavatione rotunda haud profunda im-

presso, tuberculo elevato utrinque prope basin mandibula-

rum, angulis anticis oblique truncatis; lateribusque pone

oculos spina parva utrinque porrecta armatis, Oculi cantho

dimidiatim incisi, antennarum clava 3-articulata. Mandi-

bulz porrectz fere recta, capite paullo longiores; supra

acute carinate, apicibus dilatatis crassis auriculatis, dentibus

apicalibus intus extensis, Maxille maris lobis duobus

longe ciliatis, interno simplici. Mentum transversum, angulis

anticis rotundatis; laciniarum labii apicibus, articuloque

ultimo palporum labialium tantum expositis. Pronotum

capite paullo latius et longius, angulis anticis obtusis; lateri-

bus pone medium paullo dilatatis; disco tenuissime punc-

tato, fossula sat profunda mediana longitudinali; margine

antico cucullato; ze. im medio in cornu porrecto producto,

apice nitido. Elytra brevia, apice rotundato; singulo striis

circiter 7 punctorum parvorum irregulariter digestis. Pedes

mediocres: tibize antice serrulate, dentibusque 6 majoribus

armatz: intermediz dentibus tribus, 3tio majori in medio

tibiz posito: posticee dentibus duobus. Corpus infra niti-

dum, punctis minutis vage sparsis notatum.

Plate XI. fig. 3, Sclerostomus Neotragus, magnified; 3a, natural size; 3b,

head and front of prothorax seen sideways; 3c, maxilla; 3d, mentum seen

within, showing the labium and labial palpi.

This remarkable species is unique, in the Collection of M. Dey-

rolle, of Paris, who has on all occasions allowed me an unlimited

use of any of his unique and interesting species. It agrees with

the Chilian species Dorcus cucullatus of Blanchard, in the cucul-

lated front of the pronotum, but differs in the form of the man-

dibles, unicolorous surface of the body, &c.

208

Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions

Sp. 9. Sclerostomus Ditomoides, Westw. (PI. XI. fig. 4.)

Ater, opacus ; capite vage punctato, utrinque biangulato, mandi-

bulis maris curvatis, fere capitis longitudine curvatis denta-

tis; pronoto transverso in medio longitudinaliter subcana-

liculato punctatissimo, elytris punctis minutis in strias dis-

positis.

Long. corp. lin. 5; mandib. lin. 1.

Habitat in Brasilia, apud Rio Janiero.

In Mus. D. Miers.

Parvus, sub-depressus, sub-paralellus, opacus. Caput transversum,

in medio subplanum obliquum, disco varioloso-punctato,

punctis versus latera postica majoribus, margine antico emargi-

nato, utrinque ad basin mandibularum tuberculo elevato nitido

instructo, angulis anticis obliquis; postice in canthum angu-

latum oculorum productis, lateribus capitis pone oculos etiam

in angulum porrectis: oculi septo dimidiatim incisi. Labrum

parvum, semicirculare, ciliatum, perpendiculare, supra clypeo

occultum. Mandibule fere capitis longitudine curvatz, apice

subtridigitate, medioque intus spina obtusa brevi armate.

Maxille parve, lobis simplicibus Jonge penicillatis, interno

inermi. Mentum transversum, angulis anticis rotundatis ; laci-

niarum labialium penicillis palporumque articulis duobus api-

calibus detectis. Prothorax transversus, tenuissime punc-

tatus; capite latitudine paullo latiori, angulis anticis porrectis

obtusis; posticis obliquis dorso in medio sub-canaliculato,

antice in tubercula dua parum distincta elevato, impressio-

nibusque duabus dorsalibus parvis transversis vix distinctis

notato. Scutellum breve nitidum. Elytra opaca, basi

punctata punctisque minutis in strias 6 longe ante apicem

obliteratas dispositis. Pedes graciles, tibia antice serrulate

spinisque sex acutis armate; intermedie spina mediana

alterisque 2 vel 3 sub-basalibus minoribus; posticz spina

mediana alteraque sub-basali vix distincta armate. Corpus

infra nitidissimum, vix punctatum. Prosternum simplex.

Plate XI. fig. 4, Sclerostomus Ditomoides, magnified; 4a, maxilla; 45, men~-

tum and labial palpi; 4c, simple prosternum.

have seen only a single specimen of the male brought from

Brazil by J. Miers, Esq., F.R.S., &c.

of some New Species of Exotic Lucanide. 209

Sp. 10. Sclerostomus costatus. (Pl. XI. fig. 5.)

Supra opacus, piceo-niger, pronoto et elytris obscure sanguineo-

notatis ; punctatus, capite tuberculo nitido utrinque ante

oculos posito; pronoto canali lato medio parum profundo, et

utrinque impressionibus duabus rotundatis, antica minus dis-

tincta, impresso; medio marginis antici in mare in tuberculum

elevato ; elytris costatis, costis interrruptis, 2da e sutura

crassiori; interstitiis seriatim punctatis; tibiis anticis spinis

6 parvis obtusis; intermediis 1 media alterisque duabus sub-

basalibus; posticis 1 media alteraque minutissima subbasali

armatis.

Long. corp. lin...

Habitat in Brasilia.

In Mus. Miers et Hope.

Sclerostomus costatus, Burmeister, Hand. d. Ent. vol. v. p. 426;

Hope, Ca. Lucanide, p. 27 (Sclerognathus c.)

Plate XI. fig. 5, Sclerostomus costatus, fem. magnified; 5a, head and prono-

tum of the male; 5b, mandible of the male; 5c, maxilla of male; 5d, maxilla

of female ; 5e, mentum and palpi.

The male of this curious Brazilian insect is distinguished by

the cucullated front of the prothorax, which in both sexes is

deeply impressed along the centre, with lateral circular im-

pressions. I am indebted to Mr. Miers for an opportunity of

describing this species, which was collected by him during his

residence in Brazil. It will be observed, from the figures of the

maxillae, that the inner lobe in both sexes is armed with an acute

curved spine, which would remove it from the section of the

family in which the genus is placed by Burmeister.

Sp. 11. Sclerostomus femoralis. (Pl. XII. fig. 9a, 9b.)

Dorcus femoralis, Guérin- Meneville, Rey. Zool. 1839, p. 303, (de-

scriptio trivialis, structura insecti omnino neg-

lecta).

Lucanus rubripes, Hope, Cat. Lucan., p. 26; Burmeister, Handb.

d. Ent. v. p. 424 (Sclerostomus r.)

This interesting species from the Straits of Magellan is placed

by Burmeister as one of the two species of his first section of

the genus Sclerostomus—his other species being the L. Darnini

of Hope, which is so closely allied to the former that they are re-

garded as probable varieties of one species. Hence there seems

VOL. III. N.S. PART VI,—ocT. 1855. r=

210 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions

to be no doubt that these are to be regarded as the types of the

genus Sclerostomus; which is important to be borne in mind

when the structure of the maxilla is examined. The Lampri-

made of Burmeister, in which sub-family the genus is placed by

that author, is especially distinguished by the free upper lip, and

by the membranous inner lobe of the maxillee of the males, whilst

it is corneous and uncinated in the female; but in the species

before us the male, whilst it has the upper lip large, free and hori-

zontally porrected, has the inner lobe of the maxille uncinated,

which character would remove the species (and of course the

genus also) to the sub-family of Figulide of Burmeister, in which

the inner lobe of the maxillze of both sexes is uncinated. In the

males of Sc. hastatus, Neotragus and Ditomoides, as we have seen

above, this inner lobe of the maxille is simple, straight and ci-

liated, but in the Sc. costatus it is, as in Sc. femoralis, uncinated

in both sexes. These considerations will probably require a modi-

fication of the genus, and possibly the establishment of a new

genus amongst these small South American Lucanide.

Plate XII. fig. 9a, represents the mandible of the male of Sc. femoralis, and

fig. 9b, the maxilla of the same sex.

Sp. 12. Scortizus maculatus, Klug. (Plate XI. fig. 8 a—8 c.)

Lucanus maculatus, Klug, Specimen alt. Ent. Bras. in Nova Act.

xii. 2, 432; Burmeister, Handb. d. Ent. v. p.

4.22 [Scortizus m. |

Pholidotus irroratus, Hope, Trans, Zool. Soc. i. 100, pl. 14, fig. 3.

Scortizus irroratus, West. Annales Sci. Nat. Sec. Ser. i. 119.

The female of this pretty little insect is figured by Mr. Hope

from my drawing in the Transactions of the Zoological Society,

together with the structural details, whence it appears that the

Jabrum is small, semicircular and ciliated, and the inner lobe of the

maxillze uncinated and horny. Both sexes were brought from

Brazil by J. Miers, Esq. F.R.S. (to whom I am indebted for a

specimen of the female). The male has the head and prothorax

considerably wider than in the female, and the hind legs are less

strongly spined. The mandibles in this sex (fig. 8a) are as long

as the head and acute, whilst they are much shorter in the female

(fig. 8 6), with a strong tooth on the inside. The maxilla of the

male (fig. 8c) has the inner lobe simple and penicillated, whilst

it is uncinated and horny in the male. The eyes are but slightly

incised in the anterior part by the canthus.

of some New Species of Exotic Lucanide. 211

SPECIES FROM NEW HOLLAND AND NEW ZEALAND.

Sp. 13. Cacostomus squamosus. (Pl. XI. fig. 6 3, fig. 7 ¢-)

The first notice of this interesting genus was given by Mr.

Newman, in Charlesworth’s Magazine of Natural History, vol. iv.

p- 364, July, 1840, where it was thus characterized from the male

sex alone :—‘ Dorci facies at corpore squamoso et mandibulis

aliter dentatis plane discrepat.”

In the English observations, the small anteriorly angulated

head, the entirely divided eyes, the form of the mandibles, the

ordinarily-formed ten-jointed antenne, the convex prothorax,

with crenated lateral margins, and the pilose undersurface of the

joints of the tarsi were noticed.

The type specimen was received by Mr. Bowerbank from

Sydney, but Mr. Newman considered it to be a native of Assam,

or some other neighbouring region of continental Asia.

In the Annals. of Natural History, vol. 8, p. 124 (October,

1841), I published the descriptions of both sexes of the same in-

sect from the collections of Messrs. Melly and Curtis (by both of

whom it had been received from Australia), under the name of

Lepidodes rotundicollis, with the following generic character :—

Corpus punctatum, punctis albido-squamosis. Caput maris mag-

num quadratum; mandibulis crassis_ porrectis, subrectis,

intus et ad apicem valde dentatis. Prothorax subrotundatus

lateribus crenulatis; oculis omnino septatis; antennarum

clava triphylla; tibiae anticee 5-dentatz, 4 posticae inermes.

The male is 14, and the female 10 lines long.

The original specimen described by Mr. Newman having been

acquired by the British Museum Collection, I have been enabled

to ascertain its identity with the insects described by myself, the

relationship of the two insects having been suggested by the late

Dr. Erichson in Wiegmann’s Archives for 1842, il. 234, and re-

ferred to by Dr. Burmeister, Handb. d. Ent. v. p. 362, with an

incorrect reference to the Annals, instead of the New Series of the

Magazine of Natural History. In the squamose surface of the

body, as well as in its elongated limbs, this genus approaches

Pholidotus and Scortizus irroratus, but both these genera have the

mando of the maxilla hooked. It also bears some relationship to

Calcodes eratus, W. Perhaps, however, its nearest ally is Rhys-

sonotus, K., which has the eyes entirely divided, as well as the

mando in both sexes simple; but that genus differs at once in the

velvet-like upper surface of the body, the structure of the man-

212 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions

dibles, and especially the gradually-formed six-jointed club of the

antennee,

No figures having been hitherto published of the genus, f have

added outlines of both sexes and details in the accompanying

plate.

Fig. 6, Cacostomus squamosus, male, mag. nat. 6a, maxillary palpi, mentum and

labial palpi of the male.

Fig. 7, female, mag. nat., 7 a, mandibles; 7b, maxilla.*

Sp. 14. Sclerostomus caviceps, Westw. (Plate XII. fig. 6, mas;

fig. 7, foem.)

Piceus, obscurus, capite et pronoto maris nitidioribus, irregulariter

punctatissimis, elytris costis tribus elevatis parum distinctis,

capite maris magno profunde excavato, pronoto antice dila-

tato subcucullato.

Long. corp. maris cum mandibulis lin. 8 ; foemine 6.

Habitat in Nova Zealandia.

In Mus. Westw.

Mas.—Piceus vel potius nigro-castaneus, punctis luteo-villosis.

Caput magnum, latitudine elytrorum glabrum, punctatissimum,

vertice excavatione magna, totum occiput includente, notato,

tuberculo utrinque prope basin mandibularum terminato ;

angulis anticis lateralibus rotundato-deplanatis oculos fere

omnino cantho dividentibus ; Jateribus pone oculos rotundato-

dilatatis. Labrum parvum, transversum, angulis lateralibus

rotundatis, ciliatum punctatum. Mandibule crassz curvate,

capite paullo breviores compressze, margine infero dentibus

tribus obtusis; supero in dentem latum apicalem ampliato.

Antenne breves, clava 3-articulate ; maxillz parvee setose,

mandone inermi, Mentum semicirculare, grosse punctatum,

Prothorax magnus, antice dilatatus, margine antico porrecto

elevato, punctatissimus, dorso in medio longitudinaliter im-

pressus, impressione punctis majoribus et fere conjunctis,

Jateribus subsinuatis; angulis anticis et postici8S vix acutis.

Scutellum parvum, semicirculare. Elytra brevia, subconvexa,

punctatissima, punctis interdum confluentibus, angulis anticis

lateralibus extus paullo porrectis, singulo costis tribus parum,

elevatis et vix distinctis (preesertm exterioribus). Pedes

mediocres, tibiz anticz 7-denticulate; intermediz dente

* Ihave not had an opportunity of examining the maxilla of the male, but

as that of the female is simple, without a horny hook, I have no doubt that of

the male is equally unarmed.

of some New Species of Exotic Lucanide. 213

minuto medio, posticaee in medio inermes. Corpus et pedes

subtus picea, punctata.

Foemina minor ; capite et pronoto magnitudinis ordinariz, vertice

depresso, et utrinque tuberculo magis distincto instructo,

Mandibule parve, apice acute, denteque unico intus armate.

Prothorax lateribus rotundatis, angulis anticis acutis.

Both sexes of this curious species from New Zealand are con-

tained in my own collection. The male is especially remarkable

for the broad prothorax, which is porrected in front, and the wide

head with a deep circular excavation in the middle. The genera

Scortizus and Sclerostomus, to which this species is most nearly

allied, are known only as natives of South America. The general

character of the species before us, however, as well as the cha-

racter of its maxilla, varying, as it does, in the opposite sexes,

seems fully to warrant its reference to the latter of these two

genera, thus establishing another instance of the geographical re-

lationship between the objects of South America and Australasia

which has been alluded to above.

Plate XII. fig. 6, Selerostomus caviceps, mas, mag. auct.; fig. 6a, maxilla;

6b, eye nearly divided by the canthus; 6 ¢, labrum; 6d, mentum. Fig. 7,

ejusdem foemina, magn. auct.; fig. 7a, maxilla.

The New Zealand genus DENDROBLAX, described by Mr.

A. White in the ‘ Zoological Volume of the Voyage of the Erebus

and Terror,” is composed of a single species (D. Farlianus, Wh.)

and may be regarded as an obscure representative of Sphenogna-

thus with the mouth of Sinodendron. The species (of which I

possess both sexes) is remarkable for having winged males and

apterous females.

Lissotes, Westw.

Subgenus novum, Figulo Nigidioque affine, mandone maris un-

cinato, oculis vero integris rotundatis vel subintegris scutel-

loque minuto subtrigono. Labrum subporrectum, in medio

tuberculo conico instructum. Mentum transversum, angulis

anticis lateralibus rotundatis margine antico haud emarginato.

Labii lacinize elongate, setosee. Caput transversum, antice

late concavum, lateribus haud complanato dilatatis ; oculi ro-

tundati, vix cantho antice et postice incisi,

Prothorax margine antico in medio elevato et subporrecto,

disco in medio canaliculato vel subdepresso. Tibiz anticz

extus 6-dentate. Prosternum simplex, haud retro porrectum.

214 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions

Sect. I.—Mandibulez maris graciles falcate, apice tridentate.

Sp. 15. Lissotes Menalcas. (Plate XII. fig. 1 and details.)

Niger, nitidissimus, pronoti disco in medio depresso, parum

punctatus, elytris striis lavibus impressis.

Long. corp. lin. 113 (fere 1 unc.).

Habitat in Nova Hollandia. D. Verreaux.

In Mus. Chevrolat (etiam in Mus, Brit.—Nova Zelandia an

recte?).

Corpus oblongum, convexum, nitidissimum, parce punctatum ;

capite lato, prothorace pone medium latiori, elytrisque latitu-

dine zequali. Caput transversum latum, angulis anticis obtusis,

vertice late concavo; punctatum, oculi laterales integri rotun-

dati, antice et postice vix cantho incisi, lateribus capitis pone

oculos haud dilatatis. Mandibulz maris capitis longitudine

curvatze, ad basin dente crasso armatz, apice elevato compresso

tridentato. Antennz breves, clava mediocri, 3-articulata.

Prothorax transversus, capite parum latior, praesertim pone

medium, medio disci elevato sub-canaliculato, margine antico

in tubercula duo elevato ; utrinque pone medium impressione

rotunda levi notatus. Elytra brevia latitudine prothoracis,

convexa, singulo striis tribus longitudinalibus lzevibus, spatiis

interstitialibus punctatis. Tibize antic extus 6-dentate,

4 posticee in medio 1-dentatze. Foemina ignota.

This very interesting species forms part of the fine collection of

M. Chevrolat of Paris, to whom I am greatly indebted for per-

mission to examine many of the rare species which he possesses.

It is remarkable for the subcucullated pronotum and the concave

crown of the head, and its glossy black colour. A specimen is

also contained in the British Museum collection, which Mr. A.

White informs me was received from Captain Parry as a native of

New Zealand, whilst M. Chevrolat assures me that his specimen

is rightly indicated as a native of New Holland, having been col-

lected by M. Verreaux.

Plate XII. fig. 1, Lissotes Menalcas of the natural size ; 1 a, head and prothorax

seen laterally ; 15, the labrum; 1c, the maxilla ; 1 d, the mentum and extremity

of the labial palpi; 1 e, the laciniz of the labium and the labial palpi.

of some New Species of Exotic Lucanide. 215

Sect. If. Mandibulz maris breviores, intus in medio dente crasso

composito armate.

Sp. 16. Lissotes Cancroides.

Syn. Lucan. Cancroides, Fabricius, 8. El. ii. 252, 18; Olivier,

Ent. 1.1, 18,12; pl. 4, fig. 11.

Dorcus Cancroides, Westw. Ent. Mag. v. p. 267

Agus (B.) Cancroides, Burm. Handb. v. 402.

Habitat in Van Diemen’s Land.

In Mus. Banks.

Obs.—Dr. Burmeister, probably in consequence of Mr. Mac

Leay having observed under the description of his “gus chelifer,

** Lucanum Cancroidem, Fabricii, haud examinavi, at generi Dorco

potius pertinere videtur,” has given this insect as identical with the

Aig. chelifer, Handb. d. Ent. v. p. 403. Not only, however, does

the specific name as well as its position as the first species in the

genus prove that its mandibles agree with the generic description,

“* porrectze falcatee inermes,” but the figure given by Mac Leay of

the maxillz of Agus chelifer, pl. 1, fig. 7, £, is destitute of a cor-

neous hook, I have not had an opportunity, it is true, of dissect-

ing the typical unique specimen of Cancroides in the Banksian

Collection, and can only therefore, from its close analogy with the

following species, conjecture that the mando of the maxilla of the

male is uncinated.

The Australian Agus chelifer of MacLeay is doubtless more

nearly allied to Agus acuminatus and lunatus, Weber. This latter

species from Sumatra is considered by Dr. Burmeister (I. c.) as

identical with my Ag. falciger (not fulviger) described in the

Ann. d. Sci. Nat. Sec. Ser. i. 118.

Sp. 17. Lissotes subtuberculatus, Westw.

Niger, prothorace, elytris tiblisque setosis; capite subopaco,

vertice late depresso, tuberculo rotundato utrinque versus

angulos anticos, prothorace glabro, antice in medio elevato,

subtuberculato ; elytris punctatissimis, punctis oblongis strias

nonnullas irregulares vix formantibus.

Long. corp. cum mandibulis lin. 73.

Habitat in Nova Hollandia? In Mus. Chevrolat, Parisiis.

Caput transversum, angulis anticis oblique truncatis, postice

canthum oculos parum incidentem formantibus ; vertice subo-

paco, haud nitido, depresso, punctis paucis minutis tubercu-

loque rotundato utrinque versus angulos anticos notato. La-

16 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions

brum paullo porrectum, fere semicirculare, setosum ; mandi-

bule maris capite breviores curvatz, intus in medio dente lato

obtuso e denticulis tribus tuberculoque dorsali truncato com-

posito. Maxillee maris unco corneo instructee ; mentum trans-

versum, margine antice integro, angulis anticis rotundatis,

disco punctato; setis labii et maxillarum ultra marginem

anticum porrectis. Antenne breves, clava tripartita. Oculi

cantho antice parum incisi, capite utrinque pone oculos an-

gulato. Prothorax latus, transversus, convexus, capite latior,

jateribus subserratis, antice rectis, postice obliquis, angulis

lateralibus posticis acutis, margine antico in medio in tuber-

cula duo confluentia elevato lineaque tenui media lJongitudi-

nali impressa; disco glabro, tenue punctato, punctis minutis,

et sensim versus marginem anticum evanescentibus. Elytra

brevia, convexa, subovata, punctatissirmma, punctis oblongis

seepe confluentibus, nonnullis strias irregulares vix forman-

tibus; lateribus luteo-griseo-setosis, Scutellum minutum,

subtriangulare.

Pedes breves robusti; tibize anticz extus 6-dentate, dente

infero minimo, tibiz 4 posticee in medio denticulo unico

armatee. Corpus infra nigrum nitidum, pectore dense, abdo-

mine vage punctatis.

Plate XII. fig. 2, L. subtuberculatus magnified; 2 a,labrum ; 2 b, maxilla of

male; 2 c,mentum.

A specimen of the male of this species, which, from its close

similarity to Z. Cancroides, appears to me to be certainly Austra-

lian, is also unique in the collection of M. Chevrolat. A rigid

comparison with the typical specimen of LZ. Cancroides might

possibly prove that this is but a variety of that insect with which

it agrees in size. In M. Chevrolat’s collection it bears a pink

label.

Sp. 18. Lissotes ? crenatus.

Niger subnitidus, capite lato, antice depresso, angulis anticis

oblique truncatis, oculis cantho antice paullo incisis, mandi-

bulis falcatis, apice truncatis et denticulatis ; prothorace capite

parum latiori punctatissimo, elytrisque ovalibus, convexis,

punctatissimis, punctis lineas vix regulares seepe formantibus.

Long. corp. cum mandibulis lin. 7.

Habitat in Nova Hollandia.

In Mus. Hope (Mus. Gory), sub nomine “ Dorcus crenatus,

Latr. MSS.? Voy. de Péron.”’

Niger, vix nitidus, Caput Jatum, tenuissime punctatum, punctis

of some New Species of Exotic Lucanide. 217

versus oculos majoribus; angulis anticis oblique truncatis,

postice canthum (oculos antice parum incidentem) forman-

tibus, vertice antice depresso, depressione utrinque tuberculo

rotundato versus basin mandibularum terminata. Antenne

breves, clava triarticulata: mandibule capitis longitudine,

valde curvate seu falcata, basi intus in dentem obtusum

producta, apice truncato-trigono et denticulato. Labrum

parvum, angulato-porrectum. Maxillz maris elongate, man-

done acuto, haud tamen in uncum corneum producto. Men-

tum magnum, fere semicirculare, antice vix integrum nec emar-

ginatum. Labium laciniis duabus divaricatis setosis, vix ultra

marginem anticum menti porrectis. Prothorax transversus,

convexus, margine antico haud elevato, recto, lateribus paullo

rotundatis setosis; disco linea tenui media seu canali parum

impresso, minute punctatus: scutellum minutum, semicir-

culare. Elytra brevia, ovalia, convexa, punctis minutis et

irregularibus, lineas rectas longitudinales numerosas Vix re-

gulariter formantibus. Pedes mediocres; tibiae anticee 7-den-

tate, dente secundo maximo, 4to et 7mo minutis, tibiae 2 pos-

ticee (intermedize carentes) denticulo submedio armate.

Plate XII. fig. 3, Lissotes? crenatus magnified ; 3a, head seen from beneath,

with the mentum removed; 30, maxilla; 3c, mentum and labium seen from

within.

This interesting Australian insect formed a portion of the col-

lections made by Péron in the South Seas, and is now in the

museum of Mr. Hope, obtained from that of the late M. Gory,

and inscribed with the manuscript name which I have adopted,

and which was, I believe, proposed for it by M. Latrielle. It

agrees with Z. Menalcas in the form of its very curved mandibles,

but its maxillee are not armed with a curved spine; the mando is

straight and acute. How far this character will, however, inter-

fere with the sectional arrangement of the family proposed by Dr.

Burmeister remains to be determined.

Sp. 19. Lissotes obtusatus.

Dorcus obtusatus, Westwood, Ent. Mag. v. p. 267.

/Egus (B) obtusaius, Burmeister, Handb. v. p. 402.

Habitat Van Diemen’s Land.

Obs.—-Both sexes of this species have the mando of the maxillz

furnished with a corneous hook; the mandibles of the male are

very similar to those of Z. Cancroides.

Messrs. Burmeister and Reiche have suggested the identity of

218 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions

this species with Dorcus curvicornis, Latr. in Dej. Cat. from New

Holland. The description of that species given by Boisduval,

*‘Faune de l’Oceanie,” 2, p. 235—* Fuscus thorace transverso

subpunctato ; elytris punctatis; mandibulis exertis, dente crasso

armatis; subtus piceus,” is too slight to determine the identity,

or even to warrant the retention of Latrielle’s name if proved.

My insect is not fuscous, the prothorax is as strongly punctured

as the head, and I can scarcely think that Latreille would have

applied such a name as curvicornis to the species.

Sp. 20. Lissotes reticulatus.

Lucanus reticulatus, Westw. in Trans, Ent. Soc. iv. p. 275,

pl. xx. fig. 4.

fEgus (B.) Cicatricosus, Burmeister, Handb. v. p. 403.

Dorcus squamidorsis, White, in Zool. of Erebus and Terror,

p.i9;<pl. te fige2.

Habitat New Zealand.

Obs.—This species, with L. Cancroides and obtusatus, placed by

Dr. Burmeister as the second section of the genus #gus, belong,

in fact, to a different sub-family, having the mando of the maxillze

in both sexes armed with a corneous hook. The mandible and

maxilla of this sex in Z. reticulatus are represented in our

Plate XII. figs. 9a and 9b. It differs from the three preceding

species, not only in its geographical position, but also in the

patches of pile on the upper surface of the body.

Sp. 21. Dorcus? luteus, West. (Pilate XII. fig. 4.)

Obscure niger, dense punctatus, punctis ]uteo-squamosis, elytris

impresso-striatis, interstitiis punctis minutis impressis ; man-

dibulis brevibus, sub-trigonis, intus dente obtuso bifido in-

structis; oculis omnino septo bipartitis.

Long. corp. cum mandibulis lin. 9 (? unc.).

Habitat in Nova Hollandia.

In Mus. Hope, olim Gory.

Caput mediocre, punctatum, fronte sub-convexo, utrinque tuber-

culo instructo; angulis lateralibus anticis capitis obliquis,

postice in septum (oculos omnino dividentibus) productis,

Jateribus pone oculos haud angulatis; labrum transversum,

brevissimum, antice emarginatum setosum: mandibule capite

breviores subtrigonz, apice intus curvato acuto; margine in-

terno in medio dente bifido obtuso armato. Antenne breves,

articulo 7mo intus acute producto, clava 3-articulata: max-

of some New Species of Exotic Lucanide. 219

illae dense setose, mandone inermi. Mentum transversum,

punctis magnis impressum, angulis anticis rotundatis ; antice

emarginatum, laciniis labii et palpis labialibus (apice articuli

ultimi excepto) occultis. Prothorax capite multo latior;

lateribus rotundatis, angulis posticis acutis, disco convexo

punctato lineaque media abbreviata impressus; scutellum

breve semi-rotundatum. Elytra ovalia, prothoracis latitudine,

convexa ; singulo striis sex longitudinalibus impressis, inter-

stitiis striarum punctis minutis (seepius triplici serie dispo-

sitis) impressis ; punctis omnibus pilis minutis luteis vestitis,

inde insectum coloris lutei apparet. Pedes antici tibiis

serrulatis dentibusque sex majoribus armatis; intermediis

dente medio alteroque minuto subbasali; posticis dente

medio unico. Corpus infra nigrum, magis nitidum, punc-

tatum.

Plate XII. fig. 4, Dorcus? luteus, magn. auct.; fig. 4a, labrum and man-

dibles; 4 6, extremity of antenne ; 4c, eyes divided by the canthus ; 4d, max~-

illa ; 4e,mentum seen from within the mouth, showing the labial laciniz# and

palpi.

This Australian species is also in the Hopean collection obtained

from M.Gory. The eyes are entirely divided by the lateral sep-

tum, the maxille unarmed, the seventh joint of the antenne

pointed in the inside and setose. The specimen appears to me

to be a male, notwithstanding the small size of the mandibles.

Want of certainty, however, in this respect, as well as ignorance of

the opposite sex, and uncertainty as to the structure of the mando

of its maxilla, prevents my assigning the present species to its

true genus. It is here, therefore, only placed provisionally in the

genus Dorcus.

Sp. 22. Figulus Lilliputanus, Westw. (Plate XII. fig. 5.)

Piceo-castaneus, nitidus, capite supra irregulari, angulis lateralibus

postice porrectis; mandibulis brevibus, intus dente obtuso ar-

matis ; prothorace subquadrato, lateribus dense punctatis dis-

coque impressione abbreviata notato; elytris regulariter

punctato-striatis.

Long. corp. fere lin. 4 (4 unc.).

Habitat apud Adelaidam, Nove Hollandiz.

In Mus. Westwood.

Omnium Lucanidarum species minima, Clivinam fossorem simu-

220

Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions

lans. Oblongus, subdepressus, nitidus, totus piceo-cas-

taneus, Caput transversum, punctatum, supra irregulare, scil.

tuberculis rotundatis tranversim positis inter marginem anti-

cum et medium verticis; angulis lateralibus anticis obliquis,

postice directis et septum planum, margine elevato, oculos

dividentem, formantibus; capite pone oculos, in collum de-

pressum, angustato. Labrum breve, transversum, porrectum.

Mandibule capite breviores; apice subacute curvate ; intus

in mare dente crasso sub-obtuso armate; foemine paullo

minores, apice denteque interno acutioribus.

Maxillz in utroque sexu parvee, mandone corneo uncinato ;

mentum subquadratum, antice paullo latius, angulis anticis

rotundatis margine antico parum emarginato, labii laciniis

palpisque labialibus fere omnino occultis. Prothorax fere

quadratus, lateribus sub-rectis, angulis anticis rotundatis,

dorso parum convexo, undique punctis minimis vage impresso,

in medio sulco parum profundo grosse punctato impressus

lateribusque punctatis. Elytra oblonga subconvexa, postice

rotundata; prothoracis latitudine; regulariter 6-punctato-

striata, interstitiis levibus, nitidis, lateribusque punctatis.

Pedes breves, tibiis anticis in mare dilatatis planis, extus sub-

sinuatis (an semper?) ; in foemina extus 6-dentatis, dente in-

fero minimo, tibiz 4-posticee dente medio intermediisque

denticulis duobus subbasalibus armatis.

Plate XII. fig. 5, Figulus Lilliputanus, magn. anct.; 5a, maxille; 5 b,

mentum.

Sp. 23. Dorcus Pelorides, Westw.

Latus, niger, nitidus, sub-convexus, levis; mandibulis capite plus

duplo brevioribus, capite utrinque tuberculo parvo elevato,

lateribus capitis antice obliquis tuberculatis, pedibus brevibus

eracilibus.

Long. corp. cum mandibualis une. 1.

Habitat in Nova Hollandia, Moreton Bay.

In Mus. Britann.

Totus niger, nitidus, facie omnino Peloris Blaptoidis; sub

lente punctis minutissimis impressus. Caput convexum,

antice emarginatum et depressum, sub lente tenue puncta-

tum, angulis anticis oblique truncatis ; postice bituberculatis,

tuberculo postico canthum (oculum omnino dividentem) for-

mante, lateribus pone oculos etiam in angulum productis. Man-

of some New Species of Exotic Lucanide. 221

dibulz perbreves, subtrigone, supra plane marginate punc-

tate, apice acutissimo, intus denticulis duobus parvis armatee.

Maxillee minute, mandone inermi. Antenne breves, clava

triarticulata, articulo ultimo apice truncato. Prothorax trans-

versus capite paullo latior, lateribus rotundatis, tenue margi-

natis et punctatis, intus in medio impressione parum pro-

funda, punctoque utrinque approximato; disco levi con-

vexo. Elytra prothoracis latitudine convexa glabra, apicibus

et lateribus tenuissime punctatissimis, disco lineis nonnullis

longitudinalibus vix distinctis. Pedes breves, tibize anticze

extus 5-denticulate, dentibus duobus anticis majoribus.

Tibize 4 posticee graciles serrulatee, pone medium dente mi-

nuto armate,

222 Mr. E. W. Janson’s Observations on the

XXI. Observations on the Species of Elateride described

by Mr. Curtis in the First Part of the Third Volume of

the New Series of the Transactions of the Entomological

Society of London. By KE. W. Janson, Esq.

[Read Sth March, 1855.]

1. Eetinus aterrimus, Linn. I perfectly agree with Mr. Curtis

that this insect has, at present, no claim whatever to a place

in our lists, into which it has been introduced both by Mr.

Curtis and Mr. Stephens.

2. Ectinus? gagates, Curtis; Elater aterrimus, Curtis, olim, but

not of Linné. This insect does not pertain to the genus

Ectinus ; the anterior margin of the head or clypeus projects

over the upper lip, which takes a perpendicular direction, and

is at nearly a right angle with the clypeus, and the covers of

the posterior thighs are dilated internally and furnished with

a large tooth ; characters totally at variance with those upon

which the illustrious and accurate Eschscholtz, (between whose

distribution and that of Latreille, Mr. Curtis has drawn a

comparison unfavourable to the former,) has founded the

genus.

Mr. Curtis’s insect is Ampedus lugens of Redtenbacher,

and of which the late learned Professor of Halle, Dr. Germar,

has given an excellent description in his “ Zeitschrift fiir die

Entomologie,” v. p. 177, No. 40, (1844). It is the 4mpedus

anthracinus of Dejean’s Catalogue, under which name I have

received it from Paris, where, I believe, it is not of uncommon

occurrence. ‘Two British specimens, now in my hands, ap-

pertain to the rich collection of our indefatigable treasurer,

Mr.8. Stevens.

3. N. G.? punctolineatus, Zool. Journ. iv p. 524, Ectinus aterri-

mus of the Stephensian cabinet.

It appears to me that Mr. Pelerin’s name should have been

added to the specific title adopted by Mr. Curtis for this in-

sect, but which is a Fabrician species ; the later niger of the

“Systema Eleutheratorum,” ii. p. 227 (1801), but probably

not of Linné, recognizably figured by Panzer in the 101st

Species of Elateride described by Mr, Curtis. 223

fasciculus, plate 16, of his “ Deutschlands Insecten,” and de-

scribed under the name of Cratonychus niger by the late

Dr. Erichson in his usual masterly style, in his monograph

of the genus in Germar’s Zeitschrift, iii. p. 90, No. 1 (1841).

I will add that it is congeneric with the Melanotus fulvipes of

British cabinets, having the claws toothed internally after the

fashion of a comb, a circumstance not noticed in Mr. Curtis’s

Memoir, although stated on the wrapper of the subsequently

published part of the Transactions. This insect occurs abun-

dantly throughout central and southern Europe. I have ex-

amples from Germany, France and the Ionian Islands; I

likewise possess one of the original specimens, described by

Mr. Pelerin in the Zoological Journal, captured by him near

Twickenham, as mentioned by Mr. Curtis, and which has

been kindly ceded to me by Mr. Thomas Desvignes, to whom

I am likewise indebted for an opportunity of examining one

of the examples captured by Mr. Marshall near Deal. To

Mr. Pascoe I have also to tender my thanks for a remark-

ably fine male specimen taken by him last spring in the same

locality, and to the liberality of Mr. S. Stevens I owe the

possession of a specimen found by him at Southend. Mr.

Westwood has three individuals, which, I believe, are females

of the present species, but I will not positively affirm that

they are so, not having had an opportunity of bestowing upon

them sufficient examination; they were picked up by him

dead on Barnes Common.

4, Elater nigrinus, Payk., Curtis. This is the insect described by

Germar, Zeitschrift, v. p. 175, No. 35, as Ampedus nigrinus,

and universally known on the continent under that name; a

specimen received from Mr. Curtis agrees perfectly with

foreign individuals in my collection sent me from France and

Germany so named ; it is readily recognized by the trans-

verse wrinkles on the interstices of the elytra.

I may mention, that later rufitarsis, Desvignes, Entomo-

logist, p. 326 (1842), captured by that gentleman in Windsor

Forest, is synonymous with the species now under conside-

ration, and which appears to have a wide range in Britain,

individuals having been taken by Messrs. Weaver and Fox-

croft, at Rannoch, Perthshire.

224 Mr. E. W. Janson’s Observations, §c.

5. Aplotarsus maritimus, Curtis.

If the insects placed in this genus by the late Mr. Stephens

may be considered typical, (and, seeing that the genus was

established by him for their reception, I hold such must be

the case,) the present species is certainly not an A4plotarsus ;

I have not yet been able satisfactorily to identify it with any

of the continental species of the genus Cardiophorus, with

which I have had an opportunity of comparing it, but to which

genus I think it is referrible, although departing somewhat

from the type in the unusual length of the antenne, but it

appears to have the prosternum abbreviated and compressed

at its apex, and the posterior thigh-covers are suddenly di-

lated within. I possess a single mutilated specimen, which I

obtained from Mr. Curtis.

6. Cardiophorus formosus, Curtis. Mr. Curtis indicates its close

relationship to Cardiophorus sex-punctatus of Illiger, and

which is probably too intimate to admit of specific distinction,

Illiger himself having given six varieties of that Protean

species.

7. Aplotarsus? cothurnatus, Curtis. This insect does not belong

to the genus Aplotarsus of Stephens ; it is the Ampedus sub-

carinatus of Germar, Zeitschrift, v. p. 177, No. 39 (1844),

where it is fully described: it is the Ampedus tibialis of Dejean’s

Catalogue, under which name I have received it from Paris.

Specimens have been taken by Mr. G. Guyon, in Richmond

Park; by Mr. S. Stevens at Tooting Common, and by myself

at Wanstead.

XXII. Memorandum on the Wing-Rays of Insects. By

Epwarp Newman, Esq., F.L.S., &e.

[Read 4th June, 1855.]

AttuoucH I have no wish to advocate the physiological as of

higher importance than other branches of our Science, yet I

venture to express a hope that physiology will claim a share of

our attention, and that in our great and praiseworthy desire to

become acquainted with the diversified characters of organs, we

shall not altogether lose sight of the fact, that organs are the mere

instruments of functions, while functions are the mainsprings of

vitality and the evidences of its existence. It has lately been my

duty to deplore the loss of one of the greatest physiological En-

tomologists the world has ever produced ; and although his mantle

has not fallen on either of us, though we can no more hope for a

succession of Newports than of Shaksperes or of Newtons, still

I trust there will arise zealous followers of so eminent a philoso-

pher, and that many of us will strive to be the proximus, undaunted

by the longo intervallo, with which our biographers will assuredly

accompany their comparison.

Influenced by these feelings I have arranged, but I fear not very

methodically, some observations and ideas which I had long ago

jotted down, touching the office of those familiar portions of an

insect’s wing commonly known as nervures or veins; and, even

though I fail to make proselytes to my views, yet I think I may

succeed in turning the attention of some of our members to a

subject replete with interest, and one which must amply repay

them for the time and attention required in its investigation.

In the wing of every insect are to be seen certain harder, more

opaque, more incrassated portions than the rest, and these I will

call rays: day by day we are learning to appreciate more highly

the value of these rays as affording characters whereby to dis-

tinguish species, genera and even families from each other: there

really seems no limit to the assistance they render us in arriving

at just, sound and permanent conclusions; neither have we yet

seen an end, or even the beginning of the end, of the profound

and praiseworthy assiduity with which these same rays are studied:

yet, I believe I am correct in saying that we make no attempt to

ascertain their use, to learn the allotted part which they play in

VOL, Ill. N.S, PART VI.—ocT. 1855, Q

226 Mr. E. Newman’s Memorandum

the economy of the animal, the definite function which these

organs are specially created to perform. It must not be supposed

that, in making this assertion, I either overlook or undervalue

the researches of Latrielle, Herold, Oken, Chabrier, Jurine,

Audouin, Robineau-Desvoidy and Macquart; but those entomo-

logists, who are familiar with the works of these eminent authors,

will recollect, that with the single, and, I may say, singular excep-

tion of Oken, there is scarcely an attempt made to work out con-

clusions, leaving these rather to be inferred from names than en-

forced by the synthesis of details. Leach, with that intuitive

perception of truth which is the distinguishing characteristic of

his multifarious labours, called them pterygostea or wing-bones ;

and the observations of Chabrier, Robineau-Desvoidy and Mar-

quart most undesignedly corroborate the conclusion which these

terms imply: each of these authors adduces satisfactory evidence

that the rays perform the office of wing-bones, without announcing

that conclusion ; each seems to unveil truth without perceiving

her. Others dwell, more or less emphatically, on some func-

tion going on within the ray; as if the ray had no other office

than to perform that function—as if they believed that a man

lived that he might breathe and feel, or that his blood might cir-

culate, instead of adopting the more simple and obvious conclusion

that it was ordained for these functions to be carried on in order

that he might live.

One class of observers finds the wing-rays to be traversed by

tracheze, and hence concludes they are organs of respiration :

another asserts they are permeated by nerves, and thinks this a

warranty for giving them the name of nerves; while a third dis-

covers in them channels through which blood circulates, and hence

other writers have called them veins, Now, [ raise no objection

to receiving the evidence of these observers ; on the contrary, I

can bear willing testimony to the existence of channels for the

passage of both air and blood; still I reject, because it were most

illogical and unphilosophical to accept, either of the three hypo-

theses which Entomologists have founded on these observations,

and which severally supposed the rays to be branchiz, nerves

and veins.

The breathing hypothesis, though, perhaps, not originated, was

warmly advocated by Oken, who, having satisfied himself that the

tracheze really traversed the rays, and thus unquestionably esta-

blished a connexion between the wing and the process of aération,

concluded that the wing was an external naked branchia to whose

functions were superadded that of flight. We have been so ac-

on the Wing-Rays of Insecis. | 227

eustomed to smile at the transcendental hypothesis of Oken, to

regard his great peculiarities, the substitution of hypotheses for

truths, of verbs for nouns, that we agree in discarding this idea,

which, however, divested of two errors, first, the mistaking of an

analogy for an homology, and secondly, the mistaking of an active

for an apathetic function, evidently indicates an acute percep-

tion of facts, which however admit of an explanation totally

different.

The nerve hypothesis, although by far the most popular, has

never been advocated with an earnestness displaying any strong

belief in its truth; its great recommendation appears to be con-

veyed in a name, given almost at haphazard, yet, strange to say,

universally received. Kirby and Spence recommend the substi-

tution of the word “nervure”’ instead of nerve, and other authors

have used the terms “ nervelet,” “nervule,” ‘nervation” and

*“neuration”; yet I am unaware of a single attempt to show that

these rays are in any respect organs of sensation ; indeed, no En-

tomologist will maintain that they are so; and if the word nerve

is objectionable because of its untruth, then are the endearing

diminutives, or indeed any terms eonveying the same untruthful

idea, objectionable also ; for it is impossible to disconnect such

terms from the idea of a function of feeling.

The vein hypothesis is the last and most fashionable ; it has

well nigh driven the nerve hypothesis out of the field; and is

adopted in this country by such eminent Entomologists as Haliday,

Walker, Stainton and Westwood; the last-named of whom has

said, in his introductory observations to Hewitson and Doubleday’s

Genera of Diurnal Lepidoptera, that, now these rays are proved by

physiological investigation to be veins, they ought to be so called :

but I hesitate to accept the premises, because I deny that a single

observation has ever been made that can warrant such a con-

clusion.

There are two modes of deducing conclusions from phenomena

which nature reveals to our senses, and thus makes manifest to

our understandings : first, by tracing the source of acts ; secondly,

by learning the object of structure. I am not confident that either

of these modes affords positive, but both of them afford presump-

tive, evidence in favour of my conclusion, which, in addition to the

support thus derived from opposite sources, receives additional

strength from the exactness with which acts and structure appear

to harmonize. But it must be borne in mind that man cannot

reason conclusively on the functions of a structure referrible to a

type essentially differing from that on which his own body is

Qa 2

228 Mr. E. Newman’s Memorandum

formed: he may, indeed, accumulate evidence as to the nature

of the function performed, until such accumulated evidence be-

comes highly satisfactory, but he cannot positively infer the func-

tion performed from the quality and characters of the organ per-

forming it: witness the antenna of an insect, the real use of

which is still a moot question, suspended perhaps for the moment,

but only on account of its difficulty.

Now taking a primd facie view of the wing of a butterfly, de-

nuded of its lepidia, it appears to consist, first, of a fabric of the

most delicate filmy, powerless character; indeed, so excessively

attenuated, that a small portion, detached from the rest, infallibly

floats awhile on the air; and, secondly, of a strong and durable

framework, on which the filmy fabric is extended and suspended,

as paper on the frame of a kite or glass in a window or greenhouse.

Seeing the wing, thus composed of two distinct elements, capable

of sustaining powerful and continued motion, and having observed

and considered these phenomena, I conclude that the framework

is the support of the membrane, and at the same time Is also the

instrument by means of which its movements are accomplished ;

and I arrive at this conclusion, not speculatively or hypothetically,

but involuntarily, and because the mind ignores every other.

Determined, however, to take nothing for granted, in a conclusion

SO opposite to the received opinions and habitual usages of all my

Entomological friends, I secured a number of specimens of Pieris

Brassica, when strongest on the wing: I separated the leading

wing-rays with the point of a penknife, in some near the basal, in

others near the distal extremity of the ray: in every instance the

distal portion of the wing fell powerless; the balance was de:

stroyed, and the poor mutilated insects, in their futile attemps to

fly, rolled over and over on the ground, until, out of compassion,

I terminated their tumbling. Here then was evidence, first, that

the filmy membrane was supported by the rays, and therefore

that the rays were organs of support: and, secondly, that their

mutilation prevented the insects from flying, and, therefore, that

they were organs of support subserving the power of locomotion.

Still I can imagine that some strenuous advocate of either of

the received hypotheses may contend that the motive power re-

sided in the membrane, but was deprived of its efficiency by the

injury it had received on my separating the rays. This argument

I am able to invalidate by one of those coincidences which often

appear curious and unaccountable. It happens, that many years

ago I made, and luckily published, an observation which bears,

and I chink conclusively, on the subject. I found, in Darenth

on the Wing-Rays of Insects. 229

Wood, a specimen of what I believe to be 4rgynnis Paphia, in

which the membrane of the wing had been destroyed by some

extraneous and unknown agency; the principal rays, however,

remained entire: the insect was on the ground and attacked by a

colony of ants, and the mutilation was so complete that I had the

greatest difficulty in making out what the creature could be;

yet, notwithstanding its injuries, it continued to move the denuded

rays up and down with great vigour and rapidity; the erect and

horizontal position alternating as when an insect flies, and the

motion being, in all likelihood, a well-intentioned but abortive

effort to escape by flight from its assailants. Here, then, is posi-

tive proof that the motion of the rays is not communicated by

the membrane, and also strong presumptive proof that the con-

verse of this is the actual truth: viz. that the rays, under the

influence of the muscles and tendons, and these again under the

influence of the will, communicate motion to the wing, thus en-

tirely reversing that assumed sequence of facts, which would con-

stitute the wing a competent organ of progressive motion, and its

rays merely subservient to respiration, feeling or circulation.

I therefore consider the rays of an insect’s wing as performing

precisely the same functions as the bones of a bat’s wing, and the

wing of a butterfly as the exact analogue of the wing of a bat.

And at this point I must beg leave to pause for a moment, in

order to express my unqualified dissent from that superficial

mode of investigation, which seeks and supposes that it perceives,

in an exosteate, the homologues of organs familiar to us in

an endosteate animal. The distinction between analogues and

homologues is broad, well defined and perfectly intelligible:

analogues are organs essentially different, performing the same

functions; homologues are organs essentially the same, yet,

under modified or altered forms, capable of performing widely

different functions: thus the ribs of Draco volins, the fingers of a

bat, and the rays of a butterfly, are only analogues, although the

function they perform is absolutely identical; while the radius

and ulna of man, the lion and the whale, are strictly homologues,

although they perform three widely-different functions.

Proceeding to consider the evidence afforded by structure, it

seems necessary to commence with the attachment of the rays to

the trunk of the insect.

Libellula, a genus preeminently distinguished for its powers

of flight, the swallow, or perhaps the vulture, of the insect world,

has been selected by Chabrier for most of his explanatory dissec-

tions; and in this insect the thoracic cavity is almost filled by

230 Mr. E. Newman’s Memorandum.

four enormous cylindrical muscles, each attached below to the

interior face of the sternal osteodermal envelope, and continued

above ina conical form until terminated in a tendon absolutely

attached to a ray of the wing. ‘Take the thoracic mass of a

Libellula recently killed in one hand, and, with the other intro-

duce a pin through the aperture caused by the separation of the

abdomen, and it will be seen that motion can be readily com-

municated to the wings, by forcibly moving the muscles I have

described: these muscles are continuous with the tendons, the

tendons with the rays, and the rays support the membrane.

Fragments of these muscles and tendons appear conspicuously

in Bowerbank’s figure of the wing of Chrysopa Perla, and their

existence may be ascertained in a moment, by pulling out of its

socket the wing of any cabinet specimen of a large moth or beetle ;

the adhesion to fhe rays being stronger than the adhesion of the

component parts of the muscle infer se, they cohere to the wing

more readily than to the muscular mass; indeed it cannot escape

the notice of those who examine the internal cavity of a dried

insect, that the muscle readily separates into flakes, which have

little or no cohesion among themselves,

The shaft of the ray, or, we may say, the ray itself, exhibits

an exquisite, perhaps an unparalleled, example of the union of

lightness with strength, combined with another important element

of usefulness, that of partial flexibility. It is long, strong, cylin-

drical, often transparent, and generally tubular, the last-named con-

dition being, in the estimation of engineers, a most important

element of enduring strength. But these characters do not always

obtain, some of the rays in the wings of Coleoptera being merely

suspended in membrane, as the limbs of a Manatus in muscle ;

and in such instances they are neither transparent nor cylindrical.

Again, in a great number of instances, in the genera both of Cole-

optera and Hymenoptera, the rays are articulated, not only once,

but divided into a considerable number of short pieces or joints:

Jurine, who first noticed this structure, did not, as it seems to me,

either understand or justly appreciate it; he called the joints

bulle, and he treats them simply as bubbles. It would, however,

be somewhat needlessly extending the inquiry, were I to discuss

the various phases which these rays may exhibit; suffice it to

say, that no phase, however abnormal, throws any doubt on my

suggestion of their being exclusively organs of support in exactly

the same sense as the bones of vertebrates are so considered.

Taking the rays of a butterfly’s wing as a normal and familiar

example, and an apt illustration of wing-rays in general, and

on the Wing-Rays of Insects. 231

seeing how strong and tough these are in life, and how frail and

fragile after death, it becomes a source of much interest to know

that they possess what might be called a special vitality, the con-

tinuance and co-existence of which with the insect’s life is pro-

vided for by an organization of the most elaborate and beautiful

character, an organization unsurpassed in nature for its minute

and wonderful perfection: unlike the delicate membrane they

support, the rays are -traversed, vivified and invigorated by the

permeation of air and blood throughout their central channels.

Mr. Bowerbank, in an admirable memoir published in the third

volume of the Entomological Magazine, corroborating Oken’s

subsequent observation, but leaving his hypothesis untouched, has

shown us that large annulated tracheze traverse the entire length

of the cavity of the wing-rays, in Hemerobius Perla, often occupy-

ing three-fourths, and sometimes four-fifths, of the central chan-

nel; and he watched the blood flowing around these air-tubes,

between their external surface and the interior wall of the ray

itself. Now, since neither the air nor blood, which thus in company

traverse the ray8, escapes into the membrane of the wing or else-

where, but is strictly confined in its course to the interior of the

rays, it seems reasonable to conclude that its office, in connexion

with the rays, is only that of maintaining them in a state of per-

fect health and vigour, in a word, of preserving them in the

exact state best adapted to the due performance of the functions

assigned to them. It would not, I believe, be difficult to show

that the wing-bones of birds and bats are permeated by air and

blood in a similar manner, and probably for a similar purpose,

and that they undergo a continual process of renovation through

the instrumentality of at least one of these elements. It is,

therefore, as strictly in accordance with inductive philosophy as

with the immediate and direct suggestions of the mind, whether

instructed or uninstructed, to regard the wing-rays of insects

wholly and entirely as organs of support, in some cases actively

employed in, always more or less connected with, the function of

locomotion, and their vascular appareil as simply subservient to

the maintenance of their healthful vitality and efficiency.

There is something in a name, whatever the poet may teach to

the contrary, and if we discard such names as branchize, nerves

and veins, because untruthful, sti// the name of plerygostea remains

and implies the truth. I think, however, that the simple word

ray, Latinized by radius, will be found sufficiently descriptive, and

fortunately possesses another claim, that of priority.

Bae, Mr. Lubbock on the

XXIII. On the Freshwater Entomostraca of South

America. By Joun Luspocx, Esq., F.Z.S.

[Read May 7th, 1855. ]

Proressor Dana, in his great work on the Crustacea collected by

him in Captain Wilkes’s expedition, has devoted a long and most

interesting chapter to the geographical distribution of these animals.

Great, however, as have been the pains he has bestowed on it, and

many as have been the facts at his disposal, yet there are so many

species yet to be described, and the geographical limits of those

which are described are so little known, that it must be confessed

that he excites rather than satisfies the interest of Naturalists.

Also, as might have been expected, attention has been more

directed to the higher and larger families than to the smaller and

lower ones, which are both more rich in species, and have hitherto

been less studied.

The freshwater provinces have necessarily more definite

boundaries than the marine, because it is more difficult for fresh

water species to migrate, or be accidentally carried away from

their native haunts. For these reasons [ was anxious to examine

the Crustacea collected by Mr. Darwin in the rivers and lakes of

South America. It can hardly be doubted that, when thoroughly

examined, they will prove as rich in Entomostraca as our own; but

owing to the meshes of Mr. Darwin's nets being too large, and to

his attention not being especially directed to Entomostraca, I only

find five species in his Collection, and one of them is so much in-

jured that I cannot describe it. Professor Dana, in his great

works, describes three species; Mr. Gay, in the Mauna Chilena,

six; and Dr. Baird, in the Proceedings of the Zool. Soc., one; so

that the list is at present as follows :—

Cypris Donnetti, Baird.

Chilensis, Dana.

speciosa, Dana.

Australis, mihi.

Brasiliensis, mihi.

Freshwater Entomostraca of South America. W350

Candona albida, Dana.

Lynceus nasutus, Gay.

albicans, Gay.

armatus, Gay.

Diaptomus Brasiliensis, mihi.

Cyclops brevicornis, Gay.

Daphnia spinifera, Gay.

granaria, Gay.

Brasihensis, mihi.

Fourteen species, all belonging to genera also found in Europe,

and affording several remarkable instances of representative spe-

cies. Daphnia spinifera closely resembles D. mucronata, Diap-

tomus Brasiliensis in many points agrees perfectly with D. Castor.

Candona albida, and all the Cyprides, are very like the English

species, and if the Lyncei were described more in detail the

same would probably be found to be the case with them also.

Mr. King has lately described some of the Australian fresh water

Entomostraca in the Pro. Roy. Soc. Van Diemen’s Land, January,

1853. He mentions four species of Alona, two of Lurycercus,

two of Chydorus, two of Dunhevedra, n. g., one Macrothrix, two

Moine, and four Daphnie, one of which he considers identical

with D. mucronata, Miller. These again are all European genera

except one, Dunhevedra, which however does not differ materially

from European forms.

This result is interesting, and I believe in accordance with what

has been observed in other families. It is curious that fresh water

genera have usually more extended geographical limits than those

which inhabit either the land or the sea.

Genus Cypris.

Sp. 1. Cypris Donnettii, Baird, Proc. Zool. Society.

** Carapace valves elongate oval. Anterior extremity narrower

than posterior, and considerably flatter; posterior extremity

rounded, and very convex; dorsal edge arched; ventral slightly .

reniform. The surface of the valves is smooth and shining, of a

brown colour, variegated with patches of a darker shade. The

pediform antennze are provided with about six bristles of consi-

derable length.”

lresh water ponds, Coquimbo.

234 Mr. Lubbock on the

Sp. 2. C. speciosa, Dana, Wilkes, Exp. 1852, v. 13, 1285.

“‘ Oblonga, subovata, antice angustior, subtus fere recta, vix ex-

cavata, alioque bene arcuata, latior et plus duplo longior

quam alta; ad marginem anticum pubescens, posticum bre-

viter ciliata. Flava et lete viridis, areis flavis paucis imper-

fectis viridi circumdatis.”

Rio Janeiro.

This species appears to differ from the last chiefly in the pre-

sence of hairs.

Sp. 3. C. Chilensis, Dana.

* Latere visa, subovata, pone medium parce altior, subtus

paululo arcuata, dorso vix gibbosa, triplo longior quam lata,

duplo longior quam alta, marginibus antico infero posticoque

pubescentibus. Antenne antice, 7-articulate, setis dimidio

corporis vix longioribus.”

Valparaiso.

Length jj, nch.

Sp. 4. C. ‘Australis, mihi.

“‘ Latere visa, subovata, antice paulo angustior, setis passim

sparsis, marginibus postico, inferoque fere rectis, antico supe-

roque bene arcuatis.”

Maldonado.

Collected by Mr. Darwin in June, 1833.

Length 5!, inch.

Closely resembles C. Donnettii, but differs in having scattered

hairs, and the hind margin is straight.

Sp. 5. C. Brasiliensis, mihi.

‘‘Marginibus supero inferoque fere rectis, aliis bene arcuatis,

extremitatibus fere aquis. Setis passim sparsis.”

Maldonado.

Collected by Mr. Darwin in May, 1833.

Length =, inch.

This species closely resembles some of the Candonas, but it has

the antennary setz long, and belongs therefore to Cypris.

Freshwater Entomostraca of South America. 235

Genus CanpDona.

Sp. 6. C. albida, Dana.

‘“‘Latere visa, breviter subelliptica, extremitatibus fere aqua,

late rotundata, subtus recta, supra obsolete gibbosa; triplo

Jongior quam lata, non duplo longior quam alta, margine

pubescente. Oculus margine superno remotus. Albido-

margaritacea, postice et superne paulo brunnea.”

Valparaiso.

Length = inch.

Genus Lyncevs.

Sp. 7. L. nasutus, Gay.

« Alboflaviscens, capite elongato inflexo rostriformi; testa

postice truncata, angulo externo spiniformi.”

« A very small species, with the head prolonged into a large

curved rostrum as in some Circulionide; a small oculiform spot

in front of the eye; carapace truncated behind, and its latero-pos-

terior extremities angular, with a strong spine.”

Colour a pale yellowish, uniform white.

San Carlos de Chiloe among conferve.

Sp. 8. L. albicans, Gay.

** Valvis postice rotundatis, inermis.”

** Natatory antenne with long hairs, the oculiform spots dis-

tinct; head prolonged into a beak, more thick but less large than

that of the preceding species; inferior and posterior margins of

the valves rounded, without angles or spines.”

Colour a transparent white.

Sante Rosa.

Described as existing in ‘‘ Los mares de Sante Rosa.”

This species probably belongs to Dr. Baird’s genus Chydorus.

Sp. 9. L. armatus, Gay.

‘* Albovirescens; valvis postice spiniferis.”

* The hairs of the antennz and feet are large and short, valves

rounded inferiorly and terminated posteriorly by a dentated tail.”

Colour a very pale greenish white.

With the preceding

236 Mr. Lubbock on the

Genus Dapunia.

Sp. 10. D. spinifera, Gay, Fauna Chilena.

** Alba, valva spinis minutissimis hirsuta.”

‘“‘ Head separated from the back by a slight depression, and

prolonged in the form of a rounded beak, valves terminated pos-

teriorly by large, sharp points, a little curved at the apex. The

whole surface of the shell covered with little spines, only visible

with a microscope.”

San Carlos de Chiloe.

This species resembles in shape D. mucronata.

Sp. 11. D. granaria, Gay, Fauna Chilena.

“ Alba, valva subtilissime granaria.”

‘““ Head not separated from the back by a depression; valves

shagreened on the whole surface like the elytra of the Elafri; feet

of the last pair terminated by one stylet; external antenne very

large.”

Colour white and transparent.

San Carlos de Chiloe.

Length ;

Width 4 line.

Sp. 12. D. Brasiliensis, mihi.

D. Pulici similis. Valvis levibus margine supero regulariter

arcuato et pone medium spinifero, postico acuto, infero fere

semicirculari.

Collected by Mr. Darwin in June, 1833.

Length J; inch.

This species has a slight depression between the head and the

body, and a few hairs on the lower posterior margin, as well as

above.

There were three specimens of another species in Mr. Darwin’s

Collection, but they were so much injured that I did not like to

found a new species on them.

Freshwater Entomostraca of South America. — 237

Genus Cyctors.

Sp. 13. C. brevicornis, Gay.

‘¢ Albescens, antennis primi paris thorace brevioribus.”

Antenne of the first pair much shorter than the thorax: the

terminal setae of the lobes of the abdomen as large as the body;

eggs in one group on the upper side of the abdomen. Colour

rosy white, with patches of yellow on the back; feet white, eggs

sea-green.

Length

San Carlos de Chiloe.

I have some doubts whether this is a fresh water species; it is

not C. brevicornis, Miller.

Family Catanip2.

Sp. 14. Diaptomus Brasiliensis, n. s.

Cephalothorax 6-articulatus. Antennz anticze corpore paulo

breviores. Antenne secunde, mandibule, secundi et tertit

maxillipedum pares, et quarti primi pedum pares, ut in D.

Castore. Pedes postici maris prehensiles. Abdomen maris

5-feeminee 3-articulatum.

Long. +5 une.

Collected by Mr. Darwin, at Port Desire, in Patagonia. It

inhabits fresh water.

The anterior antennz consist, as usual, of about twenty-four

segments; the right antenna of the male is prehensile, and the

hinge joint is situated between the fifth and sixth segments, count-

ing from the apex. The sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth seg-

ments, are slightly swollen, and contain the strong muscle which

closes the hinge joint. I believe that it is opened again by its

own elasticity, as I could not see any muscle for that purpose.

The fifth, sixth and seventh segments bear each a large spine,

which is pressed close to the antenna itself. The arrangement of

the hairs is very similar to that which I have described in the

. Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist. for September, 1853, as occurring

238 Mr. Lubbock on the

in certain other Calanide. The hairs are chiefly simple or lan-

ceolate.

The total length of the organ is =, of an inch.

The second pair of antennz are very like those of D. Castor.

The hairs do not appear to me to be plumose; they are much

longer than represented in Dr. Baird’s Plate XXVI. fig. la, being

as long as the organ itself. The second segment bears a row of

small bristles, which occurs in all the allied species which I have

examined. The palpus is 7-jointed, and the second segment, count-

ing from the base, appears to consist of three, which have partially

coalesced. Each segment bears a long simple hair, and the apical

segment has three.

The mandibles are very like those of the European species, and

both have eight teeth, but in the present the interior, as well as

the exterior tooth, is larger than the others. The palpus is much

thicker, and the hairs longer, in proportion, than in Dr. Baird’s

figure.

The second pair of maxille are very like those of D. Castor.

They are indistinctly 3-jointed, and bear about twenty hairs.

Length -,45.

The third pair of maxillipeds are 7-jomted ; the two basal seg-

ments are the largest, and bear respectively two or three small

hairs. The terminal portion is smaller than in D. Castor, especially

the last two segments, which have almost coalesced.

Length 31.

The thoracic legs are very similar to those of D. Castor. ‘The

two branches are both 3-jointed. The hairs are arranged as

follows. Beginning with the external and larger branch (fig. 5),

the two basal segments have each two hairs at the apex, one at

each side. The apical segment has eight; the three which are

situated on the outside are short, stout and spine-like, while those

on the inner side are long, slender and plumose. They evidently

assist in swimming.

The smaller branch has one hair at the apex of the basal joint,

two on the second and six on the apical joint, all on the inner

side, and similar to those of the other branch. The large basal

segment has, as usual, a plumose hair on the inner side, and the

second, from which the two branches spring, has two hairs, one of

which is lanceolate.

The basal segment appears to contain three muscles, two

flexors and an extensor. The first flexor appears to move the

plumose hair, and I am not sure that the other two are not con-

Freshwater Entomostraca of South America. 239

tinued into the next segment, which also has three muscles,

firstly, a flexor which, rising at the base of this segment, is in-

serted into the inner side of the apex of the penultimate segment

of the inner branch. The other two are the flexor and extensor of

the larger branch, and are inserted into its base. This larger

branch also contains a muscle similar to that of the smaller one.

The specimens, however, have been so long preserved in spirits

that it is difficult to make the muscles out with certainty, and in

some specimens the arrangement appeared to be different.

The fifth pair of legs in the female are ;4, inch in length, and

similar to one another. They are formed on the same plan as

the other legs, from which they differ in several particulars, but

chiefly in the shortness of hairs. The basal portion, as usual, con-

sists of two segments, the second of which is slightly bifid at the

apex, and bears a small hair. The larger branch is composed of

three segments, of which the basal bears a large spine at the out-

side of the apex; the second, a large spine on each side of the

apex, the inner one of which is provided with a row of little

spines on its upper edge, and the apical three spines; the lesser

branch, which is also 3-jointed, has the two basal segments each

provided with a spine on the inner side of the apex, and the ter-

minal segment armed with six spines.

Those of the male are larger, about 45 inch in length, and non-

symmetrical. The right is rather the largest. The basal portion,

as usual, consists of two segments, and bears two branches, the

inner one small and 3-jointed, the apical segment armed with four

spines. The outer large branch also consists of three segments,

the two basal ones each bearing a spine at the apex externally.

The second segment of this branch is crossed by a line, which

appears to Indicate that it consists nominally of two segments,

especially as I have observed the same appearance in other species.

The terminal joint has the form of a very large spine, and tapers

very much to the end, which seems drawn out into a filament, and

turned back. The apical half is dotted with a row of very fine

teeth.

The left leg is rather smaller; the inner branch and the spine

on the basal segment of the outer branch are wanting. The ter-

minal segment is similar in form to that of the other legs, from

which, however, it differs in having a spine externally at about a

quarter of its length from the base, in not tapering quite so much,

and in wanting the row of teeth or bristles.

The abdomen of the female consists of three segments, the first

240 Mr. Lubbock on the Freshwater Entomostraca.

rather larger than the other two put together. The males have

five segments. In both sexes the abdomen is terminated by two

short lamellee, each bearing five long plumose hairs.

EXPLANATION OF PLATE XV.

Fig. 1. Cypris Brasiliensis, mihi, outline.

2. Cypris Australis, mihi, outline.

8. Diaptomus Brasiliensis, mihi; second pair of antenne.

4. Diaptomus Brasiliensis, third pair of maxillipeds.

. Diaptomus Brasiliensis, first pair of natatory legs, male.

. Diaptomus Brasiliensis, left leg of the fifth pair natatory legs, male.

7. Diaptomus Brasiliensis, right leg of the fifth pair natatory legs, male.

8. Diaptomus Brasiliensis, fifth pair natatory legs, female.

. Daphnia Brasiliensis, mihi, outline.

( 241 )

XXIV. Monograph of the Australian Species of Chryso-

mela, Phyllocharis and allied Genera. By J.S. Baty,

Esq. (Continued from page 186.)

Genus 6. Avusrrarica (Details, Plate XIV. fig. 5 a, b, c.)

Chevr., Dej. Cat., edit. 3, 426; Orb. Dict. d’Histoir. Nat., ii.

358.

Calomela, Hope, Coleop. Man., ili. 166.

Antenne subclavate vel subincrassate, articulo primo clavato,

secundo brevi, ovato, tertio elongato, duobus proximis fili-

formibus, czeteris ad apicem graduatim dilatatis, compressis.

Palpi clavati, articulo ultimo dilatato, truncato. Unguiculi

dentati. Corpus ovatum vel elongatum, convexum ; thorax

transversus, lateribus non incrassatus; prosternum sepe

carinatum, basi bilobatum (Platymeld exceptd): pedes maris,

articulo basali tarsorum quatuor anticorum plus minusve

dilatato, pulvillo integro; feemine, pulvillo in medio longi-

tudinaliter diviso.

Many of these insects are brilliantly metallic: the type is Chry-

somela Curtis of Kirby, described in the 12th volume of the Lin-

nean Transactions; the genus separates naturally into four sub-

genera.

Subgenus 1. PLatyME.a.

Antenne dimidio corporis breviores, subclavate, articulis 2—4

gracilibus, ceteris ad apicem valde compressis. Prosternum

carinatum, antice productum, basi truncatum. Corpus elon-

gatum, subconvexum.

These insects are at once separated from the rest by the trun-

cate base of their prosternum.

Sp. 1. Platymela sticticollis, n. sp.

Elongata, pallide fulva, nitidissima, capite maculis duabus,

thorace maculis sex nigris, elytris fusco-zeneis, punctato-

striatis.

Long. 33 lin.

Elongate, shining, pale fulvous, with a metallic reflection.

Head prominent, distinctly punctured, two large spots on the

VOL, Ill. N.S. PART VII.—JAN. 1856. R

242 Mr. J. S. Baly’s Monograph of the

vertex brassy black; apex of jaws and the antenne black, the

latter slender, nearly half the length of the body, their four basal

joints fulvous. Thorax twice as broad as long, sides nearly

parallel behind, rounded and narrowed in front, anterior angles

acute; above slightly flattened, smooth and shining, disc dis-

tantly, sides more closely punctured; on the surface are six black

spots, four just behind the anterior margin and two on the disc.

Scutellum triangular, fulvous. Elytra nearly parallel, scarcely

wider than the thorax, more than three times its length, their apex

acutely rounded, surface coppery, with a brassy tinge, punctate-

striate; on each elytron below the shoulder is a large transverse

impression. Beneath pale fulvous, the tibiae and tarsi pitchy.

Melbourne.

I only know two specimens of this insect; one in the British

Museum, the other in my own Collection.

Sp. 2. Platymela unilineata, n. sp.

Elongata, subconvexa, fusco-zenea, macula verticali, thoracis

linea dorsali scutelloque fulvis.

Long. 4 lin.

Var. A. Tote fusco-znea.

Elongate, subconvex, shining brassy brown, a vertical patch

on the head, a dorsal vitta on the thorax, and the scutellum deep

fulvous. Head shining, brassy green, finely punctured, on the

face are a few coarser impressions; labrum, three first joints of

antenne, a small spot on either side at their base, and a short per-

pendicular line on the vertex, fulvous. Thorax twice as broad as

long, narrowed from the base towards the apex, rounded near

the latter, anterior angles acute, front margin concave, slightly

produced in the middle; surface coarsely but sparingly punc-

tured, the sides subvariolose; in the centre is an obscure ful-

vous line, which unites with the vertical spot on the head, and

with the pale scutellum to form a longitudinal vitta. Scutellum

smooth, rounded, fulvous. Elytra scarcely wider than the

thorax, parallel, their sides subsinuate; surface smooth and

shining, indistinctly flattened above, regularly punctate-striate,

the interstices minutely and obscurely punctured; on either side,

below the shoulders, is a broad, shallow fossa. Beneath brassy

brown, the sternum fulvous.

Var. A. Entirely brassy brown.

Moreton Bay.

The type in the Collection of M. Chevrolat and in my own;

the variety in my own possession.

Australian Species of Chrysomela, Phyllocharis, §/c. 243

Subgenus 2. AusTRALIca.

Antenne dimidio corporis breviores, subincrassate vel sub-

clavate, articulis 3tio ad 5tum filiformibus, tertio elongato,

ceteris ad apicem graduatim incrassatis, compressis. _Pro-

sternum non vel vix elevatum, basi bilobatum. Corpus ovatum

vel elongatum, maris tarsorum articulo basali vix dilatato,

The present subgenus contains by far the largest number of

species ; in many the longitudinal ridge on the prosternum is en-

tirely absent; whenever present, its apex is gradually lost in the

surface of the antipectus, and never abruptly truncate, or produced

into a tooth,

I, Dise of the elytra irregularly punctate, or with more than ten

rows of stric on each.

Sp. |. Australica Curtisii, (Kirby.)

Oblongo-elongata, sanguinea, profunde punctata, thoracis vitta

dorsali punctoque utrinque viridi-aureis, elytris cyaneis vel

viridi-aureis, limbo omni sanguineo, punctato-striato, subtus

nigro-cyanea, pedibus sanguineis, genubus tarsisque nigris.

Long. 3—384 lin.

Chrysomela Curtis, Kirby, Lin. Trans., xii. 473, n. 36, pl

23, fig. 12.

Var. A. Pallidior, elytrorum disco profunde punctato-subrugoso,

subtus nigro-cyanea, pedibus fulvis, femoribus

puncto apicali nigro.

Chrysomela Curtisii, Boisd. Voy. de l’Astrol., 577.

Chrysomela punctipes, Germ. Lin. Ent., ii. 236.

Var. B. Infra pallida, nigro-zenea infuscata.

Var. C. Elytrorum limbo obscure nigro-zeneo.

Var. D. Supra tote viridi-znea.

Oblong-elongate, sanguineous, deeply punctured. Head shining,

coarsely punctured, deeply impressed between the eyes; antenne

black, three or four basal joints fulvous beneath. Thorax twice

as broad as long, its sides parallel behind, rounded and narrowed

at the apex, the anterior angles acute, front margin concave ;

surface coarsely punctured, sides subvariolose, a broad dorsal

vitta, dilated in the middle, and a small spot on either side in

front, blue or brassy green. Scutelium smooth, impunctate.

Elytra nearly four times the length of the thorax, rather wider at

their base; sides parallel, apex rounded; above convex, the disc

R 2

244 Mr. J. 8. Baly’s Monograph of the

coarsely and irregularly punctured, metallic blue or green, limb

entirely fulvous, punctate-striate. Beneath dark metallic blue or

green, antipectus and legs sanguineous, the knees and tarsi black;

prosternum deeply grooved, coarsely punctured.

Var. A. Paler, dise of the elytra more coarsely punctured,

sub-rugose; legs fulvous, thighs with an apical

black spot.

Var. B. Beneath pale, more or less stained with brassy black.

Var. C. Limb of the elytra obscure brassy black; legs as in

the type.

Var. D. Above entirely metallic green.

South Australia; Tasmania. Var. A. Adelaide. Var. C.

Melbourne, Mr. Barton.

In most Collections. Var. C. in the British Museum and my

own Collection. Var. D. in that of Mr. Westwood.

Sp. 2. Australica Mac Leayi, (Boisd.)

Oblongo-elongata, fulva, profunde punctata, antennis, tarsis

scutelloque nigris, elytris viridi-aureis, irregulariter punc-

tatis, limbo omni fulvo, punctato-striato.

Long. 2 lin.

Chrysomela Mac Leayi, Boisd. Voy. de |’Astrolabe, 577.

Chrysomela colorata, Germ. Lin. Ent., ili. 237.

Nearly allied to Curtisitz, but smaller and entirely fulvous

beneath. Oblong-elongate, deeply punctured, elytra brassy green,

limb entirely fulvous. Head rugose-punctate, deeply impressed

in front; on the vertex is a short black line, four basal joints of

antenne pale, the rest black. ‘Thorax twice as broad as long,

sides nearly straight behind, rounded and narrowed in front,

anterior margin concave; disc coarsely punctate, sides variolose.

Scutellum smooth, black, Elytra. scarcely broader than the

thorax, three times its length, parallel in front, their apex

rounded; surface slightly excavated behind the shoulders, disc

brassy green, irregularly punctured, limb entirely fulvous, punc-

tate-striate. Beneath fulvous, apex of tibiae and the tarsi black ;

prosternum plain, or but slightly grooved.

South Australia, common.

This insect is separated from A. Curtisti by its smaller size, im-

maculate thorax, and the pale under surface, without metallic

tinge; it is however very difficult to distinguish from pale varieties

of that species.

Australian Species of Chrysomela, Phyllocharis, &c. 245

Sp. 3. Australica Bartoni, n. sp.

Oblongo-elongata, profunde punctata, pallide fulva, vertice

viridi-zeneo, thoracis lined dorsali, genubus tarsisque nigris,

elytrorum disco irregulariter punctato, viridi-zeneo, limbo

omni fulvo, punctato-striato.

Long. 4 lin.

Oblong-elongate, deeply punctured, pale fulvous, vertex and disc

of elytra brassy green, a dorsal line on the thorax, the knees and

tarsi black. Head coarsely punctured, deeply impressed between

the eyes; antenne black, the three basal joints pitchy. Thorax

more than twice as broad as long, parallel, rounded and narrowed

towards the apex, front margin slightly concave; disc coarsely

punctured, the sides variolose; in the middle of the thorax is a

black longitudinal line, its posterior third broadly dilated. Scu-

tellum smooth, brassy green. LElytra parallel, scarcely wider

than the thorax, three times its length, the disc brassy green,

coarsely and irregularly punctured, limb pale fulvous, punctate-

striate. Beneath pale fulvous, sides of the pleura pitchy; knees

and tarsi black.

Melbourne, Mr. Barton.

In the Collections of the British Museum, Mr. Janson and my

own.

Closely allied to 4. Curtisii, differing chiefly in its larger size,

pale underside and the shape of the dorsal line on the thorax ;

this in the former insect is dilated in its middle, but in the present

one the enlargement occurs much nearer the base. :

Sp. 4. dustralica cingulata, n. sp.

Oblongo-elongata, convexa, nitida rubra; elytris cyaneis, rubr«

marginatis.

Long. 43 lin.

Oblong-elongate, convex, shining red. Elytra deep metallic

blue, their outer border red. Head coarsely punctured between

the eyes; antenne rather longer than the thorax, black, the three

basal joints pitchy red. ‘Thorax twice as broad as long; sides

parallel and subsinuate behind, rounded and narrowed in front,

anterior margin concave; surface coarsely, disc distantly punc-

tured. Scutellum smooth, triangular, metallic red. Elytra rather

broader than the thorax, more than three times its length, sides

parallel in front, gradually rounded to the apex behind; surface

convex, slightly sinuate below the shoulders, punctate-striate ;

246 Mr. J. 8. Baly’s Monograph of the

the puncturing irregular on the sides. Beneath shining red,

three basal joints of tarsi pitchy, claws red.

Northwest coast of Australia.

Two specimens of this fine insect are in the British Museum.

Sp. 5. Australica maculicollis, (Boisd.)

Oblongo-elongata, chalybeata, punctatissima, thorace rubro,

punctis tribus nigris; elytris nigro- vel viridi-cyaneis, abdo-

minis apice femoribusque rubris.

Long. 3 lin.

Chrysomela maculicollis, Boisd. Voy. de |’ Astrolabe, 578.

Oblong-elongate, closely punctured. Head and thorax san-

guimeous; a vertical patch on the former and three spots on the

latter, black. Head deeply impressed in front, smooth and finely

punctured; antennz robust, black, the two basal joints pitchy-

red, palpi black. Thorax twice as broad as long, sides rounded

in front, narrowed from their base to the apex, anterior margin

slightly excavated, its middle feebly produced; sides closely

punctured, disc nearly impunctate; on the centre is placed a

large, round black spot, and on either side, near the outer margin,

is a smaller one, the same colour. Scutellum smooth, rounded

behind. Elytra scarcely broader than the thorax, three times

its length, the sides subovate, gradually rounding from their

middle to the apex; surface shining, dark metallic blue or green,

closely punctured, the punctures on the disc irregularly placed

in striz. Beneath, with the thorax, the apical segments of ab-

domen, and the femora, sanguineous; tibie and tarsi black.

Melbourne, Mr. Barton ; Tasmania.

Common in Collections.

Sp. 6. dustralica ioptera, n. sp.

Oblongo-elongata, fulva, fortiter punctata, elytrorum punctis

violaceis.

Long. 4—44 lin.

Oblong-elongate, fulvous, coarsely punctured, the elytra covered

with deeply impressed iridescent violet punctures. Head closely

punctured; jaws and four apical joints of antenne black. Thorax

twice as broad as long, its sides parallel behind, narrowed and

rounded in front, the anterior margin concave; surface coarsely

and irregularly punctured. Scutellum smooth, impunctate.

Elytra parallel, scarcely broader than the thorax, nearly four

Australian Species of Chrysomela, Phyllocharis, &c. 247

times its length; covered with deeply impressed, iridescent

violet punctures, arranged in strize near the suture, irregular over

the rest of the surface.

Adelaide, Mr. Wilson; Melbourne, Mr. Barton.

In most Collections.

Sp. 7. Australica fulvilabris, (Germ.)

Oblongo-elongata, viridi-ezenea, Jabro, antennarum basi pedi-

busque fulvis, thorace lateribus varioloso-punctato, elytris

striatis, striis confuse punctatis.

Long. 23 lin.

Chrysomela fulvilabris, Germ. Lin. Ent., 3, 238.

Oblong-elongate, convex, shining metallic green, the palpi,

labrum, five basal joints of antenne and legs fulvous. Head

punctured ; antennz rather longer than the thorax, six terminal

joints black. Thorax twice as broad as long, its sides rounded

and narrowed in front, anterior margin concave; disc firmly and

remotely, sides variolose-punctate. Scutellum triangular, smooth.

Elytra a little broader than the thorax, three times its Jength,

substriate, striae irregularly punctured. Body beneath shining

blue; legs fulvous, tibize slightly rounded, unguiculi short, ob-

soletely toothed.

Adelaide, Mr. Wilson.

Common in Collections.

Sp. 8. dAustralica ruficeps, (Boisd.)

Oblongo-elongata, nitida, cupreo-zenea, punctis minutis con-

spersa, capite pedibusque rubro-ferrugineis,

Long. 3—4 lin.

Chrysomela ruficeps, Boisd. Voy. de |’ Astrolabe, 578.

Oblong-elongate, shining cupreous, covered with minute brassy

green punctures, head and legs deep red. Head closely punctured ;

antenne red, the four or five terminal joints sometimes pitchy,

apex of jaws black. Thorax more than twice as broad as long,

rounded on the sides, narrowed in front, the anterior margin

deeply concave; surface covered with fine brassy green punc-

tures, more crowded and deeply impressed at the sides. Scutel-

lum smooth, impunctate. Elytra parallel in front, rather broader

than the thorax, more than three times its length, the apex

gradually rounded, sides slightly sinuate behind the shoulders ;

above convex, slightly excavated towards the outer border in

front, surface covered with numerous rows of brassy green punc-

248 Mr. J. S. Baly’s Monograph of the

tures, placed more irregularly towards the margin. Beneath

cupreous, with a brassy green reflection; apex of abdomen and

the legs deep red; in the last abdominal segment of the male is

a large, deep fovea.

Moreton Bay. The late Mr. Strange; Mr. Gibbon.

Common in Collections.

Il. Elytra each with ten rows of punctured strie, the first

: abbreviated.

Sp. 9. Australica pallida, n. sp.

Oblongo-elongata, flava, antennis nigris, elytris punctato-

striatis.

Long. 4—43 lin.

Oblong-elongate, pale fulvous. Face coarsely punctured’

deeply excavated between the eyes, vertex smooth; antennz

longer than the thorax, basal joint pale fulvous, the two or three

following pitchy, the rest black. Thorax twice as broad as long,

narrowed from behind towards the apex, the sides subsinuate,

suddenly rounded in front, anterior margin excavated, concave,

its angles acute; disc smooth, in front and along the base are a

few fine punctures, the sides subvariolose. Scutellum triangular,

smooth. Elytra parallel, scarcely wider than the thorax, three

times its length, subsinuate below the shoulders, the apex

rounded ; surface distinctly punctate-striate, interstices smooth.

Beneath entirely pale fulvous.

In the British Museum and my own Collection.

Sp. 10. Australica geniculata, n. sp.

Oblongo-elongata, flava, antennis, genubus tarsisque nigris,

elytris punctato-striatis.

Long. 4 lin.

Oblong-elongate, pale fulvous, antennze, knees and tarsi black.

Head rather more prominent than usual, smooth and shining, in-

distinctly punctured, apex of jaws black; antenne rather longer

than the thorax, the four basal joints pale fulvous. Thorax twice

as broad as long, its sides rounded, nearly parallel behind, broader

and thicker before their middle, narrowed towards the apex, the

anterior angles obtuse, front margin slightly concave; surface

convex, smooth and shining, disc finely and sparingly, sides

coarsely, punctured. Scutellum impunctate. Elytra subparallel,

scarcely wider than the thorax, three times its length, sides

Australian Species of Chrysomela, Phyllocharis, &c. 249

slightly sinuate below the shoulders, the apex rounded ; surface

regularly punctate-striate, each stria composed of a single row of

impressions, interstices obsoletely raised, subconvex. Beneath

pale fulvous ; knees, apex of tibia and the tarsi black.

North or north-west coast of Australia, Mr. Bynoe.

Two specimens in the British Museum and a third in the Col-

lection of Mr. Waterhouse.

Sp. Ll. Australica crassicornis, (Fab.)

Oblonga, convexa, pallide fulva, capite macula thoracisque fasciis

duabus transversis, lined longitudinali connexis, nigris; elytris

punctato-striatis, singulo maculé vittaque sinuaté nigris.

Long, 3—8 lin.

Chrysomela crassicornis, Fab. Syst. Ent. 99, n. 27; Spec. Ins.,

i. 122, n.38; Ent. Syst., i. 321, n. 69;

Syst. Eleuth., 1. 437, n. 94.

Gonioctena sinuata, De}. Cat. Col., edit. 3, 427.

Var. A. Capite thoraceque immaculatis, elytris pallide flavis,

maculis duabus nigris, posteriore majori oblonga.

Oblong, convex, pale fulvous. Head closely punctured in

front, smooth behind; a frontal patch, the antennz ‘(their four

or five basal joints sometimes excepted), and the palpi, black.

Thorax more than twice as broad as long, the lateral margins

rounded and narrowed in front; the disc distantly, sides coarsely

punctured, on the surface are two short black transverse fasciz,

the first on the anterior margin, the other broader and concave

in front, at the base, the two are united by a narrow vertical

line the same colour. Scutellum smooth, impunctate. Elytra

scarcely wider than the thorax, more than three times its length,

the sides*parallel in front ; surface punctate-striate, on each is a

subtriangular spot near the scutellum, and an irregular sinuous

vitta, black ; the latter, commencing at the humeral callus, extends

nearly to the apex of the elytron, it is much broader behind, and

frequently interrupted in its middle. Beneath fulvous, sides of

the breast and the abdomen stained with piceous; legs black, the

base of the thighs and more or less of the tibiae fulvous,

Var. A. Pale fulvous, six terminal joints of antenne and

two spots on each elytron black.

Moreton Bay, Mr. Gibbon.

250 Mr. J. S. Baly’s Monograph of the

Not uncommon in collections; this species is the Gonioctena

sinuata of Dejean’s Catalogue; the specimen in the Banksian

Cabinet, from which the description of Fabricius was drawn, is an

extremely pale variety, in which the head and thorax are both

immaculate, and the sinuous line abbreviated into an cule

patch behind the middle of the elytron.

Sp. 12. 4ustralica vittata, n. sp.

Oblongo-elongata, pallide fulva, elytris profunde punctato-

striatis, singulo vitta longitudinali viridi-anea.

Long. 3—33 lin.

Oblong-elongate, pale fulvous, coarsely punctured, elytra deeply

punctate-striate, with a longitudinal stripe on each, brassy green.

Head closely punctured, the vertex stained with black ; four basal

joints of antenne pitchy, the rest black. Thorax twice as broad

as long, the sides rounded, anterior margin concave ; disc coarsely

punctured, variolose on the sides. Scutellum smooth, fulvous, its

apex pitchy. Elytra parallel, scarcely wider than the thorax,

more than three times its length, deeply punctate-striate, on the

dise of each, and extending nearly to the apex, is a narrow green

vitta, the punctures on which are deeper and more confused than

elsewhere on the surface; the suture and outer margin narrowly

edged with black. Beneath pale fulvous, the tarsi pitchy.

Melbourne, Mr. Barton.

In the collections of the British Museum, Mr. Sheppard, and

my own.

The deep puncturing of the elytra at once distinguishes this

insect from the allied species.

Sp. 13. Australica pulchella, n. sp.

Oblonga, nitidissima, fulva, elytris punctato-striatis, fusco-aeneis,

margine pallido.

Long. 23 lin.

Oblong, shining fulvous, elytra brassy brown, their margin pale.

Head punctured; antennze fuscous, the basal joints fulvous.

Thorax more than twice as broad as long, sides nearly straight

behind, rounded and narrowed before the middle, anterior angles

acute, front margin deeply excavated, concave ; disc smooth and

shining, indistinctly punctate, sides variolose, Scutellum triangular,

Australian Species of Chrysomela, Phyllocharis, &c. 251

subacuminate, smooth. Elytra parallel, slightly broader than the

thorax, more than three times its length, sides subsinuate, apex

rounded ; surface brassy brown, with a pale fulvous border, punc-

tate-striate, the punctures irregularly placed on the stria, each of

the latter being composed of more than one row of impressions.

Beneath entirely fulvous.

In the British Museum and my own Collection.

Sp. 14. Australica circumfusa, Chevr.

Oblongo-ovata, convexa, nitida rubra; elytris punctato-striatis,

cupreis, margine fulvo, subtus picea, prothorace, sterno femo-

ribusque rubris.

Long. 4 lin.

Oblong-ovate, convex, shining red, elytra cupreous, narrowly

margined with pale fulvous. Head smooth, indistinctly punctured,

face excavated between the eyes, subrugose ; antenne half the

length of the body, black, the basal joint pale fulvous. Thorax

three times as broad as long; the sides parallel behind, rounded

and narrowed towards their apex, front margin deeply concave,

the anterior angles obtuse ; surface with a few scattered punctures,

smooth and shining. Scutellum smooth, triangular, cupreous.

Elytra scarcely broader than the thorax, more than three times

its length, their sides nearly parallel, the apex obtusely rounded ;

above convex, regularly punctate-striate, cupreous, the entire

margin pale fulvous; on the sides near the base are placed two

shallow fovee, interstices indistinctly punctured. Beneath with

the abdomen pitchy ; prothorax, sternum and thighs red.

This insect is unique in the fine Collection of Mons. Chevrolat,

who has kindly placed it in my hands for examination; in the length

of its antennz and in shape it forms a link between the present and

succeeding sub-genera,

S ubgenus 3. STETHOMELA.

Antenne dimidii corporis longitudine, subincrassatee, articulis

elongatis, Prosternum valde carinatum, antice truncatum, basi

bilobatum. Corpus robustum, oblongum, convexum. Pedes

maris articulo tarsorum basali distincte dilatato.

The prosternum is abruptly truncate anteriorly, its lower surface

being broad and flat, sometimes grooved.

252 Mr. J. S. Baly’s Monograph of the

Sp. 1. Stethomela submetallica, Chevr.

Oblonga, convexa, nitida, rubra, elytris cupreo-zneis, tenuiter

punctato-striatis, lateribus infra humeros transversim ex-

cavatis.

Long. 43—5 lin.

Var. A. Cuprea, capitis vertice scutelloque rubris.

Var. B. Supra pallide viridi-znea, infra flava. (Plate XIV.

fig. 5.)

Oblong, shining red, elytra cupreous, finely punctate-striate.

Head deeplyimpressed between the eyes, the vertex sparingly punc-

tured ; jaws and antennze (the 2—4 basal joints excepted) black.

Thorax narrowly margined, twice as broad as long, its sides parallel

behind, narrowed and rounded in front, anterior margin concave ;

surface red, coarsely but distantly punctured, more crowded on

the sides, the latter stained with metallic brown, which often ex-

tends considerably over the disc. Scutellum narrow, triangular.

Elytra bright olive green, shining, convex, broader than the

thorax and three times its length; surface finely punctate-striate,

the punctures irregularly placed on the striae ; below the shoulders

is a short, deep, transverse fossa, near the inner extremity of which

is a single deep impression. Beneath shining red ; prosternal ridge

terminating in an obtuse tooth, which is produced beyond the

antipectus.

Var. A. Above cupreous, the vertex and scutellum pitchy red.

Var. B. Above pale metallic green, beneath yellow.

Moreton Bay.

In the Collection of Mr. Waterhouse, also in my own Cabinet.

Sp. 2. Stethomela prasina, n. sp.

Oblonga, nitida, supra pallide viridis, infra flava, elytris tenuiter

punctato-striatis, lateribus infra humeros, punctis nonnullis

magnis excavatis.

Long. 5 lin.

Very closely allied to the last species, somewhat larger, paler

and without metallic tinge. Above light grass green, the lower

portion of the face and antennz pale yellow. The sides of the

thorax less parallel and more rounded in front; its surface rather

less convex, more closely punctured, and with a large shallow fovez

on either side; paler in colour than the elytra, the disc being

Australian Species of Chrysomela, Phyllocharis, §c. 253

slightly tinged with yellow. Scutellum triangular, yellowish

green. Elytra more than three times the length of the thorax,

distinctly punctate-striate, the punctures irregularly disposed on

the strize; on the sides in front are four or five large shallow

depressions. Beneath pale yellow. Apex of prosternum produced

into an obtuse tooth.

A single specimen in the British Museum.

Sp. 3. Stethomela poroptera, n. sp.

Oblonga, nitida, cupreo-zenea ; elytris punctato-striatis, punctis

magnis, fortiter impressis, pedibus rufo-piceis.

Long. 5—53 lin.

Oblong, shining cupreous, with a brassy green reflection.

Head shining, finely and sparingly punctured ; antenne half the

length of the body, nigro-piceous, the four basal joints rufous.

Thorax twice as broad as long, its sides narrowly margined,

nearly straight behind, rounded and narrowed towards the apex,

sinuate behind the anterior angles, the latter slightly produced,

subacute; surface deeply punctured, punctures distinct on the

disc, crowded and variolose at the sides. Scutellum triangular,

smooth. Elytra convex, parallel in front, broader than the thorax,

three times its length, the sides sinuate ; surface deeply punctate-

striate, each stria consisting of a single row of large, deeply

excavated, brassy green punctures, those on the striz near the

suture more closely placed and smaller than the rest. Beneath

cupreous, legs pitchy red, tarsi paler.

Richmond River.

In the Collections of the British Museum, M., Deyrolle, Messrs.

Sheppard, Waterhouse and my own.

Subgenus 4. AUGoMELA.

Antenne dimidio corporis breviores, subclavatz, articulis 2—4

filiformibus, ceteris ad apicem graduatim incrassatis, com-

pressis. Prosternum carinatum, basi bilobatum, antice obtuse

truncatum, vel dente obtuso productum. Corpus ovatum,

convexum; maris tarsorum articulo basali dilatato.

These insects are the most brilliant of the whole genus, all the

known species being highly metallic and iridescent.

254 Mr. J. 8. Baly’s Monograph of the

Sp. 1. Augomela iridea, n. sp.

Ovata, convexa, nitida, auro-zenea, iridescens, thorace cyaneo

marginato, elytris punctato-striatis, margine, sutura vittaque

basali obliqua, cyaneis.

Long. 4 lin.

Ovate, convex, shining golden green, iridescent, elytra punctate-

striate, their outer margin, the suture and an oblique vitta at the

base, violet blue. Head deep metallic blue, with a golden green

reflection, smooth and shining; antennz black, the basal joints

pale fulvous. Thorax three times as broad as long, its sides

rounded and narrowed towards the apex, the latter concave,

anterior angles obtuse ; surface deeply and distantly punctured,

brassy green, disc golden, the entire limb narrowly edged with

metallic blue. Scutellum smooth, triangular, its apex obtuse.

Elytra broader than the thorax, more than three times its length,

the sides ovate, subsinuate in their middle, the apex rounded;

above convex, with a shallow transverse fossa below the shoulders,

regularly punctate-striate, interstices smooth, impunctate; disc

golden, the limb brassy green, the extreme edge of the sutural

and outer margins and an oblique longitudinal patch from the

base of each elytron, violet blue. Beneath cupreous, the legs

pitchy, with a brassy green reflection; thighs more or less red.

Sydney, Moreton Bay. Mr. Gibbon.

In the British Museum, and my own Collection.

Sp. 2. Augomela pyroptera, n. sp.

Ovata, convexa, nitida, aurea, iridescens, elytris tenuiter punc-

tato-striatis, fascia obliqua transversa antice, maculaque trian-

eulari magna post medium, viridi-zneis.

Long. 34 lin.

Ovate, convex, shining golden green, iridescent. Head deeply

impressed in front, distinctly punctured, dark metallic green, with

a purple reflection ; antennz rather longer than the thorax, black.

Thorax twice as broad as long, the sides rounded, narrowing from

their base to the apex, anterior angles subacute, front margin

concave; surface finely and indistinctly punctured, with a few

coarse impressions at the base and sides; disc golden, bordered

on the outer margins with brassy green, the extreme base of the

thorax and a narrow dorsal line violet blue. Scutellum metallic

green, broad, rounded behind, its surface indistinctly punctured.

Elytra broader than the thorax, scarcely three times its length,

Australian Species of Chrysomela, Phyllocharis, §c. 255

the sides ovate, sinuate; above convex, golden-green, finely and

reguiarly punctate-striate, below the shoulders is a deeply im-

pressed, transverse fossa; on the anterior part of the surface is a

broad brassy green fascia, which commences beneath the humeral

callus and extends obliquely across each elytron to the middle of

the suture, on its outer half is alarge violet blue stain; behind the

middle is placed a large indistinctly defined triangular patch, dull

metallic green. Beneath with the legs violet blue.

Richmond River.

Unique, in the British Museum.

Sp. 3. Augomela hypochalcea (Germ.)

Ovata, convexa, nitida, auro-zenea, elytris punctato-striatis,

fusco- vel atro-violaceis, lateribus viridi-zeneis, pedibus cy-

aneis, tarsis latis.

Long. 33—44 lin.

Chrysomela hypochalcea, Germ. Lin, Ent., iii. 236.

Var. A. Elytris viridi-aureis, neo reflectis.

Ovate, convex, shining golden green, elytra dark metallic violet

brown or black, brassy green on the sides. Head deep violet

blue, impressed on the face, coarsely and irregularly punctured ;

antenne rather longer than the thorax, the four or five basal

joints pitchy, the rest black. Thorax more than twice as broad

as long, the sides rounded, narrowed from the base towards the

apex, indistinctly thickened, the front margin concave; surface

stained behind and in front with violet blue, minutely and closely

punctured, with a few deeper impressions scattered singly over

the disc, and rather more crowded at the sides. Scutellum

smooth, dark metallic green. Elytra rather broader than the

thorax, three times its length, their sides ovate, sinuate behind

the middle, the apex obtusely rounded; above convex, regularly

and finely punctate-striate, interstices minutely punctured ; below

the shoulders is an interrupted transverse fossa, extending across

the six outer stria, the latter between the base and middle of the

elytron lacunose ; surface obscure violet brown or black, tinged

with metallic green on the sides and base, on the transverse fossa

is a violet blue patch, Beneath with the legs deep blue, the tarsi

short and broad, their second joint being equal in width to the

third.

Var. A. Elytra golden green, with a brassy tinge.

Adelaide, not uncommon, Var. A, Richmond River.

256 Mr. J. 8. Baly’s Monograph of the

Sp. 4. dugomela pretiosa, n. sp.

Ovata, convexa, nitida, viridi-zenea, iridescens, elytris punctato-

striatis, intersticlis lavibus, impunctatis, pedibus fusco-

violaceis.

Long. 3 lin,

Ovate, convex, shining, dark metallic green. Head with a

violet iridescence, deeply impressed between the eyes; antennez

black, rather longer than the thorax, the four basal joints pale

piceous. Thorax nearly three times as broad as long, the sides

rounded, narrowed towards the apex, anterior angles acute, the

front margin concave; surface smooth and shining, disc dis-

tantly, the sides more closely punctured. Scutellum smooth,

triangular. Elytra more than three times the length of the

thorax, their sides ovate, sinuate behind the shoulders, the apex

obtusely rounded; surface brassy green, with a violet blue iri-

descence, regularly punctate-striate, interstices smooth, impunc-

tate, below the shoulders is a deep transverse fossa, extending

across the four outer striz. Beneath dark fuscous, tinged with

violet blue, sternum bright metallic green ; legs violet brown, the

femora tinged with brassy green.

Adelaide.

A single specimen in my own Collection.

Sp. 5. Augomela elegans, n. sp.

Ovata, convexa, nitida, rubro-zenea, capite thoracisque margine

viridi-zeneis; elytris tenuiter punctato-striatis, sutura, margine

fossAque transversa infra humeros, viridi-zeneis.

23 S

Long. 23—3 lin.

Ovate, convex, shining coppery red; the head, margin of thorax,

the suture, outer border of elytra, and a transverse fossa below

the shoulders of the latter, bright metallic green. Head smooth,

vertex brassy green. Thorax three times as broad as long, the

sides rounded, narrowed in front, the anterior margin concave ;

surface smooth and shining, coppery red, the extreme margin

brassy green; on the disc are a few single punctures, which are

rather more crowded on the sides. Scutellum smooth, triangular.

Elytra convex, scarcely wider than the thorax, three times its

length, the sides ovate, sinuate below the shoulders, their apex

rounded ; surface shining, regularly punctate-striate, below the

shoulders is a deep transverse brassy green fossa, extending across

Australian Species of Chrysomela, Phyllocharis, &c. 257

the four outer striee; the suture, outer margin and a short lon-

gitudinal patch, connected at its base with the inner extremity of

the transverse fossa, brassy green.

Clarence River. Collected by the late Mr. Strange.

In the British Museum.

The above description is drawn from a highly coloured specimen;

the others are paler, and have the green markings less distinct.

Genus 7. CycLoMELa.

Antenne dimidio corporis vix breviores, subincrassate, articulis

versus apicem graduatim dilatatis, compressis. Palpi ovati,

articulo primo minuto, secundo tertioque clavatis, penultimo

incrassato, ultimo preecedenti breviori, truncato. Unguiculi

inermes. Corpus subglobosum; thorax transversus, apice

valde excavatus, postice obtuse productus, subangulatus ;

elytra thorace latiora, rotundata, convexa, lateribus basi

lobatis ; prosternum carinatum, maris articulo basali tarsorum

quatuor anticorum vix dilatato, pulvillo integro, foemimne

pulvillo longitudinaliter diviso.

I have founded the above genus ona single species from Moreton

Bay, remarkable for its subglobose form, lobed epipleurs and the

shape of its thorax, which resembles that of certain Doryphore.

Sp. 1. Cyclomela nitida, n. sp. (Plate XIV. fig. 9.)

Subglobosa, nitida, picea, capite, thorace pedibusque rubris,

elytris punctato-striatis, cupreo- vel viridi-eneis.

Long. 44 lin.

Subglobose, convex, piceous, shining. Head deeply inserted in

the thorax, red, impunctate, impressed between the eyes ; antenna

black, the two or three basal joints red, more or less stained with

piceous above. Thorax more than twice as broad as long, shining

red, impunctate; sides narrowed from the base to the apex, nearly

straight behind, slightly rounded in front, the anterior margin

deeply excavated, its angles produced, obtuse, base obtusely

angled in the middle. Scutellum triangular, acute, pitchy red.

Elytra much broader than the thorax, four times its length, very

convex; sides lobed at their base, then gradually rounded to the

apex, the latter obtusely rounded; surface shining cupreous or

metallic green, regularly punctate-striate, the interstices indis-

VOL. III. N.S. PART VII.—JAN. 1856. S

258 Mr. J.S. Baly’s Monograph of the

tinctly punctured ; on the sides, below the shoulders, are three or

four deep foveee. Beneath pitchy, legs red, apex of tibize pitchy.

Moreton Bay. Mr. Gibbon.

Not uncommon in Collections: in the British Museum and my

own Cabinet.

Genus 8. CHALCOMELA.

Antenne subclavate, thorace vix longiores, articulo basali

clavato, tribus proximis subfiliformibus, czeteris ad apicem

graduatim incrassatis, compressis, 4-10 brevioribus, 11mo

ovato. Palpi ovati, articulo primo minuto, secundo tertio-

que clavatis, penultimo leniter incrassato, ultimo praecedenti

zequalitruncato. Unguiculi non dentati. Corpus metallicum,

rotundatum ; thorax transversus, antice excavatus, sinuatus ;

elytra thorace latiores, rotundato-ovata, lateribus sinuatis ;

prosternum inerme ; maris articulo basali tarsorum quatuor

anticorum vix dilatato, pulvillo integro, famine pulvillo

longitudinaliter divido.

The head is less deeply inserted in the thorax than in Cyclo-

mela, and the last joint of the palpi, which is short in the latter,

here is equal in length to the third.

Sp. 1. Chalcomela sulcata,n. sp. (Plate XIV. fig. 8.)

Rotundata, convexa, nitida, viridi-zenea, elytris sulcato-striatis,

striis fortiter punctatis,

Long. 3 lin.

Rotundate, moderately convex above, shining metallic green,

with a coppery reflection. Head smooth and shining, deeply

grooved between the eyes, on the vertex is a single deep fovea ;

antenne black, the four basal joints pitechy. Thorax three times

as broad as long; the sides rounded, ‘front margin slightly exca-

vated, sinuate, the middle slightly produced, anterior angles

obtuse, base subsinuate on either side, feebly lobed in the centre ;

surface slightly thickened on the sides, covered with distinct deep

but scattered punctures. Elytra convex above, broader than the

thorax, four times its length; sides rounded and slightly lobed at

the base, sinuate in the middle, then rounded gradually to their

apex ; surface sulcate-striate, each stria with a single row of deep

punctures, interstices smooth, convex.

In the British Museum, the Collections of Messrs. Waterhouse,

Sheppard and my own.

Australian Species of Chrysomela, Phyllocharis, &c. 259

Sp. 2. Chaleomela illudens, n. sp.

Rotundata, convexa, nitida, viridi-zenea, iridescens, thorace

postice purpureo-fasciato, elytris sutura anguste, lined basali

arcuataé maculaque post medium purpureis.

Long. 3 lin.

Rotundate, moderately convex, shining metallic green, thorax

and elytra with purple markings, visible only in certain lights.

Head smooth, between the eyes is a deep transverse groove ;

antenne black, the four basal joints fulvous, the third and fourth

stained with fuscous at their apex. Thorax shaped as in the former

species; its surface indistinctly punctured, dise bright metallic

green, the base with a broad purple fascia. Scutellum smooth,

triangular. Elytra wider than the thorax, four times its length,

the sides rounded, slightly lobed at their base; above convex,

regularly and distinctly punctate-striate, the interstices smooth,

impunctate, near the outer margin at the base is a large shallow

fovea; surface iridescent metallic green, the suture, an arched

line at the base and a longitudinal patch below the middle, purple.

Beneath metallic brown, tinged with brassy green.

Adelaide ?

A single specimen in my own Collection.

Sp. 3. Chalcomela insignis, n. sp.

Rotundato-ovata, convexa, nitida, supra auro-enea, thorace

basi purpureo-fasciato, elytris singulo suturd plagAque pur-

pureis, subtus tote fulva.

Long. 23 lin.

Rotundate-ovate, convex, above shining golden green, the base

of the thorax, the suture and a large irregular patch on each

elytron purple; these markings have all a bright metallic green

border. Head finely punctured, deeply impressed between the

eyes, the lower portion of the face purple, labrum and antennee

fulvous. Thorax three times as broad as Jong; the sides rounded,

narrowed from the base to the apex, anterior margin slightly

concave, sinuate, its middle feebly lobed; surface finely punc-

tured, brassy green, a short narrow line on the anterior margin,

and a broad fascia at the base, purple. Scutellum triangular,

pitchy red. Elytra broader than the thorax, three times its

length, their sides rounded, slightly sinuate; surface deeply

punctate-striate, the striz subsuleate, interstices smooth and

shining, the suture and a large irregular patch on the disc purple ;

s 2

260 Mr. J. S. Baly’s Monograph of the

the latter sends a narrow ramus downwards, nearly to the apex ;

these purple markings, together with the outer border of the

elytron, narrowly edged with bright metallic green. Beneath

entirely fulvous.

A single specimen in the British Museum.

Sp. 4. Chalcomela eximia, n. sp. (Plate XIV. fig. 7.)

Rotundato-ovata, nitida aurea, thoracis basi purpureo-fasciato,

elytris sutura, fascia transversd maculaque post medium,

purpureis, antennis articulo tertio elongato.

Long. 3 lin.

Rotundate-ovate, convex, shining golden, deeply impressed be-

tween the eyes, and with a longitudinal line on the face; jaws,

palpi and antennz deep purple, the third joint of the latter elon-

gate. Thorax three times as broad as long; sides rounded, nar-

rowed from the base to the apex, anterior margin slightly concave,

its middle feebly lobed; surface finely punctured, variolose on

the sides, a narrow abbreviated line on the front margin and a

broad fascia at the base, purple. Scutellum smooth, purple.

Elytra broader than the thorax, three times its length, their sides

rounded, subsinuate ; above convex, the surface distinctly punctate-

striate, the suture, a transverse fascia across the middle, and a

round patch behind, purple. Beneath brassy green, a large patch

on the abdomen, apex of the thighs, the tibize and tarsi, purple.

Unique in the Collection of the British Museum.

Genus 9. Curysomera, Auct.

Antenne subfiliformes vel subincrassate, compresse, articulo

tertio elongato. Palpi clavati, articulo ultimo truncato.

Unguculi inermes. Corpus oblongum vel ovatum, con-

vexum; thorax transversus, lateribus incrassatis, rarissime

planis ; prosternum non carinatum.

The Australian species differs from the ordinary European forms

of the genus, and perhaps when more are known may be entirely

separated from it; I have, however, for the present, made it into

a subgenus, of which I have given the following characters :—

Subgenus Microme a.

Antenn@ subincrassatze, thorace vix longiores, articulo tertio

elongato, 3-10 brevibus, fere zequalibus, graduatim incras-

satis, ultimo ovato, subacuminato. Palpi clavati, truncati,

articulis tertio et ultimo brevibus zqualibus. Corpus rotun-

dato-ovatum, convexum ; thorax lateribus non incrassatus.

Australian Species of Chrysomela, Phyllocharis, §c. 261

Sp. 1. Micromela cupripennis, n. sp.

Ovata, convexa, fulva, nitidissima, elytris cupreis, tenuiter

punctato-striatis, femoribus subcompressis.

Long. 2 lin.

Ovate, convex, shining fulvous, elytra bright cupreous, finely

punetate-striate ; thighs slightly compressed. Head finely punc-

tured, impressed between the eyes ; antennz rather longer than

the thorax, subclavate, joints scarcely flattened, the last ovate,

acuminate. Thorax more than twice as broad as long; the

sides rounded, narrowed from base towards the apex, the latter

excavated, subsinuate, being feebly produced in the middle, an-

terior angles obtuse ; surface smooth and shining, disc impunctate,

on the sides are a few subvariolose punctures. Scutellum smooth,

triangular, its apex obtuse. Elytra rather wider than the thorax,

three times its length, their sides oval, subsinuate ; surface smooth,

brilliantly eupreous, finely punctate-striate, the interstices impunc-

tate. Beneath entirely fulvous; the thighs slightly flattened.

Melbourne.

A single specimen of this beautiful insect is in my own Cabinet.

APPENDIX.

Sp. 1—2. Lamprolina perplexa, n. sp.

Elongata, rufa, nitida, thoracis lateribus foveis quatuor, elytris

viridi-czeruleis, punctato-striatis, lateribus punctis magnis

excavatis.

Long. 53 lin.

Elongate, shining red, elytra bluish green. Head smooth, with

a deep triangular impression between the eyes, antennz steel blue.

Thorax subquadratey i its sides less narrowed in front than in the last

species, the anterior angles rather more produced ; surface smooth,

covered with deep remote punctures; on either side within the

margin are two deep fovese. Scutellum smooth. Elytra rather

longer, their apex more acutely rounded; surface shining, finely

punctate-striate, at the base and along the sides are placed about

ten fovez, deeper, more distinctly denned and smoother within

than those in L. @neipennis ; abdomen and legs red, tibia (their

base excepted) and tarsi black, antipectus acutely toothed.

Richmond River.

A single specimen, which I at first overlooked, in the British

Museum.

262 Mr. J. 8. Baly’s Monograph of the

This insect, although very closely allied to L. eneipennis, I have

very little doubt is a good species; it differs in size, which ap-

proaches LZ. grandis, and in the deeper and more distinct impres-

sions on the sides of its elytra ; the apex of the latter is also more

pointed.

Sp. 3. Lamprolina simillima.

Mr. Gibbon has brought two fine specimens of this species

from Moreton Bay ; one is in the British Museum, the other in

my possession.

SPECIES UNKNOWN TO ME.

Chrysomela sapphira, Fab.

Oblonga, punctatissima, nitida, cyanea.

Fabr. Sys. El., 1. 432, n. 57.

Boisd. Voy. de l’Astrolabe, 578, n. 5.

Collection of M. Dejean.

Chrysomela nitidipennis, De}.

Minor, ferruginea, elytris nitidis, punctis impressis aureo-cupreis.

Assez petite, ferrugineuse, avec les élytres brillantes, marquées

de points enfoncés d’un doré cuivreux.

Boisd. Voy. de l’Astrolabe, 578, n. 6.

Notoclea splendens, Mac Leay.

N. splendissimé cuprea, antennis piceis, scutello nigro, thorace

postice, elytrorum sutura maculisque duabus dorsalibus ce-

ruleo-viridibus, elytris novem striis punctorum, subtilissime

impressis.

Mac Leay, Append. to King’s Survey, ik 452.

Chrysomela (Pheedon), luteicornis, (Evichs.)

Obovata, convexa, zenea, antennis luteis, pedibus piceo-testacels,

thorace dense punctulato, elytris subtiliter striato-punctatis.

Long. 2 lin.

Ch. cochlearee magis oblonga, obovata, convexa, znea, ni-

tida. Antenne luteze. Os piceo-testaceum. Frons subtiliter

punctulata, subtilissime obsoleteque caniculata, clypeo linea

angulato obsolete impress4 distincto. Thorax coleopterorum

basi arcte applicatus, antrorsum leniter angustatus, latitudine

baseos duplo fere brevior, basi medio rotundatus, utrinque

sinuatus, lateribus subrectis, angulis posterioribus acutiusculis,

haud prominulis, anterioribus subrotundatis, leviter convexus,

dense et minus subtiliter punctulatus, Scutellum leave, Co-

Australian Species of Chrysomela, Phyllocharis, §c. 263

leoptera convexa, subtiliter striato-punctata, punctis apice

obsolescentibus, intersticiis omnium subtilissime transversim

strigosis. Pedes piceo-testacei, femoribus posterioribus eeneo-

nitentibus.

Erichs. Arch. fiir Nat., 1842, 231.

Tasmania.

Chrysomela (Phedon), orphana, (Erichs.)

Subhemispherica, nigro-znea, antennis, ore pedibusque flavis,

thorace crebre punctato, elytris punctato-striatis, intersticiis

punctulatis.

Long. 13 lin.

Statura Chr. twmidule, sed paulo minor, subhemispherica, con-

vexa, nigro-enez, nitida. Antenne flavee. Caput fronte

Sparse punctulata, clypeo lined subtili impress4 a fronte dis-

tincto, ore flavo-testaceo. Thorax basi coleopterorum arcte

applicatus, antrorsum angustatus, latitudine baseos triplo

fere brevior, basi rotundatus, apice emarginatus, lateribus

angulisque posterioribus subrectis; transversim convexus,

aqualis, crebre minus subtiliter punctatus. Scutellum leve,

Coleoptera sat fortiter punctato-striatis, intersticiis subtiliter

punctulatis, Pedes flavi.

Erichs. Arch. fiir Nat., 232.

‘Lasmania.

EXPLANATION OF PLATE XIV.

Fig. 1. Phyllocharis cyanipennis.

la, antenna; 1b, palpus; lc, unguiculi.

2. Lumprolina eneipennis.

2a, antenna; 2h, palpus; 2c, unguiculi; 2d, antipectum.

3. Eulina Curtisii.

3a, antenna; 3b, palpus; 3c, unguiculi.

4. Chalcolampra thoracica.

4a, antenna; 4b, palpus.

5. Australica (Stethomela) submetallica, var.

5a, 6, c, details of Australicu Curtisii. da, antenna; 56, palpus;

dc, unguiculi.

6. Chalcolampra pustulata.

7. Chaleomela eximia.

8 Chalcomela sulcata.

8a, antenna; 8b, palpus.

9. Cyclomela nitida.

9a, antenna; 9b, palpus; 9c, thorax.

Mr. Newman’s Characters

DS)

a>)

XXV. Characters of Two undescribed Species of Thrips,

Lin. By Enwarp Newman, Esq., F.LS. &e.

[Read 3rd December, 1855.]

Our Secretary having obligingly placed in my hands a few speci-

mens of Thrips, which he has just received from a member of our

Society, Major Hamilton, now stationed at Mysore, I beg to sub-

mit to the Society the following brief notes resulting from a cursory

examination of them, and from a reference to those works in

which they were likely to be described.

Class NEUROPTERA. Order THRIPSINA.

The Bibliography of the order Thripsina may be said to be

exclusively in the hands of Mr. Haliday: I am aware that species

have been described by Linneus, Fabricius, Kirby, Miller, Bur-

meister, Amyot, Heeger and others, but the collection and

arrangement of the scattered and somewhat crude descriptions

of other writers has been undertaken and achieved by that ac-

complished Entomologist, who has interwoven his materials with a

mass of original observations that confers the chief value on the

digested summary. Mr, Haliday’s papers on Thrips were pub-

lished in the ‘Third Volume of the Entomological Magazine, pp.

439—551, in the year 1836, and in the fourth part of the Catalogue

of Homopterous Insects in the British Museum, pp. 1094—1118,

in the year 1852. In both instances the group is called an “ order,”

and named, in the first instance, Thysanoptera, in the second,

Physapoda, the termination of the first name appearing to in-

dicate that the learned author considered the Thripsina an equiva-

lent group to //emiptera and Orthoptera, with which he especially

contrasts it; and the second implying a sectional or secondary

division, such an one in fact as they occupy as a portion of the

Homoptera in the Museum Catalogue. Be this as it may, I learn

from Mr. Haliday himself that he is about to undertake a com-

plete revision of his previous labours, which revision he will

doubtless accompany with a careful consideration of the position

and rank held by the Thripsina in the insect world. Until the

publication of his views I shall continue to regard them as forming

an intrinsic and essential portion of the restricted class Neurop-

tera, with which the metamorphosis and alary characters are in

of Two undescribed Species of Thrips. 265

exact accordance, and from which the cibarian organs differ simply

in amount of development, not in actual structure.

The genera [dolothrips and Phleothrips of Haliday, chiefly dis-

tinguished from each other by the greater or less degree of prox-

imity between the single ocellus and the pair, appear to me to rest

on very doubtful and therefore unsatisfactory diagnostics; and

although the species about to be described are clearly referrible,

the first to Jdolothrips, the second to Phleothrips, I find they so

closely resemble each other that the differences seem rather those

of magnitude, of sex, or, at most, of species, than of any higher

value; characters indeed, which, if made the foundation of

genera, seem likely to induce that minute subdivision which, in

too many instances, is becoming not only the stumbling-block of

the student, but the opprobrium of our science.

Genus Ipotornrirs, Haliday, |. ¢.

Caput longissimum, teres. Antenne graciles, 8-articulate, thoracis

latitudinem triplo vel quadruplo superantes. Labipalpi papilli-

formes. Ocelli tres, anticus distans, remotus ab antennarum

basi. Prothorax ineequalis, tuberculatus. d/@ quatuor, an-

ticarum radius unicus, prope basim divaricatus, fere obsoletus.

Abdomen elongatum, excavatum.

These characters are slightly altered and modified from those

given in the Museum Catalogue, which are ‘ compiled from Mr.

Haliday’s MSS,”

Sp. 1. Jdolothrips Halidayi, Newman.

Nigerrima, glaberrima ; antennis gracilibus, flavis, basi apiceque

nigris ; capite elongato, cylindraceo, nigro-piceo ; alis fuligi-

noso-hyalinis, eradiis, nigro-ciliatis ; tarsis late flavis; ab-

domine valde elongato, pedetentim attenuato, segmento apicali

cylindraceo, longissimo.

Corp. long. 25 une, Alarum dilat. *2 une.

Head three times as long as broad, cylindrical, pitchy black ;

eyes large, lateral, oblong, seated at the anterior extremity of the

head; antenne very slender, 8-jointed; the first and second

joints robust, slightly incrassated exteriorly, black, the apex of

the second tinged with yellow; the third very slender, longer

than those next following and pale yellow; fourth, fifth and sixth

slender, slightly incrassated externally, and pale transparent yellow,

tipped with black ; seventh rather shorter, subfusiform, and en-

tirely black; eighth extremely slender, fusiform, very acute, and

266 Mr. Newman’s Characters

entirely black. Prothorax broader than long, anterior and posterior

margins straight, anterior as broad as the head, posterior double

that breadth, lateral margins sloped diagonally from the anterior

_margin half way to the posterior, but, as regards their posterior

half, straight and parallel; pronotum impressed with wide irre-

gular foveze ; meso- and metathorax uniform in breadth with the

base of the prothorax, Abdomen very long, gradually tapering to

an acute point, which is armed with a few bristles: the thoracic

segments and abdomen are black and shining. Wings nearly

transparent, but with a slightly smoky tinge; at the base they

have a median ray, which seems almost immediately to divide,

and to be lost in the costal and posterior margins, which are fringed

with long silky black hairs. Legs rather short; femora very

slightly incrassated externally, black and shining ; tibiee bright

yellow; tarsi 2-jointed, basal joint moderately long, the apical

joint short, obtuse, brown.

Hab. Mysore ; feeds on the leaves of a species of Anacardium.

Genus Puimotunirs, Haliday, |. c.

Caput oblongum, depressum. Antenne graciles, S-articulate,

thoracis Jatitudinem perpaullum superantes. Labipalpi ovati.

Ocelli tres, eequidistantes. Prothorax foveolatus. Ale antice

vena unica nonnisi inchoata, vel abbreviate: aut nulla. 4b-

domen lateribus muticuin.

The characters are chiefly from the Museum Catalogue.

Sp. 1. Phleothrips Anacardii, Newman.

Nigerrima, glaberrima ; capite paullum elongato, cylindraceo,

piceo; antennis gracilibus, stramineis, basi apiceque nigris ;

abdomine vix elongato, lateribus rectis, fere ad apicem paral-

lelis, tune obliquis; in segmento apicali brevi, cylindraceo,

desinientibus ; alis diaphanis, eradiis, fusco-ciliatis ; femoribus

perpaullum incrassatis ; tarsis stramineis.

Corp. long. 175 une. Alar. dilat. *15 une.

Head more than twice as long as broad, cylindrical, pitchy black,

having at its anterior extremity two very conspicuous bright ocelli

seated between the large lateral, oblong, compound eyes: antennze

very slender, 8-jointed, the first and second joints robust, and dis-

tinctly restricted at the base, incrassated at the apex, the apex of

the second yellow; third extremely slender, twice as long as the

second, and pale straw-coloured ; fourth, fifth and sixth of equal

of Two undescribed Species of Thrips. 267

length, but all rather shorter than the third, elongate, pyriform,

straw-coloured, tinged with brown externally ; seventh long-ovate,

shorter than the preceding three, black; eighth short, slender,

black. Thoracic segments nearly as described in Idolothrips Hali-

dayji, see ante, p. 265. Abdomen rather robust, its sides parallel to

near the apex, when it diminishes, rapidly terminating in a short

cylindrical apical segment. Wings without rays, hyaline, with

long brown cilia. Legs black, with straw-coloured tarsi; all

other parts black and shining.

Hab. Mysore, feeds on the leaves of a species of Anacardium,

These two species are so similar in many respects, that coming,

as they did, without any indication of their being distinct, and being

found feeding in company on the leaves of the same plant, I thought

it possible that they might be sexes of one species, the lesser the

male, and the larger, with its long tubular terminal abdominal

segment, the female: such a conclusion, however, being diame-

trically at variance with the published generic characters, I prefer

waiving my first impressions and regarding them as_ perfectly

distinct. The following extract from Major Hamilton's letter to

Mr. Douglas contains all the information we possess respecting

them—‘‘ I enclose with this some dried specimens of a small insect

we found in the jungle a short time back; they were feeding on

the leaves of a species of Anacardium, which I believe to be

A. semicarpus. R. Hamilton, Major 1st Regiment Native Infantry.”

The letter is dated “* Mysore, 2 September, 1855.”

Postscript.—The foregoing notes having been submitted. to

Mr. Haliday by the Publication Committee, and their publication

being recommended, I take the liberty of making the following

extract from that gentleman’s most courteous note :—‘ The com-

munication is the more interesting as nothing was previously re-

corded of the habits of the genus Idolothrips, which appears to

be very widely diffused, as we now know of its occurrence in

Australia, collected by Mr. Darwin; in South America, described

and figured by Heeger in the Proceedings of the Vienna Academy,

vol. ix. 1852; in Columbia, several species from whence, collected

by M. Buquet, are in the cabinet of the British Museum; in

Ceylon, collected by Mr. Templeton; and now, collected by

Major Hamilton, in continental India.”

268 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions

XXVI. Descriptions of various Species of the Coleopterous

Family Pselaphide, Natives of New South Wales and

South America. By J. O. Westwoop, Esq., F.L.S., §e.

{Read October 1, 1855.]

Tue remarkable habit possessed by many of the species of Psela-

phide, in common with the equally curious family Pausside, of

taking up their residence in ants’ nests, has been the means of our

becoming acquainted with a considerable number of species of

the former family, which would probably have long remained un-

known had not the desire of obtaining additional species of Paus-

side \ed to the careful examination of the nests of those insects

in which both happened to make their abode. This desire was

strongly entertained by the late Mr. Melly, who requested his

various correspondents, both in New Holland and South America,

to inspect the nests of the Formicide, in the hope of capturing

Pausside ; the result of which was, that he succeeded in obtain-

ing a number of Pselaphide from New Holland, together with

one very remarkable species from Brazil, all of which were placed

in my hands for illustration and description. To these I have

added two other very remarkable species, lately captured in

Brazil by Mr. Bates, who has also succeeded in finding a consi-

derable number of species of different parts of Brazil.

It is remarkable that the species of this curious little family

appear to be distributed over the whole surface of the globe.

Besides the European species (which have exercised the Ento-

mological talents of Reichenbach, Leach, Denny, Schmidt, and

especially M. Aubé, &c.), those of North America have been

ascertained to be very numerous, and have formed the subject of

a very excellent treatise by Mr. Leconte, of which an abstract has

been published in the Proceedings of our Society. Various addi-

tional species, from Algeria, the Cape of Good Hope, Western

Asia, Central America, Cayenne, Brazil and Chili, have been

also described by M. Aubé and other recent writers, whilst a

species of Batrisus (B. australis), from New Holland, was de-

scribed by Dr. Erichson from Van Diemen’s Land, and a species

of Articerus, discovered in ants’ nests in New Holland, was de-

scribed by Mr. Hope in our Transactions (vol. iv., p. 106, pl. 8),

under the name of Articerus Fortnumit. I have now the pleasure

of various Species of Pselaphide. 269

to add several additional species to the last named most anoma-

lous genus.

Hitherto, so far as I am aware, no species of this family has

been described from India or Eastern Asia, but we learn from

Mr. Bowring that he has met with numerous species in Siam and

China.

SPECIES FROM NEW HOLLAND.

Genus Bryaxis, Leach.

Sp. 1. Bryaxis strigicollis, Westw. (Plate XVI. fig. 1.)

Castaneus, elytris pone medium pallidioribus, capite obscurior1 ;

antennis, palpis et pedibus castaneo-fulvis, articulis 9 et 10

antennarum nigris; capite postice profunde bi-impresso,

prothorace transverso-rotundato, supra striolis minutis, li-

neaque curvata postica cum punctis duobus magnis latera-

libus, elytris linea profunda submedia impressis.

Long. corp. lin. 1}.

Habitat in formicetis, Melbourne.

In Mus. Melly.

Caput breve-ovatum, supra punctatum, vertice utrinque ver-

sus angulos anticos impressione minuta punctisque duobus

magnis profundis inter partem posticam oculorum. Palpi

maxillares mediocres, articulo 2ndo apice subito clavato,

3tio cyathiformi, 4to majori ovali, apice subacuto; antenne

forme ordinariz, articulis 9 et 10 praecedentibus majoribus

cyathiformibus nigris, ultimo adhuc majori ovato, apice sub-

acuto. Caput postice in collum breve contractum. Pro-

thorax capiti vix longitudine equalis, at parum latior,

transverso-ovatus, lateribus regulariter rotundatis, puncto

magno utrinque prope angulum posticum rotundatum, linea-

que curvata impressa inter puncta; disco creberrime striolato.

Elytra prothorace tertia parte latiora semi-ovata, angulis

humeralibus rotundatis ; tenuissime punctata, striola subsu-

turali, alteraque discoidali paullo curvata fere ad apicem

elytrorum extensa, cum plicatura humerali. Abdomen supra

tenuissime punctatum, segmentis lateraliter marginatis in-

tegris, simplicibus. Pedes mediocres, tarsorum articulo 2ndo

in omnibus reliquis latiori.

270

Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions

Sp. 2. Bryaxis quadriceps, Westw. (Plate XVI. fig. 2.)

Rufo-castaneus, politus; sub lente forte punctatissimus et se-

tosus, antennarum articulis 7, 8, 9 et 10mo nigricantibus,

abdomine setulis minutissimis parce vestito; antennarum

articulis 7 et 8 intus uncinatis; capite oblongo, vertice antice

in medio declivi fossulisque duabus inter oculos; prothorace

truncato-ovato, linea curvata impressa postica cum punctis

duabus magnis lateribus; tibiis anticis pone medium late

emarginatis ; (mas).

Long. corp. fere lin. 13.

Habitat in formicetis, Melbourne.

In Mus. Melly.

Preecedenti elegantior, pedibus longioribus, capiteque oblongo,

antennarum articulis intermediis tibiisque anticis emarginatis

distinctus. Caput oblongo-subquadratum, antice subtrun-

catum, angulis posticis rotundatis; supra leve, antice im-

pressione magna rotundata, alterisque duabus minoribus

profundis inter oculos. Palpi maxillares articulo secundo

ad apicem modice inflato, 4to ovali subacuminato. Antenne

longiores, articulo basali longo curvato, 6to praecedenti parum

minori subovali, 7mo et 8vo intus acute productis, 9no trans-

verso, 10mo subquadrato, 11mo ovali apice acute producto.

Caput postice in collum breve constrictum. Prothorax ca-

pite vix latior, latitudine longitudinem ejus vix superante ;

truncato-cordatus ; latitudine majori ante medium _ posita,

angulis posticis subacutis et ad basin elytrorum applicatis

leevis, utrinque pone medium puncto magno laterali notatus ;

punctis linea curvata impressa connexis. Elytra lata, sub-

rotundata, creberrime punctata, striola subsuturali alteraque

discoidali, hac subcurvata et postice paullo abbreviata, cum

plicatura humerali. Abdomen creberrime punctatum, seg-

mentis ad latera marginatis. Pedes longiores tenues. Tibiz

anticze intus pone medium late emarginate, emarginatura

ad apicem extensa. ‘Tibiz posticze paullo curvate. Tarsi

graciles.

Sp. 3. Bryaxis atriventris, Westw. (Plate XVI. fig. 3.)

Obscure castaneus, pernitidus, abdomine nigricanti; pedibus,

antennis et palpis fulvo-rufis; antennarum articulis tribus

ultimis praecedentibus multo majoribus, capitis angulis an-

ticis porrectis ; prothorace subovali, pone medium linea cur-

of various Species of Pselaphide. 27I

vata profunde impressa; elytrisque striola submedia pro-

funda, notatis.

Long. corp. lin. 1.

Habitat in formicetis, Melbourne.

In Mus. Melly.

Caput oblongum, oculis magnis prominentibus, lateribus ante

oculos rectis, angulis anticis prominentibus, margine antico

in medio subemarginato, linea media longitudinali profunde

impressa e margine antico ad verticem extensa, ubi in foveam

rotundatam inter oculos desinet. Palpi maxillares mediocres,

articulo 2ndo ad apicem subito inflato, 3tio ovali acuminato,

apice appendicula brevissima filiformi instructo. Antenne

formee ordinarie, articulo basali brevi crasso, intermediis sim-

plicibus, tribus apicalibus dilatatis. Prothorax doliiformis,

lateribus rotundatis, antice et postice truncatus, latitudine

majori in medio posita; linea curvata profunda postica.

Elytra semi-ovata, humeris rotundatis haud prominulis, sin-

gulo stria subsuturali alteraque curvata discoidali, striola

parva intermedia basali adjecta. Abdomen brevius, seg-

mentis lateraliter marginatis. Pedes mediocres; femoribus

crassis, tibiis parum curvatis, tarsis simplicibus.

Genus Tyrus, Aubé.

Sp. 4. Tyrus spinosus, Westw. (Plate XVI. fig. 4.)

Niger, pernitidus et sub lente setosus, capitis vertice antice

truncato et declivi, inter oculos impressionibus duabus mi-

nutis instructo, angulis anticis ad basin antennarum elevatis,

clypeo semiovali, facie antice picea, antennis castaneis, arti-

culis 7—10mo obscure piceis; prothorace piceo, elytris san-

guineis, humeris valde elevatis, sutura et apice nigricantibus ;

abdomine nigro, apice piceo-rufo ; pedibus castaneis, coxis et

basi femorum anticorum bispinosis.

Long. corp. lin. 15.

Habitat in formicetis, Melbourne.

In Mus, Melly.

Caput breve, antice rotundatum, postice in collum breve con-

strictum, lateribus ante oculos antice convergentibus; an-

gulis anticis ad basin antennarum elevatis; vertice antice

truncato punctisque duobus minutis verticalibus inter oculos

positis. Clypeus semiovalis. Mandibulz breves, subtrigone,

ad apicem intus acute product et denticulis 4 minutis

272

Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions

acutis armate. Maxille bilobate, lobis setosis; palpi maxil-

lares articulo basali brevissimo, 2ndo longo curvato clavato,

3tio subovali intus subtriangulariter producto, 4to paullo

majori ovato apice extus obliquo, seta brevissima terminato.

Mentum subcordato-truncatum, labium majus cordatum, pal-

pis labialibus brevibus biarticulatis apice seta instructis.

Antenne subelongate, articulis forme ordinariz. Prothorax

capite paullo lJatior, angulis anticis rotundatis, truncato-sub-

cordatus lzevis, angulis posticis subacutis, latitudine majori

longe ante medium posita. Elytra semi-ovata, prothorace

multo latiora, angulis humeralibus rotundatis, humeris valde

elevatis, striola tenui subsuturali plicaturaque humerali pro-

funda. Abdomen segmentis latis, lateraliter marginatis, sub-

setosis. Pedes mediocres, tibiis ante apicem intus curvatis,

tarsis gracilibus simplicibus.

Sp. 5. Lyrus humeralis, Westw. (Plate XVI. fig. 5.)

Castaneus, nitidus, creberrime punctatus et setosus, antennarum

articulis tribus ultimis castaneo-nigris ; capite subrotundato ;

prothorace truncato-cordatus, fossula parva media postica ;

elytris magnis, semi-ovatis.

Long. corp. lin.

Habitat in formicetis, Melbourne.

In Mus. Melly.

Caput mediocre, subrotundatum, vertice antice in medio inciso,

angulis anticis lateralibus ad basin antennarum prominulis ;

supra lave. Clypeussemi-rotundatus. Palpi maxillares elon-

gati, articulo 2ndo ad apicem subito inflato, 3tio elongato

ovato, basi tenui; 4to oblongo-ovali, basi attenuato, apice

extus obliquo setula apicali instructo. Antenne mediocres

forme ordinariz. Caput postice in collum breve constric-

tum. Oculi mediocres, prominentes. Prothorax cordato-

truncatus capite latior, latitudine majori longe ante medium

posita, angulis posticis acutis et ad basin elytrorum arcte

applicatis, disco creberrime punctato et setoso, fossula mi-

nuta ovali media paullo ante scutellum impressus. Elytra

semi-ovata, creberrime punctata et setosa, stria subsuturali

altera dimidiata discoidali, cum plicatura humerali. Abdomen

ovale, segmentis latis, lateraliter marginatis, 2ndo supra lon-

gitudinaliter bi-impresso. Pedes mediocres, tibiis paullo

curvatis, tarsis simplicibus.

of various exotic Species of Pselaphide. 273

Genus Batrisus, Aubé.

Sp. 6. Batrisus angulatus, Westw. (PI. XVI. fig. 6 mas, 7 fem.)

Totus obscure castaneo-rufus, vix nitidus, punctatissimus, longe

setosus, oculis nigris, antennarum articulis simplicibus, palpo-

rum maxillarium articulis 2, 3 et 4 globoso-inflatis, protho-

race subhexagono fossula abbreviata media, tibiisque inter-

mediis in mare intus spina subapicali armatis.

Long. corp. lin. 1.

Habitat in Nova Hollandia, Melbourne ; in formicetis.

In Mus. Melly.

Caput subquadratum, oculis prominentibus, clypeo semi-rotun-

dato, vertice antice in tubercula duo rotundata parum elevato,

in qua insident antennee formze ordinaria, parum elongate,

articulis tribus ultimis clavam fingentibus. Mandibulz par-

ve, plane, extus rotundate, intus ad apicem in dentem par-

vum acutum product, denticulis tribus aut quatuor minutis,

intus subtus basin adjectis. Maxille bilobatz, spina parva

mtus versus basin setulisque nonnullis fasciculum parvum ~

formantibus in medio marginis interni. Palpi maxillares ar-

ticulis 2, 3 et 4 ad apicem globoso-inflatis, ultimo ad apicem

intus setulis minutis instructo. Prothorax oblongus sub-

hexagonus, latitudine majori in medio posita, disco in medio

fossula parva abbreviata aliisque duabus versus angulos la-

terales impresso. Elytra semi-ovata punctatissima, setosa ;

striola suturali; altera discoidali e basi ad medium fere ex-

tensa, cum plicatura ordinaria humerali. Abdomen ovale,

segmentis subzequalibus, lateraliter marginatis. Pedes me-

diocres graciles, simplices ; tibiae intermediz in mare spina

parva paullo ante apicem intus armate. Tarsi unguiculis

duobus inzequalibus instructi.

Genus Pserapnus, Herbst.

Sp. 7. Pselaphus geminatus, Westw. (PI. XVI. fig. 9.)

Totus castaneus, pedibus fulvescentibus; antennis gracilibus,

nodis palporum maxillarium crassis, capite inter oculos ex-

cavato et bipunctato, prothorace versus basin 3-impresso,

impressionibus striola curvata transversa conjunctis ; elytris

subtrigonis, singulo striola suturali alterisque duabus approxi-

matis discoidalibus notato.

Long. corp. lin. 1.

Habitat in Nova Hollandia, Melbourne ; in formicetis.

In Mus. Melly.

VOL. III. N.S. PART VIII.—APR. 1856. T

274 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions

Pselapho Herbstii similis, antennis autem gracilioribus, clava

minori, nodis palporum paullo crassioribus apice vero minori,

prothorace postice latiori. Caput oblongum, oculis promi-

nentibus, margine antico in medio emarginato, vertice antice

longitudinaliter suleato, sulco in fossam magnam rotundam

inter oculos extenso, punctisque duobus magnis inter fossam

et oculos. Antenne sub-graciles; palpi maxillares longissimi,

nodis crassis apice vero minori. Prothorax conico-ovatus, trun-

catus, latitudine majori pone medium posita; fossulis tribus

parvis ovalibus versus marginem posticum positis, striola

curvata subbasali conjunctis. Elytra subtrigona truncata

extus setosa, striola suturali, alterisque duabus contiguis

discoidalibus plicaturaque elongata humerali. Abdomen la-

tum segmento 2ndo magno, posticis brevibus zqualibus.

Pedes graciles elongati, femoribus in medio incrassatis.

Sp. 8. Pselaphus Antipodum, Westw. (Plate XVI. fig. 8.)

Totus ferrugineo-castaneus, palpis gracilibus, capite fossula lon-

gitudinali e margine antico ad medium verticis extensa, ubi in

foveam magnam rotundain inter oculos dilatat; prothorace

subhexagono, fossula curvata prope basin notato; elytris

subconicis striola suturali alteraque discoidali curvata im-

pressis.

Long. corp. lin. 1.

Habitat in Nova Hollandia, Melbourne; in formicetis.

In Mus. Melly.

Pselapho Herbstii affinis, at palpis gracilioribus et prothorace

latiori et magis angulato. Caput oblongum, antice emar-

ginatum. Oculi prominentes, fossula longitudinali e margine

antico ad medium verticis extensa, ubi in impressionem mag-

nam rotundam inter oculos desinet. Antenne subgraciles

formee ordinariz. Palpi maxillares graciles, nodis crassis.

Prothorax oblongo-subhexagonus, Jatitudine majori ad me-

dium posita, levis, fossula curvata transversa prope basin

posita. Elytra subconico-truncata, angulis posticis rotun-

datis, striola suturali, altera curvata discoidali, apicem versus

sensim attenuata, striola punctorum subhumerali cum plica-

tura humerali. Abdomen parte postica elytrorum latitudine

zequali, segmentis inzequalibus, Pedes graciles, femoribus in

medio incrassatis.

of various exotic Species of Pselaphide. 275

Genus Articerus, Dalman.

Sp. 9. Articerus curvicornis, Westw. (Plate XVII. fig. 2.

Ferrugineo-fuscus, obscurus, punctatus, luteo-setosus (preeser-

tim ad apicem elytrorum), hoc et sutura obscurioribus ;

abdomine nitido, magis castaneo; antennis maris elongato-

obconicis curvatis, tibiis intermediis maris extus in medio

angulatis, intus prope apicem in spinam acutam productis ;

prothorace subquadrato, angulis anticis lateralibus rotun-

datis.

Long. corp. lin. 1.

Habitat in Nova Hollandia, Melbourne; in formicetis.

In Mus. Melly.

Articero Fortnumi, Hope (Trans. Ent. Soc. iv. pl. 7, f. 1) affinis;

differt autem antennis maris curvatis, nec in medio constrictis,

tibiisque intermediis in eodem sexu extus angulatis. Caput

oblongum, postice in collum breve constrictum, angulis anticis

rotundatis. Antenne maris latitudine capitis fere duplo lon-

giores, e basi fere ad apicem sensim dilatatis, in medio intus

curvatis, setosis ; foemine paullo breviores, latere interno fere

recto, externo vero paullo curvato, tertia parte apicali aqui-

lato, apice truneato. Prothorax subquadratus, angulis anticis

subrotundatis, lateribus pone medium paullo intus convergen-

tibus, fossula media longitudinali nec basin nec apicem pro-

thoracis attingente. Elytra conico-truncata setosa, striola

suturali impressa. Abdomen Jateribus elevatis, basin versus

utrinque setigeris. Pedes antici maris tibiis apicem versus

extus rotundatis, intus angulatis spinulisque brevibus arma-

tis; intermediis in medio extus angulatis, ad apicem rotun-

datis intus ad apicem in spinam productis ; posticis simplici-

bus. Pedes omnes in foemina simplices, absque spinis.

Sp. 10. drticerus angusticollis, Westw. (Pl. XVII. fig. 1.)

Rufo-brunneus, obscurus, punctatus, luteo-setosus ; capitis la-

teribus ante oculos subconvergentibus ; antennis rectis, sub-

latis ; prothorace oblongo, fossula discoidali ; pedibus sim-

plicibus, tibiis curvatis, extus rotundatis.

Long. corp. lin. 1.

Habitat in Nova Hollandia, Melbourne; in formicetis.

In Mus. Melly.

T 2

276

Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions

A. curvicorni similis colore, magnitudine et statura, attamen e

foemina hujus speciei differt antennis rectis prothoraceque an-

gustiori. Caput minus oblongum, lateribus ante oculos con-

vergentibus, postice in collum breve constrictum, Antenne

sublatze, rectaze, e basi ad medium sensim dilatatz, setose,

apice truncate; capite toto paullo longiores. Prothorax

oblongus, lateribus paullo curvatis, latitudine majori in medio

posita. Elytra postice minus dilatata, punctata, setosa,

striola suturali. Abdomen ut in reliquis. Pedes satis gra-

ciles, simplices; tibiis paullo curvatis et sensim latioribus,

margine externo rotundatis.

Sp. 11. Articerus dilaticornis, Westw. (Plate XVII. fig. 4.)

Rufo-brunneus, vel subcastaneus; antennis pedibusque magis

rufescentibus, obscurus, undique, nisi abdomine, squamis lu-

teis obsitus; capite oblongo, antice parum latiori, angulis

anticis rotundatis; antennis brevibus subovalibus, prothorace

subquadrato, tibiis quatuor anticis intus prope apicem spinula

parva incurva armatis.

Long. corp. lin. 1.

Habitat in Nova Hollandia, Melbourne; in formicetis.

In Mus. Melly.

precedentibus differt capite et prothorace magis quadratis,

illo antice paullo latiori, hoc subacutangulo antennisque sub-

ovalibus. Caput postice in collum breve constrictum, vertice

inter oculos longitudinaliter impresso, margine antico clypei

subrotundato, angulis anticis lateralibus rotundatis. Antenne

breves, ovate, fere capitis magnitudine. Prothorax paullo lon-

gior quam latus, lateribus rectis at postice sensim convergen-

tibus, disco longitudinaliter in medio impresso, impressione

ante medium obliterata. Elytra densius squamosa, striola

tenui suturali. Abdomen subovatum, in medio supra forti-

ter depressum, lateribus cavitatis setosis. Pedes omnes cum

femoribus latis, intermediis ad basin spinula minuta curvata

armatis; tibiis omnibus basi attenuatis, 4 anticis intus prope

apicem spina minuta armatis.

Sp. 12. Articerus setipes, Westw. (Plate XVII. fig. 3.)

Brunneo-castaneus, punctatus, luteo-squamosus, capite parvo ;

antennis ovalibus, basi constrictis; prothorace truncato-cor-

of various exotic Species of Pselaphide. 277

dato, fovea brevi centrali pone medium posita; elytris absque

striola suturali, tibiis ad apicem longe setosis.

Long. corp. lin. 1.

Habitat in Nova Hollandia, Melbourne; in formicetis.

In Mus. Melly.

E precedentibus forma capitis, prothoracis, tibiarumque valde

distinctus. Caput parvum, antice parum angustius, supra inter

oculos vix impressum, margine antico in medio prominente.

Antenne subovales, parum angustiores, margine interno ma-

gis recto, basi constricto. Prothorax cordato-truncatus, an-

gulis anticis rotundatis, latitudine majori longe ante medium

posita; lateribus pone medium rectis et postice convergenti-

bus, disco pone medium fossula parva ovale notato. Elytra

conico-truncata, setosa, absque striola suturali. Abdomen

postice magis dilatatum, in medio fortiter impressum, setis

fulvis ad latera instructum. Pedes breves, crassi, tibiis

omnibus basi angustatis, ad apicem longe setosis; 4 anticis

intus prope apicem spinula minuta intus porrecta armatis.

SPECIES FROM SOUTH AMERICA.

Sp. 13. Articerus Brasiliensis, Westw. (Plate XVII. fig. 5.,

Obscure castaneus, punctatissimus ; elytris crebrius punctatis ;

abdomine convexo nitido, tenue setoso, fasciculis duobus

setarum ad basin instructo, capite oblongo; antennis sub-

filiformibus, prothorace brevi subconico-truncato, lateribus

rotundatis, pedibus gracilibus.

Long. corp. lin. 13.

Habitat in Brasilia, Nova Friburga.

In Mus. Melly.

E speciebus Australasiaticis antennis subcylindricis et forma et

sculptura capitis et prothoracis distinctissimus. Caput elon-

gato-oblongum, sulco longitudinali e margine antico ad me-

dium verticis extenso punctisque duobus magnis pone oculos

impressis. Partes oris determinare non potui, nullis earum

vestigiis detectis. Antenne capite longiores, graciles, sub-

cylindricee, extus paullo crassiores, setose, articulo basali

rudimentali instructee. Prothorax brevis, subconico-trunca-

tus, lateribus subrotundatis, antice sensim convergentibus,

disco punctatissimo punctisque duobus magnis ovalibus prope

278 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions

angulos posticos alteraque media ante scutellam posita im-

presso. Elytra subrotundata, postice truncata striola sutu-

rali, altera approximata discoidali postice abbreviata, ter-

tiaque brevissima subhumerali. Abdomen elongato-ovale,

glaberrimum, convexum, basi ad latera setosa lateribusque

marginatis. Pedes graciles, simplices.

Genus Meroptas, Gory.

This curious genus, first described by M. Gory in Guérin’s Ma-

gasin de Zoologie for 1832, and represented in Plate 42, was

founded upon a remarkable species, of which M. Lacordaire in-

forms us (Gen. d. Coleopt. 2, p. 169), that he only took two

specimens in Cayenne, flying in woods, and which, both in the

anterior nose-like projection of the forehead and the elbowed an-

tennz presents so great analogy with the Curculiontde that M.

Gory designated the species—

(Sp. 14) Metopias Curculionoides (Plate XVII. fig. 6).

In consequence of its similarity to Metopius (the name of a

genus of Ichneumonide), M. Laporte proposed to change the

generic name to Marnax; but I quite agree with M. Lacordaire

in rejecting such a proposed change, considering that it is a matter

of indifference whether a genus or sub-genus, as at present con-

stituted, in one order bears a name similar or even identical with

that of another in a different order; although of course it is ad-

visable to avoid such “ doubles emplois.”” The genus belongs to

that section of the family which has the antennz approximated

together at the base, forming by itself a distinct subsection from

the unequal size of the two ungues in each foot. I have added

an outline of this typical species in Plate XVII. fig. 6, in order to

show its distinction from the two new species described below,

from which it will be at once seen to differ in the cordiform shape

of its prothorax.

We are indebted to the indefatigable exertions of Mr, Bates for

these two additions to this remarkable group.

Sp. 15. Metopias bellicosus, Westw. (Plate XVII. fig. 7.)

Elongatus, capitis fronte longiori porrecto, prothorace versus

angulos anticos, humerisque elytrorum bispinosis; pedibus

longissimis, femoribus valde clavatis.

Long. corp. lin. 1%.

Habitat in Brasilia. D. Bates.

of various exotic Species of Pselaphide. 279

Totus crebre punctatus, antennis et abdomine longe setosis.

Caput subquadratum, vertice antice in nasum_porrecto,

apice parum dilatato antennasque gerente, spatio inter oculos

antice tuberculis duobus latis ovalibus parum elevatis notato,

punctisque duobus versus angulos posticos impresso. Palpi

maxillares subgraciles, articulo ultimo paullo crassiori. An-

tenn valde elongate setose, articulis tribus apicalibus

crassioribus inaequalibus et irregulariter affixis. Oculi valde

prominentes, hexagonis magnis et perpaucis. Prothorax

subovalis, in medio longitudinaliter impressus, disco utrinque

bi-inflato, et versus angulos anticos spinis duabus uncinatis

armatus. Elytra semiovata, striola suturali altera discoi-

dali, 3tia humerali et 4ta laterali, humerisque spina uncinata

armatis. Abdomen oblongo-ovale, setosum. Pedes valde

elongati, femoribus omnibus in medio clavatis, tibiis anticis

depressis et in medio latioribus ; tarsis biunguiculatis, ungui-

bus magnitudine inzequalibus.

Sp. 16. Metopias pacificus, Westw. (Plate XVII. fig. 7.)

Brevis latior, capitis rostro porrecto breviori, prothorace et

elytris inermibus, illo fere rotundato subgloboso, et rude

punctato, pedibus sub-elongatis, femoribus haud clavatis.

Long. corp. 5—6 lin.

Habitat in Brasilia. D. Bates.

Species minuta, et e precedentibus forma breviori et robus-

tiori imprimis distincta. Caput brevius quam latum, inter

oculos bitumidum, punctis duobus profundis versus angulos

posticos, verticis parte porrecta breviori apice crassiori;

palpi maxillares articulis crassioribus, ultimo ovali; antenne

longe graciles, articulis tribus apicalibus irregularibus et pree-

cedentibus crassioribus. Prothorax brevis, truncato-cordatus,

fere rotundatus, convexus, rude punctatus; disco sulco medio

profunde impresso; elytra latiora convexa punctata, setosa,

striola suturali, discoque versus humeros impressioni ovali

notato. Abdomen breve, crebre punctatum et setosum.

Pedes satis elongati graciles, femoribus haud clavatis, tibiis

anticis parum depressis.

280 Mr. J. O. Westwood’s Descriptions of Pselaphide.

Fig.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES.

PLATE XVI.

Bryazis strigicollis.

la, maxillary palpus.

Bryawis quadriceps.

2a, maxillary palpus ; 26, extremity of tibia and tarsus.

Bryavis atriventris.

3a, maxillary palpus.

. Tyrus 4-spinosus.

4a, mandible; 4b, maxilla and its palpus ; 4c, instrumenta labialia ;

4d, fore foot.

Tyrus humeralis.

5a, maxillary palpus ; 5b, tarsus.

. Batrisus angulatus, male.

6a, maxillary palpus.

Butrisus angulatus, female.

7a, mandible ; 7b, maxilla with its palpus.

. Pselaphus Antipodum.

Pselaphus geminatus.

PLATE XVII.

. Articerus angusticollis.

la, antenna; 16, middle tibia and tarsus.

Articerus curvicornis.

2a, antenna of male; 2b, ditto of female ; 2c, anterior tibia; 2d,

middle tibia.

. Articerus setipes.

8a, antenna; 36, fore foot; 3c, middle foot.

. Articerus dilaticornis.

4a, middle tibia and tarsus.

Articerus Brasiliensis.

. Metopias Curculionoides, with the tip of its antenna magnified more

strongly.

. Metopias bellicosus.

7a, tip of antenna; 7b, maxillary palpus ; 7c, extremity of fore tibia

and tarsus.

Metopias pacificus.

8a, extremity of antenne; 86, maxillary palpus.

( 281 )

XXVII. Characters of a few Australian Lepidoptera, col-

lected by Mr. Thomas R. Oxley. By Epwarp New-

MAN, Esq., F.L.S., &c.

[Read 3rd December, 1855.]

Tue intelligence of the establishment of an Entomological Society

and Museum at Melbourne, while it gives us assurance of the

rapid advance and social progress of that infant colony, leads us to

anticipate results in Natural History which the isolated labourers

in this distant land could never hope to attain: at the same time

it wafts to us across the world of waters a silent reproof of our

own neglect of the entomological riches of a soil bound by every

tie but that of proximity to our own. How few, how meagre,

how scattered have been the attempts of Englishmen to make

known the Entomology of Australia! the names of Lewin, Dono-

van, Kirby, MacLeay, Hope, Gray, Westwood, and a few others,

may be noticed as those of Entomologists who have severally con-

tributed their mite to our knowledge of the subject: on the con-

tinent Germar, Erichson and Boisduval have done more, and have

done it more systematically ; but even though we add the labours

of our neighbours to our own, we shall still find that the insects

of New Holland are, as a mass, unnamed and unarranged, even at

the present day. These thoughts have arisen spontaneously while

looking over a small collection made by Mr. Oxley, during a short

residence in the province of Victoria; this he has obligingly placed

in my hands, and I find that scarcely an insect it contains appears

hitherto to have received—that first of all distinctions—a name.

It is too late in life for me to attempt to supply the want which I

deplore, but I beg to offer to the Society the characters of a few

species of Lepidoptera, which I suppose to be new, thus adding

my own mite to the contributions of the savans I have already

enumerated.

It is interesting to find at the Antipodes forms among the Lepi-

doptera so nearly resembling those of our own country. This simi-

Jarity is particularly striking amongst the Micro- Lepidoptera ; the

genera Tortria, Chimabacche, Tinea, Adela, Depressaria, Gelechia,

(cophora, Anesychnia, Glyphipteryx, Lithocolletis and Pterophorus,

so familiar at home, being unquestionably represented in our Aus-

tralian colonies ; and lead us to speculate on the characters of the

country where such forms occur: thus Tinea Ethellella seems to

assure us of the presence of Fungi; and the great preponderance

282 Mr. Newman’s Characters

of Gicophore, suggests the idea that the stems of the Eucalypti are

well riddled by their wood-boring larvae ; while the brilliancy of

Adela Laurella assures us of sunny days; and the gay Gcophora

Marionella seems destined also for diurnal display. It is in-

teresting, and at the same time indicative of the richness of the

fauna, to observe, that almost every individual is distinct as a

species ; not merely separable by the tutored eye of science, but

possessed of differences so strongly pronounced that the most

careless observer could not fai! to detect them; and this remark,

as to distinctness of species, seems to apply equally to others, the

worn condition of which renders it dangerous to describe them.

I have only to add that, although no precise habitats have been

preserved, the entire collection was made at Forest Creek, Barker’s

Creek and Campbell’s Creek, all on the Mount Alexander range,

and at a distance of about eighty miles from Melbourne.

Class LEPIDOPTERA, Linn.

Stirps PHALAENINA, Newman.*

Genus Zevuzera, Fabricius.

Sp. 1. Zeuzera Duponcheliit, Newman.

Feem.—Alis anticis fuscis, fasciis numerosis undatis nonnunquam

anastomosantibus saturatioribus ; posticis basi rubiginosis, apice

fuscescentibus ; capite thoraceque saturate fuscis ; abdomine

JSuscescenti, basi rubiginoso. (Alarum dilat. 3°6 unc.)

Female.—Head and thorax dark brown ; abdomen brown, ferru-

ginous at base: fore wings dark brown, with numerous darker and

nearly black markings, which, as in many species of Zeuzera and

Xyleutes, are arranged transverseiy, waved, and frequently anasto-

mose with each other ; hind wings towards the apex of an obscure

dingy brown, with the transverse waved markings faintly indicated,

towards the base rust-coloured.

Mr. Oxley has brought home but a single specimen of this

Zeuzera, which I have great pleasure in naming after one of the

most distinguished of Lepidopterists. There are two species

with which it may be advantageously compared: first, Cossus

lituratus of Donovan and Boisduval, identical, as I imagine, with

Cossus nebulosus of the same authors, and certainly the Zeuzera

liturata and Zeuzera nebulosa of Mr. Walker’s Catalogue of the Lepi-

* Equivalent to the typical Phalene of Linneus, viz., Phalena Attacus and

Phaleana Bombyrz.

of a few Australian Lepidoptera. 283

doptera Heterocera in the British Museum; and, secondly, with the

Eudoayla Eucalypti and Eudoxyla Urvillti of Boisduval, and Her-

rich-Scheffer, combined by Mr. Walker, loc. cit., under the name

of Zeuzera Eucalypti. From both of these, however, it appears

to me abundantly distinct. I am much indebted to Mr. Walker,

who has so lately deseribed the Bombyces in the Cabinet of the

British Museum, for the kindness and care with which he has

examined the six species of Bombycide here described as new: I

should also add that I have adopted Mr, Walker’s genera as

recently described, and that Mr. Walker has obligingly decided

the species named below severally to belong to the genera under

which | have placed them.

Genus Trara, Walker.

Sp. 1. Zeara denticulata, Newman.

Feem.—Alis anticis fuscis, fascid basali undosd, maculis discalibus

duabus subrotundis, fasciis obliquis tribus, denticulatis, albidis ;

alis posticis albidis, fascus tribus plus minusve denticulatis,

cilusque fuscis; subtus, alis anticis fuliginoso-fuscis, maculis

discalibus duabus subrotundis, fasciisque duabus, und sesquialterd

pallidiori, obliquis, denticulatis albidis; posticis fuliginoso-fuscis,

maculis discalibus duabus rotundis albis, fascusque tribus (ex-

teriori notabili) denticulatis albidis. (Alarum dilat. 2 unc.)

Female.—Head with palpi brown; eyes black; antenne pale

brown, with a white ring near the base; pronotum whitish ; meso-

notum covered with long loose brown hairs ; abdomen brown, with

scattered whitish scales; above, fore wings dark brown, adorned

with the whitish markings described below; first, a short zigzag

fascia at the base, next two nearly round spots, the smaller nearer

the base, and both on a median line between the base and apex

of wing, the larger and outer about midway, then an oblique indis-

tinct fascia just exterior to the larger spot, and followed by a very

distinct oblique fascia with its inner margin regularly scalloped,

its outer margin nearly straight, and lastly, an equally distinct

oblique fascia with both margins regularly scalloped ; under wings

greyish white, with three undulating fascia and the cilia brown;

the first of the fasciz is narrow and zigzag, the second is narrow

and scalloped, the third is broad, its inner margin plain, its outer

margin regularly scalloped: beneath, the same markings obtain

as in the upper side, but more dilute and confused, and the hind

wings have also two round white spots on the disk of the wing,

284 Mr. Newman’s Characters

both of them surrounded with a dark border; one of these spots

is near the first of the fascia, the second, half way between this

and the base; the legs and abdomen beneath are clothed with

long loose smoke-coloured hair, there is a pure white spot at the

apex of the femora and another at the apex of the tibiz.

Mr. Oxley has brought but a single specimen of this; it is a

beautifully marked although plainly coloured insect, and is en-

tirely unlike any described species with which I am acquainted.

Sp. 2. Zeara Guenéi, Newman. (Plate XVIII. fig. 9.)

Foem.—Alis omnibus fuscis ; utriusque maculis duabus albis, ciliis

Jlavescentibus ; antennis fuscis ; capite sternoque fulvis ; thorace

fusco pilis longis obsito ; abdominis segmentibus basalibus fulvis,

apicalibus fuscis fulvo-marginatis, apice ipso fulvo. (Alarum

dilat. 2 unc.)

Female-—Head and prothorax fulvous, antennz about as long

as the thorax, slender, slightly pectinated, brown; eyes small,

brown; mesonotum brown, clothed with long spreading brown

hairs; abdomen fulvous at the base, three segments near the

apex nearly black, their margins fulvous, the penultimate segment

brown, the last fulvous: wings on both sides of an uniform

smoky brown, each with two conspicuous white spots and fulvous

cilia; in the fore wing the larger white spot is a square with the

angles rounded, it is placed about the centre, but nearer the costa

than the anal angle, and nearer the apex than the base, between

this and the base is a smaller rounder spot; in the hind wings the

larger spot is drop-shaped, rather nearer the costal margin than

the anal angle, the lesser spot is less clearly defined and exactly

intermediate between the larger and the base of the wing.

This beautiful insect is dedicated to M. Guenée, as a slight

tribute of my profound admiration of that prince of living Lepi-

dopterists. The specimen is, I believe, at present unique, and I

know of nothing at all resembling it in the distribution of colour.

Sp. 3. Teara Ednardsii, Newman. (Plate XVIII. fig. 10.)

Mas.—Alis anticis flavido-fulvis, ared basali ultra medium ex-

tensd, et maculam pallidam includente, plumbeo-fulvd ; posticis

JSulvis concoloribus ; ceteris fulvis, oculis abdomineque mediano

nigris. (Alarum dilat. 1°5 unc.)

Male.— Antenne about as long as the thorax, deeply and uni-

formly bipectinated from the base to the tip, the shaft fulvous, the

ramuli tinged with brown; eyes very black; head and thorax

of a few Australian Lepidoptera. 285

fulvous, clothed with long loose hair; abdomen fulvous at the

base, then with five segments dorsally black, the apex surrounded

with a fringe of long spreading fulvous hair: above, fore wings

fulvous, the apical area bright, the basal area extending beyond

the middle, tinged with lead-colour and including a nearly white

median spot, which is surrounded with bright fulvous ; hind

wings pale fulvous; underside uniformly pale fulvous.

This species is dedicated to Mr. Henry Edwards, now at Mel-

bourne ardently studying the insects of Australia under their native

sun, A single specimen only was taken, which seems abundantly

distinct from anything previously described.

Genus Termessa, Walker.

Sp. 1. Termessa Shepherdi, Newman. (Plate XVIII. fig. 11.)

Mas et Foem.—Alis anticis albidis, basi, fasciis duabus latis undatis,

margineque quoad partem nigricantibus ; posticis flavis, macults

duabus versus marginem sitis nigricantibus ; maxillis luteis ;

labipalpis nigris ; capite flavo ; oculis antennisque (basi flavo

excepto) nigris ; pronoto et patagiis nigris ; mesonolo albido ;

abdomine flavo. (Alarum dilat. 1-2 une.)

Male and Female.—Maxille long, yellow; palpi entirely black ;

head bright yellow ; eyes black; antennze brown, yellow at the

extreme base; pronotum and. tippets black ; mesonotum whitish

or cream-coloured ; fore wings also cream-coloured, with a small

undulating black spot, or rather fascia, almost close to the base ;

beyond this are two broad clearly defined waved dark brown fas-

cize, occupying nearly half of the wing; the first is situated rather

before, the second rather beyond, the middle of the wing; the

exterior margin, with the exception of the extreme apex and

a portion near the anal angle, is also black ; hind wings yellow,

with two conspicuous black spots, the first near the apical angle,

the second and larger half-way between this and the anal angle:

beneath deep yellow, approaching to fulvous, the fore wings

having a broad black fascia beyond the middle, and a large black

costal blotch before the middle; the femora are yellow ; the tibiae

and tarsi brownish.

This beautiful insect is one of the commonest species imported

from the Australian continent; it does not, however, appear to

have received a name. I cannot compare it with any famihar

species, and I have much pleasure in dedicating it to Mr. Edwin

Shepherd, one of our active and invaluable secretaries, more

especially as it affords me the opportunity of acknowledging his

obliging assistance while preparing these memoranda,

286 Mr. Newman’s Characters

Genus CEnosanpra, Walker.

Sp. 1. @nosandra Boisduvalu, Newman.

Mas et Feem.—Alis anticis niveis, sericatis, costé fuscd, vittd

magnd mediand nigrd; posticis niveis, sericatis, nullo modo

signatis ; capite, prothoraceque albis ; oculis antennisque fuscis ;

abdominis dorso nigro, fasciis sex lete flavis. (Alarum dilat.

2°25 unc.)

Male and Female.—Head white, with a frontal black spot ;

thorax white; antennz brown; eyes black; fore wings satiny

white, with a slender but very distinct brown costa, and a broad

central black stripe, which extends from the apex to the base,

and is adorned with a few scattered yellow scales; the hind

wings are entirely white, with the same satin-like gloss; the ab-

domen is black above, with six bright yellow fasciz ; beneath,

the wings are white and glossy, suffused with a smoky tinge, the

costa of the fore wings delicately margined with brown ; there is

no trace of the black vitta, so conspicuous on their upper surface ;

the legs are smoke-coloured, each adorned with four snow-white

spots; the sternum is clothed with long loose smoke-coloured

hair ; the abdomen black, palest at the tip.

A very common Australian insect, but apparently undescribed ;

I have named it in honour of Dr. Boisduval, whose works are

indispensable to the student of Lepidoptera.

Stirps TINEINA, Newman.*

Genus Tortrix, Fabricius.

Sp. 1. Vortrix Ashworthana, Newman.

Alis anticis isabellinis, fascia obliqué e margine costali mediano

angulum versus analem tendente, maculisque nonnullis minutis

adhuc saturatioribus ; posticis pallide fuscescentibus, nubeculis

saturatioribus, ciliis pallidis transverse medio saturatioribus.

(Alarum dilat. *85 unc.)

Head, including the labial palpi and antenne, pale testaceous ;

eyes dark brown; thorax concolorous with the head, but having a

few darker spots; abdomen pale testaceous and silky ; fore wings

* On mature reconsideration I revert to the group Tineina, as established by

myself in 1834, in preference to adopting the more restricted group to which

Mr. Stainton, twenty years subsequently, applied the same name: the Tineina

of Newman comprises the whole of that group now generally understood as

Microlepidoptera. The Tortricina of Stainton properly constitutes a division of

of a few Australian Lepidoptera. 287

isabelline-testaceous, with darker markings, indicated rather than

pronounced; the first is basal, and consists of five or six brown

points, arranged as an angulated fascia across the wing ; the second

is nearly central, rather broad, very oblique, its internal boundary

clearly defined, its external boundary indistinct ; it is of a clear

ferrugino-testaceous brown, bounded internally by a few still darker

spots ; the hinder margin of the wing between this and the base is

tinged with the same colour, the apical area of the wing has twelve

or thirteen dark brown scattered spots ; hind wings pale brown,

immaculate; the cilia are pale and silky, with a darker central

line extending throughout their length; each of the scales con-

stituting the cilia, if examined separately, is found to be very pale

at the base, much darker in the middle, and again paler at the

apex; beneath the fore wings are testaceous, the costa paler, the

central area deeper and more obscure, the whole sprinkled with

darker spots, the hind wings pale testaceous, beautifully sprinkled

with clearly-defined darker spots, most of which are elongated

transversely.

Dedicated to Mr. Ashworth, one of our most indefatigable col-_

lectors of the British Lepidoptera, and the gentleman who has

lately added Agrotis Ashworth and Trochilium Scholieforme to

the British list. One specimen only was taken. I have great

pleasure in acknowledging the valuable assistance I have received

from .Mr. Stainton, in preparing the description of this and the

following Tineina; he has most obligingly examined every speci-

men, and agrees with me in believing them all to be hitherto

undescribed.

Sp. 2. Tortria Standishana, Newman.

Allis anticis sericatis, micantibus, pallide aureis, apice rufescentibus ;

posticis pallide fuscescentibus, ciliis concoloribus : subtus, alis

anticis fuscis marginibus omnibus pallidis ; posticis fuscescen-

tibus concoloribus. (Alarum dilat. -55—*625 une.)

Fore wings shining, pale golden with a transverse oblique ill-

defined ferruginous fascia near to and parallel with the oblique

outer margin; hind wings pale brown, the cilia of the same

the Tineina, and not a corresponding group; and the Tineina of the same author

seems to me scarcely a natural group, but divisible into several groups equivalent

to his Tortricina. The Crambide also, on reconsideration, I believe were, at the

same date, correctly combined with the Pyralina, a disposition of them at variance

with every subsequent arrangement until that of Herrich-Scheffer, who combines

them under the name of Crambides.

288 Mr. Newman’s Characters

colour; beneath, fore wings brown, with all the margins pale;

hind wings paler brown, with the margins concolorous.

Dedicated to Mr. Joseph Standish, whose inimitable skill in

colouring entomological plates gives them a reality of appearance,

and consequently a value, which no other colourer has hitherto

been able to achieve. ‘Two specimens of this insect were pro-

cured.

Genus Curmasaccue, Zeller.

Sp. 1. Chimabacche Cinderella, Newman. (Pl. XVIII. fig. 6.)

Alis omnibus cinereis concoloribus ; anticis maculis parvis seplem

lunatis in crescenti dispositis ante marginem externum alteribus-

que discalibus elongatis salis distantibus fuliginosis ; subtus, alis

anticis fuliginosis, marginibus albidis posticis cinereis concolo-

ribus. (Alarum dilat. 1:4 unc.)

Head, palpi, antenne, thorax and fore wings ashy grey; eyes

rather large and very black ; the fore wings have a series of seven

lunate blackish spots, ranged in the form of a crescent within the

apical margin, exactly equidistant therefrom, and exterior to each

of these on the margin itself is a black point, together forming a

series parallel with the first; on the disk of the wing are several

short black streaks or longitudinally lengthened spots, and in

addition to these the entire surface of the wings are densely

irrorated with minute black points; the hind wings are paler

grey than the upper, have a silky gloss, and are entirely without

markings, they are very ample; abdomen concolorous with the

hind wings; beneath the fore wings are smoke-coloured, with

paler margins; the hind wings are pale grey and unicolorous.

One only of this species was taken; it is in excellent con-

dition, and affords the opportunity of stating that there is no

known species nearly allied to it.

Genus Tinea, Zeller.

Sp. 1. Tinea Ethelella, Newman.

Alis anticis sericatis fuscis, lumine mutato nonnunquam auro-tinctis,

nubeculis irroratis albidis, maculd centrali conspicud alba, mar-

gine postico late albido ; posticis nitidis basi pallidis, apice fuli-

ginosis ; capile magno et cum thorace flavidis. (Alarum dilat.

*45—'65 unc.

Head large and densely covered with erect testaceous yellow

scales ; antennae and eyes black; mesonotum testaceous yellow ;

of a few Australian Lepidoptera. 289

patagia dark brown ; fore wings brown, very silky, and when the

insect is held in a certain position having a golden effulgence ; their

entire surface is sprinkled with paler markings; in the centre of

the disk is a diaphanous spot, pale ochreous or almost white, and

the inner margin of the wing throughout its entire length is tes-

taceous yellow, forming, when the wings are closed, a conspicuous

vitta down the back ; the cilia are testaceous yellow; hind wings

glossy light brown, rather paler at the base, the cilia also are

paler ; beneath, the wings are particularly silky and glittering,

they are brown, with paler margins and cilia.

Three specimens were taken of this pretty Tinea; it forcibly

reminds one of Tinea ferruginella, but is larger, and the cilia of

the fore wings are yellow.

Genus Bonp1a, Newman,

Caput mediocre rotundatum, fronte lavigato. Antenne setacez,

valde pilosz ; Jabipalpi mediocres, articulo basali inviso, 2do incras-

sato, pyriformi, 3tio brevi, erecto, parvo, obtuso. Alz anticee

vix latee, fere lineares, angulo anali nullo modo producto, ciliis

mediocribus ; posticee basi ample, apice acute, ante apicem paul-

lulo emarginate.

I am not acquainted with any genus of Tineade with which

this insect can well be associated, although the structure of the

wings is somewhat as in Gelechia, the labial palpi preclude the idea

of placing it in that genus. I venture, therefore, to propose a

new genus for its reception, and this I have pleasure in dedicating

to Mr. F. Bond, one of the most zealous and most accomplished

of our Lepidopterists.

Sp. 1. Bondia Nigella, Newman.

Alis anticis nigris, vestigio mediano pallido literam C formante

signatis ; posticis fere hyalinis, apicibus fuliginosis. (Alarum

dilat. °675 unc.)

Head, palpi and antennz black ; fore wings black, with several

tufts of raised black scales with a pale testaceous discal mark on

each rather beyond the middle, and resembling the letter C, which

faces the apex; the cilia are black, and at the anal angle rather

long; the hind wings are nearly hyaline, the apices and cilia smoke-

coloured; beneath the upper wings are dull lead-coloured, the cilia

darker ; hind wings rather paler, with the cilia concolorous.

There is but a single specimen, and this in many particulars,

reminds one of Gelechia Githops.

VOL. Ill. N.S. PAST VIlI.—APR. 1856. U

290 Mr. Newman’s Characters

Genus Aveta, Latreille.

Sp. 1. Adela Laurella, Newman.

Alis anticis cupreo-eneis lete ignitis, fascid lald mediand nigra

flavo-striatd, pone medium lumine mutato lete chalybeis, cilis

nigris; posticis nigris, ciliis concoloribus. (Alarum dilat.

‘5 unc.)

Base of antenne, tippets and fore wings golden coppery, bril-

liantly metallic; the wings have a broad central fascia, the ground

colour of which is black, but its hue modified by the number of

pale yellow longitudinal striz, with which it is half occupied,

beyond this the hue of the scales is changeable with the altered

position in which the insect is held, sometimes becoming of the

most gorgeous metallic green; the cilia are quite black; hind

wings, together with their cilia, entirely black.

The antenne of this beautiful little insect, being broken off close

to the base, it is impossible to say what characters they may have

possessed, It is not closely allied to any described species, but

has some slight resemblance to Nematois fasciellus. Only one

example was taken.

Genus Anesycuia, Stephens.

Sp. 1. Anesychia Stella, Newman. (PI. XVIII. fig. 5.)

Alis anticis cineraceis costd late nigricanti, strigd latéd subcostali

vir bene determinatd, necnon maculis difformibus nigris interrupta

albidd, spatio anteapicali intus acuminato plumbeo-negricanti,

macults linearibus parvis octo in crescenti dispositis ante margi-

nem externum nigris; posticis sericalis, cinereis concoloribus.

(Alarum dilat. *9—1 unc.)

Head, palpi, antennz, thorax and abdomen grey; fore wings

also grey, with the costa broadly black; beneath the black costa

is a white vitta, originating at the base and extending to the costa

near its apex ; this white vitta is interrupted ; first, by a black mark

at its base; secondly, by an obliquely transverse fascia at about

one-third of its length; thirdly, by a spot on its anterior, and,

fourthly, by another on its posterior margin; the space between

this white vitta and the inner margin of the wing is greyish white,

almost concolorous with the vitta itself; the apical area of the wing

is blackish grey, the darker hue preponderating towards the disk,

and centrally produced into an acute angle, the lighter towards the

Ere. —_

of a few Australian Lepidoptera. 291

margin, and interrupted, first, by a zigzag lunulate line, and se-

condly, by eight linear black spots, disposed in the form of a

crescent, just within the apical margin; hind wings semi-diapha-

nous, ashy grey, with their cilia concolorous ; beneath fore wings

dark smoky grey; hind wings light silky grey.

A variable species ; the two specimens taken are so different as

to render the task of defining them rather dangerous. There is

no described species with which to compare it.

Genus Derressaria, Haworth.

Sp. 1. Depressaria Melesella, Newman.

Alis omnibus latis apice rotundatis, pallide fuscescentibus, lumine

? >} ’

mutato perpaullo iridescentibus, anticarum maculis 2 discalibus

parvis nigricantibus. (Alarum dilat. +825 unc.)

Labial palpi long, the apical joint Jong, slender and recurved ;

head, thorax and fore wings of a delicate drab colour, with a

silken gloss, exhibiting in certain positions iridescent tints; just

within the apical margin are a series of ten minute round brown

dots, and there are two others rather more conspicuous on the disk

of each wing, the first rather before, the second rather beyond

the middle; hind wings slightly different in tint from the fore

wings, rather more smoke-coloured but equally glossy; there is

little difference in the colour of the under side.

A single specimen was taken. [ cannot compare it with any

known species, neither does it very readily associate with the

genus in which I have placed it.

Sp. 2. Depressaria Leninella, Newman.

Alis anticis latis cinereis, maculis minutis, difformibus, nigrican-

tibus ; posticis cinereo-fuscescentibus, ciliis concoloribus : subtus,

alis anticis fuscescentibus ; posticis perpaullo pallidioribus.

(Alarum dilat. *9 unc.)

Labial palpi longer than in any of our British species, the ter-

minal joint very long, slender ; colour of the head, thorax and

fore wings grey; the last have a number of black marks, all of

them longitudinally elongated ; hind wings pale, smoky brown,

glossy or satiny, with short pale concolorous cilia; underside of

the fore wings smoky brown, of the hind-wings slightly paler.

This species also differs essentially from any species of De-

pressaria previously described. Two specimens were taken,

292 Mr. Newman’s Characters

Genus Boypra, Newman.

Caput mediocre rotundatum, fronte levigato ; antennz elongate,

setaceee nullo modo ciliate: labipalpi mediocres, 3-articulati,

articulo basali brevi scité cyathiformi; 2do elongato, crasso, apice

truncato ; 3tio apicali gracili, brevi, nudo, peracuto, paullulum

recurvo: alz antic elongate marginibus parallelis, disco longi-

tudinaliter profundé unisulcato ; posticze ample, insecti quiescentis

ultra anticos protruse, margine costali fimbrid longissima venuste

ornatis.

The very remarkable appearance of this insect, reposing with

its hind wings protruding from beneath its fore wings, as in the

familiar Gastropacha Quercifolia, and each furnished with a plume

of delicate long hairs attached to its costal margin, at once dis-

tinguishes it from any other of the Tineade with which I am

acquainted : the labial palpi also differ from those of any described

genus, and the deep sulcus on the fore wings is a character of

interest. I have dedicated the genus to Mr. Thomas Boyd, one

of our most zealous and active Microlepidopterists. The genus

will in all probability be found to be most nearly allied to our

Anchinia.

Sp. 1. Boydia criniferella, Newman.

Alis anticis nigricantibus, albido-irroratis, strigd basali latd

binisque medianis parvis albidis ; posticis nigricantibus pilis

pluremis longissimis fuliginosis margine antico ortis. (Alarum

dilat. ‘1 unc.)

Basal cup-shaped joint of labial palpi white, second joint white

beneath nearly to the tip, which is tinged with brown, third or

apical joint white at the base, black at the tip, head brown, eyes

large and black; thorax and abdomen brown, the apex of the

latter testaceous ; fore wings brown, irrorated with white scales ;

on the basal disk is a vitta composed of white scales, which ter-

minates rather before the middle of the wing; this is interrupted

by a dark brown or nearly black blotch in the very centre of the

wing, and beyond this are two short, white, parallel vittae; hind

wings testaceous brown, the costal margin tinged with ferru-

ginous, the hairs constituting the plume attached to the costa

are ferruginous at base, dusky brown at apex: beneath, body and

legs whitish ; wings dusky brown.

Three specimens of the insect are preserved: it is totally

different from any species previously described.

of a few Australian Lepidoptera. 293

Genus Torrricopsis, Newman.

Caput rotundatum, fronte levigato ; antennze corpore longiores,

setaceze, simplices, nullo modo armate ; maxille elongate ; labi-

palpi majores, porrecti, apice recurvi, articulo basali inviso, 2do

magno, deltoideo, angulo basali ad orem extenso, producto, por-

recto, subacuto, apicali obtuso, articulum tertium erectum, paul-

lulo recurvum, gracilem, elongatum emittente; ale anticee late,

ample, basim versus arcuate, apice paullo falcata, margine ex-

terno fere quadrato ; ale postice late ; cilia brevia.

This pretty insect in the form and size of its wings closely

resembles a Tortrix, the short cilia also seem to indicate an

approach to that family ; but the labial palpi, which are fortu-

nately very perfect, much more nearly approach those of Upso-

lophus and Aplota, nevertheless it differs from these in the

smoothness and roundness of its head and forehead, and in outline

the quiescent insect has exactly the bell-shaped figure of a true

Tortrix.

Sp. 1. Tortricopsis Rosabella, Newman. (PI. XVIII. fig. 8.)

Alis anticis ferrugineo-fuscis, maculd mediocostali obliqud satu-

rate fuscd, nebuld vagd prope marginem interiorem quoque

Suscd, margine externo ciliisque fuscis ; posticis luteis margine

Jferrugineo-tincto, ciltis basi ferrugineis apice fuscis ; abdomine

pallido: subtus, alis anticis leete ferrugineis, margine cilusque

JSuscis, margine postico quoque fuscescenti ; posticis flavis, mar-

gine costali apice late margine postico tenuter Serrugineis, radiis

nigro-apicatis ; coxis ventreque lete miniatis ; femoribus tibiisque

rufescentibus ; tarsis fuscis. (Alarum dilat. *95 unc.)

Maxillee ferruginous ; head, labial palpi and antenne mouse-

coloured; thorax ferruginous; fore wings ferruginous, with an

oblique, somewhat ill-defined, brown mark near the middle of the

costa, a suffused brown cloud near the middle of the inner margin,

and the external margin and cilia also brown ; hind wings yellow,

with a ferruginous tinge along the margin; each individual scale of

the fringe of the hind wings has the basal half ferruginous, the

apical half brown, so that the cilia have two distinct colours, next

the wing they are bright ferruginous, externally dingy brown:

beneath, the fore wings are bright ferruginous, slightly dusky at

the apex; the hind wings yellow, with the costal margin, a broad

apical portion narrowed along the outer margin ferruginous ; the

294 Mr. Newman’s Characters

apical area is irrorated with brown; the cilia of the wings are

bright ferruginous towards the wing, brown externally ; the coxe

and under side of the abdomen are bright red; the femora and

tarsi ferruginous ; the tarsi brown.

There is but a single specimen of this insect. There is no de-

scribed species with which I can possibly compare it.

Genus Cicopnora, Zeller.

Sp. 1. @eophora Marionella, Newman. (Pl. XVIII. fig. 7.)

Alis anticis nigricantibus, utriusque maculis octo difformibus albis,

posticis flavis, marginibus nigricantibus ; capite, pronoto, meta-

notoque flavis, mesonoto nigricanti ; abdomine nigricanti cingulis

apiceque aurantiacis. (Alarum dilat. *8—1 unc.)

Head and pronotum yellow; antenne brown; labial palpi

very long, the second joint yellow above, black beneath, the apical

joint entirely black ; mesonotum black ; tippets black at the base,

yellow at the apex; metanotum yellow ; abdomen black, with

golden bands and apex ; fore wings black, with eight pure white

markings ; the first of these is elongate, situate on the costa at its

base,—the second is discoidal, somewhat deltoid, and equidistant

from the costa and inner margin,—the third is discoidal, situate

almost in the middle of the wing as regards its length, but much

nearer the costal than the inner margin, it is slightly the largest

of the eight,—the fourth is below this, longitudinally lengthened

and the smallest of the eight,—the fifth is discoidal, transversely

lengthened and placed nearer the inner margin than the costa,—

the sixth is also transversely lengthened and reaches from near

the sixth obliquely to the costa,—the seventh is transversely long

and narrow, it is below the sixth and touches the anal angle of the

wing,—the eighth is on the basal portion of the cilia, lengthened

transversely and situate at the apex of the wing; with the excep-

tion of this mark the cilia are brown; hind wings with the disk

yellow, the margins broadly tinged with brown, the cilia paler:

beneath, fore wings brown, with two oblique testaceous obscure

costal markings, cilia pale; hind wings dull yellow, with a central

marking, the extreme apex and the posterior margin brown, cilia

pale.

Four specimens were taken. It is a beautiful and very con-

spicuous insect, and not nearly allied to any known species.

of a few Australian Lepidoptera. 295

Sp. 2. cophora bimaculella.

Alis anticis flavis, fascid mediand latéd ad marginem posticum

dilatatd, alterd apicali, ciliisque fuscis ; posticis fuscis conco-

loribus. (Alarum dilat. :65—-9 unc.)

Tortriz bimaculana, Donovan, Insects of New Holland.

Several specimens were taken. I have redescribed it as afford-

ing a second instance of the extremely near approach made by

the Vineade of New Holland to our true Tortrices; no one who

sees this pretty insect could feel the least surprise that Donovan

should describe it as a Vortrix.

Sp. 3. Ccophora Isabella, Newman. (PI. XVIII. fig. 2.)

Alis anticis flavescentibus, costd fasciisque obliquis duabus, externd

tenuiori, fuscescentibus, ciliis pallidis ; posticis fuliginosis, con-

coloribus : subtus, alis omnibus fuliginosis, concoloribus. (Ala-

rum dilat. *8 unc.)

Head, labial palpi and thorax pale yellow; antennee and ab-

domen dingy brown, the apex of the latter yellow ; fore wings pale

yellow, with the costa brown, the apical region of the wing is

adorned with two transverse oblique fascize of a pale purplish

brown colour ; the specimens being evidently wasted it is difficult

to define the colour with greater precision; the first of these fasciz

commences on the inner margin, somewhat within the anal angle

and proceeds obliquely upwards to the costa, terminating near the

apex of the wing; the second and smaller fascia is united with

the first at its base, and follows the outer margin of the wing

almost to its apex, leaving a slender marginal line of yellow, the

cilia are concolorous with the disk of the wing ; hind wings dusky

brown, with concolorous cilia: beneath, all the wings are uniformly

smoky brown, with concolorous cilia.

There is but a single specimen of this insect ; it is referred with

doubt to the genus Ccophora and has no resemblance whatever

to any described species.

Sp. 4. cophora Ellenella, Newman. (PI. XVIII. fig. 3.)

Alis anticis sericato-fuliginosis, ciliis concoloribus ; posticis luteis,

apice, margine postico, cilusque fuscescentibus. (Alarum

dilat. 1 unc.)

Head, palpi, antennz, thorax and abdomen pale drab brown,

with a satiny lustre which also pervades the entire upper surface

296 Mr. Newman’s Characters

of all the wings ; fore wings uniformly brown, with concolorous

cilia; hind wings with the disk yellow, the margin and cilia pale

brown: beneath, the wings are of the same hues as above, but the

yellow is less clearly defined and less intense in hue.

Only a single specimen taken; it has no resemblance to any

known species.

Sp. 5. @cophora Arabella, Newman. (PI. XVIII. fig. 4.)

Alis anticis fulvis, strigé ante costam alterdque ante marginem

anteriorem, fascid obliqud intus pone medium curvatd, cilusque

nigricantibus ; alis posticis sericatis, fuliginosis, concoloribus.

(Alarum dilat. +85 unc.)

Head and prothorax dull yellow; palpi and antenne brown ;

thorax brown, with yellow markings scarcely susceptible of precise

definition until more perfect specimens are obtained ; fore wings

divided by an oblique brown fascia beyond the middle, the discal

area between this and the base is bright yellow, with a conspicuous

brown vitta just below the costa, and a second occupying the inner

margin ; beyond the fascia the wing is lead-coloured, the cilia con-

colorous; hind wings uniformly brown, with concolorous cilia:

beneath brown, the yellow portion of the fore wings obscurely

indicated.

A single specimen taken ; it has no resemblance to any described

species.

Sp. 6. Qcophora Zitella, Newman.

Alis anticis fulvis, costa basali nigricante, ciliis fuscescentibus ;

posticis fuscescentibus, concoloribus. (Alarum dilat. *7—1 unc.)

Head and antennez fulvous; maxillary palpi very long, fulvous

above the second joint, brown beneath; thorax and abdomen

tawny ; fore wings golden fulvous, with a slender black line on

the costa at the base, cilia brown; hind wings entirely smoky

brown, with concolorous cilia: beneath, all the wings uniformly

brown, very silky and glittering, the cilia slightly paler.

Evidently closely allied to our British @cophora fusco-aurella

of Haworth, which Mr. Stainton as well as the late Mr. Stephens

regard as identical with Tinea unitella of Hiibner. (See Ins. Brit.

Tin. p. 161.) The antipodean insect now described is, however,

much larger and paler, and in other respects abundantly distinct.

of a few Australian Lepidoptera. 297

Sp. 7. Qicophora Paulinella, Newman. (PI. XVIII. fig. 1.)

Alis anticis argenteis, sericatis, nitidissimis, fasciis duabus obliquis

fuscis maculaque interveniente deltoided ad marginem interiorem

sitd centro niveo ornatd quoque fuscd ; alis posticis fuscescentibus,

concoloribus ; insectum venustum! (Alarum dilat. *7—’9 unc.)

Labial palpi long, the terminal joint particularly elongated,

slender and cylindrical, greyish; head and incrassated base of

antenne white; shafts of antenne, together with thorax and abdo-

men, dusky grey; fore wings silvery white, with certain markings

which are nearly black; the first of these is an obliquely curved

fascia which commences at about the middle of the inner margin

and terminates on the costa beyond its middle; the second is a

deltoid spot with a silvery centre seated on the inner margin; the

third is an oblique fascia occupying the outer margin, almost a

duplicate of the first; these three markings are united by the

similarly coloured inner margin of the wing; the cilia are brown

at the anal angle, thence to the apex white; hind wings smoky

brown, with concolorous cilia; under side of the wings smoky

brown, the cilia paler.

{ am reluctant to propose a new genus for this insect, but I am

perfectly aware that it differs essentially from Gcophora in many

of its characters, more especially in having a distinctly falciform

outer margin to the fore wings. It is widely different from any

described species.

Sp. 8. Gcophora Agnesella, Newman.

Alis anticis albis, strigd mediand ante apicem vage divisd testaceo-

fuscd ; posticis albicantibus ciliis concoloribus : subtus, alis

anticis fuscis ; posticis albidis ; ciliis omnibus albidis. (Alarum

dilat. *85 unc.)

Labial palpi long, slender and recurved, grey; head smooth,

and together with thorax nearly white; antennz whitish on the

upper side towards the base, otherwise brown ; abdomen whitish,

each segment somewhat testaceous at the base, the apex bearing

a tuft of whitish hairs; fore wings white, with a subcostal tes-

taceous vitta extending from the base to about two-thirds the

length of the wing, there dividing, and the two branches slightly

298 Mr. Newman’s Characters

divaricating, extend not only to the margin but to the extreme

points of the cilia; hind wings white, without marks, the cilia,

except as already indicated, white: beneath, fore wings brown ;

hind wings and all the cilia white.

One specimen only was taken; it is not nearly allied to any

described species.

Sp. 9. Cicophora Semelella, Newman.

dlis anticis flavido-cinereis fasciis 3 nigricantibus, quarum basali

rectd, mediand quoad costam divisd ramulis divaricatis quoad

marginem posticum integra literam V fere fingenti, tertid difformi

quoad marginem posticum laid vix arcuatd, quoad costam tenuis-

simd costam ipsam vix attingenti, margine (alarum anticarum)

externo quoque nigricante spatio medio pallido ; posticis fuligi-

nosis, ciliis concoloribus. (Alarum dilat. 55 unc.)

Head and labial palpi testaceous yellow ; eyes and antenne dark

brown; pronotum yellow ; tippets apparently dark brown; fore

wings yellowish-grey, with various transverse dark brown marks ;

the first is a costal spot near the base, the second a straight but

lobed fascia; following this are two narrow and abbreviated fascia,

one rising from the costa, the other from the hind margin; these

do not meet on the disk of the wing; beyond them, and occupying

the centre of the wing is a V-shaped mark, that is, a fascia single

and entire at the inner margin, but immediately divided into two

widely separating branches which reach the costa ; beyond this

again is an amorphous fascia, its basal portion broad and somewhat

Junate, its apical portion bent and much narrower does not reach

the costa; finally a blotch of the same dark colour occupies the

apical and another the anal angle ; each of these gives off a slender

limb toward the disk of the wing, almost enclosing a pale marginal

space; underwings brown, with concolorous cilia: beneath, all the

wings are dark brown, with concolorous cilia,

A siugle specimen of this insect was taken. Mr, Stainton thinks

it has some resemblance to Cicophora Borkhausenii, but is abun-

dantly distinct.

of a few Australian Lepidoptera. 299

Sp. 10. Gcophora Hecatella, Newman.

Alas anticis fuliginosis, macula basali mediocri, alterd costali medi-

and deltoided, duabusque minutis discalibus nigris, alarum apice

saturaliort vie nigricanti; alis posticis fuliginosis, ciliis con-

coloribus : subtus, alis omnibus saturate fuliginosis, concoloribus.

Alarum dilat. *75 une.

Head, thorax and fore wings smoky lead-coloured ; eyes, palpi

and antenne darker; there are several nearly black markings on

the fore wings ; the first occupies the entire breadth of the wing at

its base, the second occupies the middle of the costa and is trian-

gular, the third is also costal and apical, obscure and ill-defined ;

in addition to these are several black points, a series of which is

parallel with the outer margin of the wing; the hind wings are

smoky lead-coloured without markings, the cilia concolorous :

underside somewhat darker than the upper and without markings.

A single specimen only was taken, It is very different from

every described species.

Genus Grypuipreryx, Hubner.

Sp. 1. Glyphipteryx Sabella, Newman.

Alis anticis nigro-e@neis, fascis quatuor costalibus argenteis,

maculisque duabus, deltoideis, costalibus apicem versus albidis,

maculdque difformi argented in angulum posticum; posticis

Juliginosis concoloribus. (Alarum dilat. *45 unc.)

Fore wings nigro-zneous, glittering, adorned posteriorly with

yellowish scales and having four silvery white narrow fasciz, which

extend from the costa about half-way across the wing; beyond

these and very near the apex of the wing are two deltoid white

spots on the costa itself; from the inner margin of the wing arise

other very similar but less distinct fascize, and these almost meet

those on the costa; in the anal angle is a distinct silvery mark ;

the cilia are pale brown, with a nearly black mark at the apex :

hind wings smoky brown, with concolorous cilia.

This pretty insect is evidently allied to our Glyphipteryx Thra-

sonella. ‘Two specimens were taken, and these differ much in

their marking; the silver markings descending from the costa are

more perpendicular than in G. T’hrasonella, and there is a black

hook in the apical cilia of the fore wings, thus supplying an addi-

tional connecting link between Thrasonella and equitella,

300 Mr. Newman’s Characters of Australian Lepidoptera.

Genus Litnocottetis, Zeller.*

Sp. 1. Lithocolletis Lalagella, Newm.

Alis anticis niveis, fasciis quatuor (quarta semialtera) plumbeis

marginibus propriis nigerrimis ; posticis angustissimis fuligi-

nosis, ciliis longissimis concoloribus. (Alarum dilat. ‘4 unc.)

Head silvery white, with black eyes; fore wings snowy white,

with four broad lead-coloured transverse markings, each of which

has black margins ; the first of these is basal, the second rather

before, the third rather beyond the middle of the wing, the fourth

is amorphous, it occupies the apex of the wing, and encloses a snowy

white deltoid costal spot ; the cilia are whitish, with a slight inter-

ruption of brown near the apex ; the hind wings are very narrow

and lined with long cilia attached to both margins; they are of a

dingy white, inclining to silvery white along the middle.

In this pretty insect, of which a single specimen only was taken,

the dark markings on a white ground immediately remind one of

our Lithocolletis hortella and sylvella, but the simple transverse

character of the second and third fascize at once distinguish the

Australian from either of the British species.

Genus Priropuorus, Geoffroy.

Sp. 1. Pterophorus tinctidactylus, Newm.

Albus citreo-tinctus, lunula alarum pallide fusca anticarum, pos-

tacis dilute ochreo-cinereis. (Alarum dilat. *65 unc.)

White with a very slight tinge of lemon colour; on the fore wings

is an indistinct brown mark just at the base of the cleft; the hind

wings are pale ochreous grey.

A single specimen only was taken; it a good deal resembles

P. osteodactylus, but is readily distinguished by the paler colour of

the posterior wings, and by the citron-yellow—not fuscous hue—of

the antenne. A second species of Pterophorus also forms part of

the collection, but is so injured that I cannot venture to charac-

terize it.

* As I understand the genus Lithocolletis of Zeller, it is not equivalent to the

long previously characterized Lithocolletis of Hiibner; it would, therefore, have

been less confusing had Zeller given to his newly associated group an entirely

new name: it is now too late, since the second Lithocolletis has become a classical,

the first an obsolete, name.

(en 20ln)

XXVIII. Descriptions of Three Species of Indian Micro-

Lepidoptera. By H. 'T. Srainron, Esq.

[Read 7th January, 1856.]

Tue three insects I propose on the present occasion to describe,

were bred last summer at Calcutta, by Mr. Atkinson, Ass it is

something new to get bred specimens of the genera Coriscium,

Phyllocnistis and Lithocolletis from the ‘ far East,” I hope this

is but the beginning of an improved state of affairs.

Unfortunately, I am painfully aware of how very, very little

use it is describing a few random species from a distant country ;

nay, 1 sometimes doubt whether this proceeding is not actually

worse than useless, for the time will come when some one will

have to go over these descriptions, to find whether other species

from the same locality have previously been described or not;

and it is more than probable that it will take him twice the time

to make out my descriptions that it has taken me to make

them.

It appears to me that each country ought to work out its own

Entomology, and that while we amuse ourselves with describing a

few American or Indian species, we only cause difficulties for

future American or Indian Entomologists. Where, as in Ento-

mology, the number of species is so vast, the description of a few

only, from some distant quarter of the globe, unless systematically

followed up, is likely to resemble the martello towers in ‘* puz-

zling posterity.”

Yet, doubting much whether I am doing right, I feel that some

record of Mr. Atkinson’s labours ought to be preserved, and,

therefore, I have briefly sketched the following descriptions of the

species he has sent me. I may add, that Mr. Atkinson is likely

to remain at Calcutta some time, and proposes to continue his

Micro-Lepidopterous studies there. The species I have now to

describe are Coriscium orientale, Phyllocnistis Citrella, and Litho-

colletis Bauhinie.

Coriscium orientale, n. sp.

Alis anticis griseis, dilute et saturate fusco-variegatis, strigulis

tribus abbreviatis costae apicem versus nigris, duabus albidis

alternantibus ; ciliis-apicis albidis bis saturate fusco-cinctis.

Exp. al. 43 lin.

302 Mr. H.'T. Stainton’s Descriptions

This insect is most nearly allied to our Brongniardellum, but

the long tuft of the 2nd joint of the palpi (which tuft is quite

as long as the terminal joint) would sufficiently distinguish it;

and the markings on the anterior wings are very obscure and

vague, and not bright and distinct as they are in our European

species.

Expansion of the wings 44 lines.

Head and face pale fuscous; maxillary palpi whitish; labial

palpi, second joint, pale fuscous, varied with dark fuscous, with

a long projecting tuft of moderate thickness; terminal joint

whitish, with two black rings. Antenne dark fuscous, with paler

annulations. Hind legs ocherous; tarsi dark fuscous, annulated

with whitish.

Anterior wings grey, irregularly mottled with paler and darker

fuscous, with three more conspicuous blackish, oblique short

streaks from the costa towards the apex, between which are two

slender, oblique pale streaks; the posterior of which speedily

assumes a blueish tinge, and is continued across the wing to the’

anal angle; cilia of the hinder margin whitish, intersected by two

dark fuscous lines ; cilia of the inner margin pale fuscous. Pos-

terior wings fuscous, with a faint purple tinge, with paler cilia.

Mr. Atkinson sent me two specimens of this insect, with the

following note: ‘This is attached to one of the Bauhinie, but not

B. purpurea; 1 suspect the larva feeds on the flower buds, but I

have only seen itin pupa. The cocoon at first sight is very like

the mine of some Lithocolletides, but on examination it is found to

consist of an upper and under layer of fine compact silken web,

of a delicate white, spread in an irregular oval patch on the upper

surface of the leaf, and, like a Lithocolletis mine, slightly contract-

ing it. It appears the beginning of June.”

Phyllocnistis Citrella, Atkinson in litt.

Alis anticis albis, linea humerali, altera costali pone medium

productis, maculam dilute auream includentibus, linea recta

transversa fusca pone medium, apice dilute ochreo, puncto

apicali atro.

Exp. al. 23 lin.

This pretty little insect is nearly allied to our European Suffu-

sella and Saligna, though so much smaller. It is readily distin-

guished by the pale ochreous apical portion of the wing, and the

straightess of the transverse fuscous line beyond the middle.

Expansion of the wings 2 lines.

of Three Species of Indian Micro- Lepidoptera. 303

Head, face and palpi white. Antenne whitish; basal joint

white. Legs white. :

Anterior wings white, with two slender grey streaks; one from

the shoulder, terminating on the fold beyond the middle, the other

beginning on the costa, near the base, and running parallel to it;

the latter half of the space, included between these two streaks, is,

in certain lights, pale golden. In the middle is a short oblique

streak from the costa; beyond the middle is a transverse dark

fuscous line, beyond which the apical portion of the wing is almost

entirely pale ochreous, but with two short fuscous streaks from

the costa, and some fuscous streaks at the anal angle; at the

apex is an intense black dot preceded by a few silvery scales, and

from it three or four fuscous streaks radiate in the cilia. Pos-

terior wings whitish, with pale grey cilia.

Of this species Mr. Atkinson only sent me two specimens, ob-

serving, “ it feeds on a species of Citrus. The mine and cocoon

are very like those of Phyllocnistis saligna and suffusella. The

cocoon is situated at the edge of the leaf, which is rolled up by it,

just as the willow and poplar leaves are by those species. I pro-

pose to call it Ph. Citrella. It appears in February.”

Lithocolletis Bauhinie, Atkinson in litt.

Alis anticis brunneo-ochreis, linea tenui basali abbreviata al-

bida infra et postice nigrosquamata, fasciis tenuibus duabus

angulatis, tertia obliqua albidis, postice nigrosquamatis.

Exp. al. 23 lin.

This is not closely allied to any of our European species. It

has some resemblance to Trifasciella and Scabiosella, but is at once

distinguished by the dark margins of the three fascize being on ,

their posterior edges. Another singular instance of a marking

diametrically opposite to those which occur in the European

species of this genus, is, that the basal streak is dark margined on

its dorsal edge.

Expansion of the wings 23 lines.

Head dark ochreous, with a ferruginous tinge. Face and

palpi whitish. Antenne whitish, with fuscous annulations.

Hind tarsi whitish, broadly annulated with dark fuscous.

Anterior wings brownish-ochreous, with a slender, short,

whitish basal streak, margined beneath, and at its end with black.

Before the middle is a slender, angulated, whitish fascia, much

nearer the base on the inner margin than on the costa; the costal

arm of this fascia is very short; beyond the middle is a second

304 Mr. H. T. Stainton’s Descriptions, &c..

angulated fascia precisely similar ; both these are margined with

black scales externally, but only on the longer dorsal arm; tc-

wards the hinder margin is an oblique whitish fascia, terminating

in the apex, externally margined with black, and between it and

the second fascia, is a small whitish spot on the costa, which is

sometimes connected with the angulation of the second fascia by

a series of black scales ; cilia greyish, with a dark fuscous hinder

marginal line.

Posterior wings grey, with paler cilia.

Of this I have received several specimens from Mr. Atkinson,

who remarks, “I detected this shortly after my arrival here,

mining the upper cuticle of the leaves of Bauhinia purpurea (not

racemosa, as formerly mentioned,*) in irregular circular or oval

patches, the leaf remaining uncontracted. Before changing to

pupa, the larva spins a slight silken cocoon, drawing together the

two cuticles of the leaf in the centre of the mined part, and form-

ing almost an exact circle.”

* Proceedings Ent. Soc. vol. iii, N.S. p. 93.

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON,

February 6, 1854.

E, Newman, Esq., President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the

donors :-—‘ Bulletin de Académie Royale des Sciences, des Lettres et des Beaux-

Arts de Belgique, Tome xx. Parts 1 and 2: ‘ Mémoires Couronnes,’ Tome v. Part 2,

Tome vi. Part 1: ‘ Instructions pour Observation des Phenoménes Peériodiques’ :

‘Mémoires de Académie Royale des Sciences, des Lettres et des Beaux-Arts de

Belgique’: all presented by the Academy. The ‘ Zoologist’ for February; by the

Editor. ‘Monographie des Guépes Sociales, par H. de Saussure, Cahiers 1, 2,and3;

presented by the Author. The ‘Atheneum’ for January; by the Editor. The

‘ Literary Gazette’ for January; by the Editor. The ‘Journal of the Society of

Arts’ for January; by the Society. A box of British Lepidoptera, by P. H.

Vaughan, Esq.

Nomination of Vice-Presidents.

The President nominated as Vice-Presidents for the year W. W. Saunders, Esq.,

F. Smith, Esq., and H. T. Stainton, Esq.

Prize Essay for 1854 and 1855.

It was announced that the Council, on behalf of the Society, renewed for this

year the offer of a prize of £5 5s. for the best Essay on the Natural History of the

Cocci injurious to British fruit-trees, especially of the “ mussel-scale blight” of

the apple, considering that the short notice given last year may not have allowed time

for the preparation of such a paper. And the Council also now gave notice that they

would award a similar prize for the best Essay on the Natural History of the Coccus

which produces the lac-dye of commerce, which should be delivered to the Society on

or before the 51st of December, 1855; and it was stated, as an encouragement, that

Dr. Royle had kindly promised that the information at present possessed by the East

India Company, or any other that the resources of that Company could procure from

India on the subject, should be at the service of those who might be induced to take

it up.

Election of Members.

The following gentlemen were balloted for and elected Members of the Society :-—

George Brownell, Esq., Shaw Street, Liverpool; John Maxwell Savage, Esq., 26,

Gloucester Place, Portman Square; Francis P. Pascoe, Esq., F.L.S., Fern Lodge,

Kensington ; Jacob Birt, Esq., Sussex Gardens, Hyde Park: and J. R. S. Clifford,

Esq., Pimlico, was elected a Subscriber.

Fixhibitions.

Mr. E. L. Layard exhibited several large cases of Lepidoptera collected by him

during a residence of several years in Ceylon; nearly all in fine condition, and

including species of great beauty and rarity.

The President exhibited a perfect male and female, as well as the larva-case and

a drawing of the larva of a Sacktrager, found by Mr. Bates in the interior of Brazil ;

it was evidently a species of Saccophora, and he proposed to call the species Batesii :

he was preparing a detailed account of this curious genus, to which he would again

call the attention of the Society as soon as some illustrative drawings had been

"prepared.

Mr. Douglas exhibited a Phigalia pilosaria, taken at 114 p.m., on the 2Ist of

January, sitting ona gas-lamp, at Lee. This appearance, so very early in the season,

was the more remarkable from the continued low temperature existing to within

a few days previous. He remarked also, with reference to the hour of its capture, that

he had always seen moths on the street-lamps to be more numerous after 10 o'clock at

night. Since the late mild weather had set the grass growing, he had noticed young

hybernated larve of Elachiste mining in the newly formed leaves.

Mr. Stevens exhibited Argynnis Paphia, g, a variety in which the black spots

on the upper surface of the wings, usually of a round form, were run together into oval

patclies; also Argynnis Euphrosyne, 2, a variety with a black band across the centre

of all the wings, giving it the appearance of a distinct species. Both specimens were

captured by Mr. Jobnson, near Ipswich. Mr. Stevens also exhibited specimens

of Elater impressus, /ab., a new British species, captured at Rannoch, in 1853,

by Mr. Weaver and Mr. Foxcroft.

British Elateride.

Mr. Curtis read a paper entitled “ Critical Remarks upon the British Elateride,

with Descriptions of some of the Species.”

New Work on the Genera of Coleoptera.

Mr. Waterhouse called the attention of the Meeting to a work about to be pub-

lished in Paris, by subscription, entitled ‘Genera des Coléoptéres, par M. Jacquelin

du Val, with plates by M. Jules Migneaux. The whole work will be comprised in

86 parts, large 8vo., each of which will contain 3 plates of 5 coloured types, details of

generic characters, and corresponding text, and the price 1% france.

Species of Cherrus and Polyphrades.

Mr. Waterhouse stated that during last autumn he visited Oxford for the purpose

of examining a portion of the Rev. Mr. Hope’s collection, and that after that visit he

communicated some observations which he had made relating to certain species

of Curculionide (which were described by Schonherr, from specimens in the collection

in question) to M. Jekel ; amongst other points he noticed the very great resemblance

which there existed between the type-specimens of Polyphrades cinereus and Cherrus

nanus, which he thought ought not to be separated generically, and which could

searcely be even separated as distinct species. In return, M. Jekel favoured Mr.

Waterhouse with some observations upon the species of Cherrus and Polyphrades,

which he regards as of sufficient interest to be laid before the Society.

The following is M. Jekel’s communication :—

“Genera Cherrus and Polyphrades.—This is a very interesting case, which, after

many troublesome efforts, I ascertained about two years ago, in studying the new

species of Germar—Cherrus nitidilabris, of the ‘Fauna Nove Adelaidie.’ I do

not know whether I spoke to you on the subject last summer, but I had been puzzled

as you are now. My decision was as follows :—

‘1, Schonherr described Cherrus nanus in vol. i., doubting, in a note, as to its being

a true Cherrus, and at that time he knew only this species as belonging to the Cherri-

form beetles.

“2. In vol. v., when reviewing his genus Cherrus, he no longer had by him

the Cherrus nanus, and when he there established his new genus Polyphrades, he did

not sufficiently recollect the characters of that species, which, as I have said, he

originally doubted as being a true Cherrus. He then described a large species of

Polyphrades under the name cinereus, a species very closely allied to Cherrus nanus,

but which may be distinguished by its having the suture cariniform behind, a

character wanting in Cherrus nanus and C. nitidilabris. I possess, however, two

other undescribed species with the same character.

“These species might be divided into two sections, which I am certain are not

founded upon sexual characters, since I possess both sexes of some of them.

“1, Elytrorum sutura postice elevato-carinata ; including Ch. cinereus, Schonherr,

and two new species.

“92. Elytrorum sutura plana—Ch. nanus, Scho., Ch. nitidilabris, Germ., Ch. paga-

nus, Sché. They all differ somewhat in the structure of the rostrum and antenne

from P. laticollis, P. argentarius, &c., but they scarcely should constitute a distinct

genus.”

March 6, 1854.

E. Newman, Esq., President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to

the donors: —The ‘ Zoologist’ for March; by the Editor. The ‘ Atheneum’ for

February; by the Editor. The ‘ Literary Gazette’ for February; by the Editor.

‘Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, Vol. xiv. part 2; by the So-

ciety. ‘Revue et Magasin de Zoologie, 1853, No. 9; by the Editor, M. Guérin

Meéneville. ‘ Proceedings of the Royal Society, Vol. vi., No. 101; by the Society.

‘Synopsis des Caloptérygiénes,’ par M. Edm. de Selys-Longchamps: Bruxelles, 1853;

by the Author. ‘Journal of the Society of Arts’ for February ; by the Society.

Election of Members.

Charles Melly, Esq., Liverpool, was elected a Member; and S. C. Tress Beale,

Esq., Ivy Court, Tenterden, was elected a Subscriber.

The Society’s Excursions.

It was announced that the Society would make two excursions this year, one on

the 10th of June, to Pembury, near Tunbridge, the other on the 8th of July, to Mic-

kleham. ‘Tickets for dinner, on either occasion, may be obtained by Members, for

themselves or friends, of the Officers of the Society, at 2s. 6d. each, up to the 2nd of

May; and after that day, at 3s. 6d, each.

Exhibitions.

Mr. Stevens exhibited specimens of the new British Zygena Minos, taken last

June, near Galway, by Mr. Henry Milner. He also exhibited some Coleoptera and

Lepidoptera, just received from Mr. Fortune, in the North of China, several being re-

markable from their great similarity to British species ; and he also exhibited some

Lepidoptera, including some Micros collected by Herr Guenzius at Port Natal.

Mr. Stevens exhibited the fine specimen of Morpho Cyperis, presented to the So-

ciety by Mr. T. J. Stevens, which had become saturated with grease, and was now

quite restored by means of camphine and magnesia.

Mr. Moore exhibited a mud nest of a mason bee or wasp, containing several cells,

in one of which he found a Chrysis, in another a wasp, and ina third part of a spider,

all of which had probably entered after the builder of the nest had left it. The nest

was found on a wall at Dacca, in India.

Mr. Curtis exhibited the following larvee, which he intends to describe for a future

meeting :—Larva of a Harpalus? of Stenolophus vaporariorum ? Cistela (Prionychus)

ater, Prostumis mandibularis, Helophorus ? (alive at the end of two years), Pyralis

(taken feeding on iusects in a cabinet).

Mr. Foxcroft exhibited living specimens of Boletophagus crenatus, and the larve,

also larve of a species of Tinea, probably pellionella, which had fed upon, and formed

their cases of, hartshorn shavings.

Varieties of Lepidoptera taken near Ipswich.

Mr. Curtis, referring to the curious varieties of two species of Argynnis, captured

near Ipswich, which were exhibited at the Jast meeting, said that that locality seemed

prolific in curious varieties, for he had seen several of various Lepidoptera taken there.

Mr. Desvignes also made a similar statement.

Capture of Hemerobius dipterus.

The President announced the capture by Mr. Dale, at Langport, in Dorsetshire,

of Hemerobius dipterus. ‘This insect was previously known as German, but not as

British, and adds still another to the interesting contributions made to British Ento-

mology by this most indefatigable and successful collector. The species was first de-

scribed from a German specimen, in Burmeister’s ‘ Handbuch der Entomologie,’ vol.

lii. p. 973; and a second time by Mr. Walker, in the ‘Catalogue of Neuropterous

Insects in the British Museum,’ part iii. p. 298.

Works on Zoology and Geology.

The President said that he had again been requested to state, that Sir William

Jardine would be happy to receive any additions, from authors of works on Zoology

and Geology, to the lists of their writings already sent in for publication by the Ray

Society ; the appearance of this bibliographical volume having been delayed by the

untimely death of the lamented Mr. Strickland, to whom it had been entrusted.

Insects of Moreton Bay.

The President mentioned that he had received a communication from Mr. Rawns-

ley, offering to collect insects for the Society, or any of its Members, at Moreton Bay,

in New South Wales.

Larva of Monodontomerus.

Read, a letter from G. Newport, Esq., F.R.S., &c., controverting at great length

some of the statements of Mr. F. Smith respecting Monodontomerus, published in the

‘Transactions’ of the Linnean and this Society, and claiming the prior discovery of

the larva.

Mr. Smith briefly replied that he had nothing to retract, and was content to abide

by his former statements.

Phosphorescence of the Larva of an Insect.

The following paper was read : —

“Observations on the Phosphorescence of the Larva of an Insect.” By J. Rein-

hardt. Read before the Association of Naturalists at Copenhagen, at the meeting on

the 18th of February, 1853.*

“In April, 1852, on arriving towards the conclusion of my stay at Lagoa Santa,

the larva of an insect, an inch and a half long, and emitting a strong light of a very

peculiar kind, was brought to me, having been caught in a house just as it was creep-

ing out from under a piece of timber lying in a passage. It had been seen the even-

ing before, but had escaped before any one could muster up courage to lay hold of it.

None of the inhabitants of the village to whom the animal was shown knew anything

about it; though it cannot be of particularly rare occurrence in that part of Brazil,

because I have heard, from an amateur of Zoology from Sabara, that he had met with

it several times in that town.

“ The peculiarity in its luminous property consists in its producing two distinct sorts

of light; for while all the segments of the body, with the exception of the prothorax,

are each furnished on the dorsal side with two shining points radiating a greenish light,

like that which we see in our glow-worm and similar forms, the whole of the head,

* Translated from the Danish by Dr. Wallich, F.R.S., V.P. Linn. Soe.

excepting the eyes, antenne, and the parts of the mouth, glows like a live coal, with

the most vivid intensity, strikingly contrasting with the greenish luminous dots of the

rest of the body. It is not, however, by the colour alone, and the locality of the light,

that the animal becomes remarkable, and, so far as I know, unique among insects ;

but it appears moreover to be permanent: for, although it alternately diminishes in

intensity, being at times scarcely observable by lamp-light, it is at other times quite

distinct, nay, occasionally visible at mid-day; yet, during the whole of the twenty-four

hours in which the insect continued alive with me, it never once lost its luminosity, and

the decided alternations in the intensity were but little appreciable in the dark. Again,

the greenish light of the segments contrasts with that which issues from the head,

by fading and becoming perfectly imperceptible, and then again reviving, as is seen

in the Lampyris ; it frequently vanishes and becomes extinct in some of the segments,

while in others it continues bright. It is rarely that the light is extinguished in all

the segments simultaneously, and, on the whole, it is more nearly continuous than in

the kind of insects just mentioned. ‘The radiation takes place from the dorsal parts

of the rings, behind and above the spiracles, without having apparently any absolute

conuexion with them, for it is seen also in segments wanting the spiracles, that is, in

the mesothorax and last abdominal ring. The lucid points are of the size of the head

of a small pin, and the light is so intense that it shines through the sides of the abdo-

men: when it ceases, no particular appearance is observable at the place whence it

issued ; and, unlike the luminous spots on the thorax of the shining Elaters, it is nei-

ther sharply defined, nor, in general, remarkable by any peculiar appearance; and on

the larva being put into brandy, the red light was extinguished first, and then the

green,

“‘T have in vain searched for any notice of such a larva in entomological works ;

neither is it mentioned in Ehrenberg’s known memoir on the luminosity of the sea,

prepared, no doubt, from the most extensive information upon all known phenomena

of phosphorescence. I may therefore assume that the peculiar light in question has

not hitherto been known to zoologists; although a short notice, giving the main fea-

tures of the phenomenon quite correctly, but unaccompanied by any adequate account

of the luminous animal itself, from the pen of F. Azara, appears in his ‘ Voyage dans

PAmérique Méridionale’ (t. i. p. 114), wherein the author reports that at Paraguay he

saw ‘a worm of nearly two inches in length, the head of which glowed at night like a

piece of burning coal, and having besides along the body, on each side, a row of holes

resembling eyes, from which a fainter yellowish light emanated.’ This accords, in all

essential points, so entirely with what I observed myself, that I must consider the lit-

tle discrepancy of the holes themselves being luminous, as depending simply on a less

attentive examination; and I am therefore of opinion that there can scarcely be a

doubt of the Paraguay worm being identical with, or at all events nearly allied to, that

which I obtained at Minas.

“ There cannot be a doubt of this larva being that of some Coleopterous insect,

but of which it is impossible for me to say. Tt seems probable that the strong phos-

phorescence does not entirely cease with that stage, even although it should become

more or less modified afterwards; and it may therefore be hoped that the property

may lead to the discovery of the perfect insect. But although I have been collecting

the Fauna of that part of the Brazils inhabited by this larva, through all seasons and

on a somewhat large scale, yet have I never met there with any other luminous insects

than Elateride and Lampyride. Te the larve of the first of these families it has

no resemblance ; but it undoubtedly has several features in common with the latter,

and on the whole it has a stronger affinity with these than with any other form of

larva with which I am acquainted ; and yet, as will be seen from the subjoined de-

scription, it differs from the larve of the three principal genera of the family in some

essential points: so that it still remains a question whether the perfect insect will be

found to belong to the Lampyride.

“ Description.—My specimen was a little smaller than Azara’s, and measured 40

millim. in length, and about 5 millim. in breadth. Body flattened in such a way that

the dorsal side is slightly arched, and separated by a margin from the more flat abdo-

minal side. Hairs are scattered all over the body, but more sparingly on the upper

than on the under side, and especially towards the edge, where they stand so close to-

gether as to give that part a villous appearance. The colour above is a dirty reddish

brown, below yellowish white. The head is horny, protruding somewhat horizontally,

without admitting of being retracted and hidden by the first thoracic segment: there is

a sharp fold around it, which gives the anterior part an appearance of extending from

the hinder portion as from a sheath, and conceals the articulation of the lower parts of

the mouth: on each side is one eye only, though rather large, placed inconsiderably

before the fold just mentioned, and directed laterally and somewhat forward : before it

are the palpi, which consist of four joints, the outermost being very short, and much

thinner than the preceding ones. The structure of the mouth seems to indicate that

the larva is of predaceous habits, which agrees also with the nocturnal life it appears

to lead. The much-curved jaws are thick at their base, becoming rapidly attenuated

towards their tips, without being terminated by a fine point; on their inner margin

they bear only a small knob or obtuse tooth, and, when closed, they cross each other

at the apex. There is an upper lip between the jaws, hardly large enough to fill the

entire space between them, and therefore easily overlooked ; its outer margin has a

slight incision in the middle. The lower parts of the mouth, the jaws, and the under

lip, are grown together with the extraordinarily developed basal joint, intoa large

plate, on which two deep furrows alone point out the limits of the lip and jaws: from

the anterior margin of this plate, quite towards the sides, originate the maxillary palpi,

which are cylindrical, short in comparison with their considerable thickness, and con-

sist of four joints, the outermost being terminated by a slightly arched, cutaneous, and

soft lamina, strongly contrasting with the other (brown) part by its whitish colour:

close within these is the two-jointed maxillary lobe, almost concealed by the palpi,

which are many times larger ; and in the middle is seen what I think is properly the

tongue, which is narrowest at its origin, widening towards the insertion of the two-

jointed lingual palpi, and protruding between these with a little triangular elongation,

bearing two brushes at its apex. There are twelve joints in the body, besides the horny

anus, which protrudes like a thirteenth joint: they are hard and horny, except on the

under side of the pectoral portion, and especially the metathorax, where the joints are

partially soft and skin-like. The first thoracic segment is larger than the other two, and

on its abdominal side is marked with a deep incision, like a V, in which almost the

entire under side of the head is uncovered and visible, while, on its back, the head has

its posterior part covered by the prothorax. The legs are long and strongly developed,

whence the motions of the animal are proportionably rapid. The coxa tends vb-

liquely inward and backward, and lies close to the body ; it is cylindrical in form,

rather long, and movably connected with the femur, which, although stouter, is not

longer than the tibia: the foot consists of a single, long, very pointed, but slightly

curved claw. Of the segments of the body, the first four are of nearly equal length,

but are perceptibly shorter than the last five, and these again differ slightly amongst

themselves: the abdominal portion of the first eight segments is divided into five parts

by means of four furrows, of which parts the middle one is broadest, the two on each

side narrower ; or it may be thus stated :—The ventral portion of the body is covered,

not as on the back, by one, but by five horny shields. The spiracles are nine in num-

ber on each side; the foremost on the under side of the mesothorax, close to the an-

terior margin of this segment ; the remaining eight on the eight first segments of the

abdomen, where they are situated on the dorsal shield, directly below the edge, where

it bends towards the ventral side.”

Bombyx Cynthia.

Mr. Spence communicated the following extract from the ‘ Journal of the Society

of Arts,’ February 24, 1854 : —

“ Col. Sir William Reid, Governor of Malta, has forwarded to the Society of Arts,

through the Colonial Office, a communication in which he states, that after many fail-

ures, through the very laudable and persevering efforts of Mr. Piddington, of Calcutta,

with the aid of the Directors of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Packet Company,

he has received some sound eggs of the Indian silkworm (Bombyx Cynthia), called

by the natives of Assam ‘ Eria, and which feeds on the leaves of the castor-oil plant.

Of the eggs received about five hundred have hatched, and the worms, after undergo-

ing two mutations, still appear to be in a very healthy state, feeding only on the cas-

tor-oil plant. Mr. Piddington had, for some time previously to Sir William Reid’s

arrival in Malta, been striving to convey this silkworm to the Agricultural Society of

Turin, as they wish to introduce it into Italy ; it will be his first duty, if he succeeds,

to send it there.”

Sir William Reid has also inclosed some copies of an account of the Assam silk-

worm, which have been published in the ‘ Journal of the Society of Arts of March

3rd. The following are extracts : —

“Tt is stated by Dr. Helfer that ‘the Eria is reared over a large part of Hindo-

stan, but more extensively in the districts of Dinagpur and Rangpur, in houses, in a

domesticated state, and feeds chiefly on the leaves of Ricinus communis. The silk of

this species has never been wound off, but people are obliged to spin it like cotton. It

gives a cloth of seemingly loose coarse texture, but of incredible durability, the life of

one person being seldom sufficient to wear out a garment made of it, so that the same

piece descends from mother to daughter. It is so productive as to give sometimes

twelve broods of spun silk in the course of a year. The worm grows rapidly, and of-

fers no difficulty whatever for an extensive speculation.’

“*On account of the double profit that would be derived from the same area of land

by cultivating it with the castor-oil plant, which produces oil and feeds the worm, an

extensive cultivation of this species would be highly recommendable ; and if, also, the

cloth is of the coarsest nature, it is, on the other hand, very valuable on account of its

durability. May it not be particularly well adapted to mix in certain textures with

cotton ?’

“ Dr. Helfer estimates that there are not less than a hundred and fifty species of

moths in India {the larve of] which form cocoons more or less adapted for use in

manufactures. He adds,—‘ Many have made the objection that the silk of the Indian

species is much inferior. This is yet an undecided question. The mulberry silkworm

degenerates if not properly attended to. What has been done to raise the indigenous

species from the state of their natural inferiority ? Very much depends upon the cul-

tivation of the worms in houses; secondly, on the method of feeding them, selecting

not that vegetable substance which best gratifies their taste, but that which contributes

to form a fine cocoon; and, thirdly, from the first chemical operations employed be-

fore the working of the rough material. But even if the raw material would not be

capable of a higher degree of cultivation, the demand for it would, notwithstanding,

never cease in Europe. All the silk produced in Hindostan has hitherto found a ready

and profitable market in Calcutta, and the demand is always greater than the supply.”

April 3, 1854.

W. W. Saunners, Esq., Vice-President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to

the donors:—The ‘ Zoologist’ for April; by the Editor, The ‘ Atheneum’ for

March; by the Editor. The ‘Literary Gazette’ for March; by the Editor. The

‘ Journal of the Society of Arts’ for March ; by the Soviety. ‘ Proceedings of the Royal

Society,’ Vol. vi., No. 100; by the Society. ‘ Revue et Magasin de Zoologie,’ 1853,

Nos. 11 & 12, 1854, Nos. 1 & 2; by the Editor, M. Guérin-Meneville. ‘ Bulletin dela

Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou,’ 1852, Nos. 2, 3, 4, 1853, Nos. 1,2: by

the Society. ‘Hewitson’s Exotic Butterflies, Part 10; by W. W. Saunders, Esq.

‘The Entomologist’s Companion,’ Second Edition, by H. T. Stainton: by the

Author. A box of Lepidoptera from Bogota; by T. J. Stevens, Esq., Corr. M.E.S.

Various Insects of Ceylon; by G. R. H. Thwaites, Esq., M.E.S.

Election of Members.

T. Tapping, Esq., 43, Gloucester Place, Kentish Town, and the Rev. D. F. Jar-

man, Manor House, Hadley, Herts, were elected Members of the Society.

Exhibitions.

Mr. Douglas exhibited Depressaria Capreolella, taken flying in the sunshine, on

Sanderstead Downs, on the 12th of March; also a larva of Elachista Megerlella min-

ing in the grass, Bromus asper.

The Rev. Joseph Greene sent for exhibition a specimen of Stauropus Fagi, 2, bred

from a larva taken at Halton, Bucks, and a specimen of the very rare Gluphisia cre-

nata, reared from a larva found on a poplar near Halton, on the 18th of August.

“ The larva was about an inch in length, depressed, tapering somewhat at each end;

€

the colour grass-green ; on the first segment a square brick-red spot, four more on

the intermediate segments, and one also on the last. It formed a cocoon on the same

day on which I found it. In reference to the early appearance of these insects,

I should mention that they were kept in a green-house.”

Mr. Baly exhibited a quantity of Hymenoptera, captured by Signor Botteri, in

Dalmatia, comprising several species of Megachile, Nomada, Eucera, Anthophora,

Anthidium, Ceratina, &c.

Mr. Stevens exhibited some insects recently captured by Mr. Bates, at Santarem,

including twelve new Longicorn beetles; and among the Lepidoptera several

Erycinide, remarkable for the difference of colouring in the sexes, which had hitherto

not only been taken to be distinct species, but had even been placed in different

genera. Mr. Bates had informed him that he had discovered a character in the neu-

ration of the wings of this family, which he intended to communicate to the Society -

at a future period. Mr. Stevens also exhibited two new insects, sent overland by Mr.

Fortune, from China,—a Carabus, and the female of Dicranocephala Wallichii, being

the second known specimen in Europe. He also exhibited some insects just received

from Mr. Thwaites, in Ceylon, an Adolias and one of the Arctiide, with their very sin-

gular larve, the latter with foliaceous appendages.

Ants destructive to Cocct.

Mr. Spence communicated the following extract of a letter from G. R. H.

Thwaites, Esq., F.L.S., Corr. M.E.S., dated Peradenia, Ceylon, February 9, 1854.

“A gentleman in this island has at length discovered a remedy for the bug which

attacks the coffee-plant, but it seems rather uncertain at present whether the remedy

be not really worse than the disease. Armies of red ants have been called in, and it

appears that they make sad havoc amongst the young Cocci, but it is very eertain that

if the ants remain in any numbers upon the coffee-bushes, the Coolies would be unable

to gather in the berries, for these said red ants bite most fiercely, and the natives have

a great dread of getting amongst them. The ants seem to devour the young Cocci,

but on opening their nests, 1 have found many of the larger full-grown Cocci, which I

fancy they use as cows, like other ants, the smaller species of which are always

attached to where the Coccus abounds, and feed on the exudation from them. If the

ants can be induced to quit when the Coccus is destroyed, they will be a use-

ful acquisition to the coffee-planter, but if they persist in remaining in the bushes,

I do not know how pruning and gathering can be accomplished on the estate,

but this will be ascertained by-and-bye. I question whether the ant would live on

the higher estates, as it is only found at a moderate elevation. It is very abundant

here, and makes its large nests in cinnamon and other trees, spinning together the

leaves at the end of a bough, and woe be to him who breaks into their dwelling. A

Cooly who has happened to do so in climbing a tree, comes down a great deal faster

than he went up. Botany occupies so much of my time, that I am quite unable

to devote particular attention to Entomology or any other branch of Zoology, and I

often wish each day was double its length. This is such a fine field for a critical ex-

amination of tropical plants, and the field is so extensive, that I see no prospect of

finding my work slacken in that direction. Myr. Edgar Layard, who is now in

England, is our most enthusiastic zoologist, and I shall be glad when he returns to the

island.”

Mr. Westwood doubted if the ants intentionally destroyed the Cocci, considering

their death as the accidental result of the injuries sustained in consequence of the en-

deavours of the ants to procure their exudation.

Method of capturing Bolbocerus mobilicornis.

Mr. Douglas read the following translation of a note on a method of taking Bol-

bocerus mobilicornis, communicated by M. A. Rouget to Dr. Aubé, and by him to the

Société Entomologique de France, and inserted in the ‘ Bulletin’ of that Society for

1853, page 25.

“The locality where I take Bolbocerus mobilicornis is about three kilom. from

Dijon, in the centre of corn-fields and natural and artificial meadows, rather lewer

than the surrounding country, which, however, itself is flat. This locality is very

damp, and is on the border of a small stream, which is nearly dry in summer,

but where, on the hottest and driest nights, the dew is very abundant; itis at the edge

of a field of lucern near this stream that I place myself in ambuscade in order tu cap-

ture my insect. I station myself upon a road which is rather lower than the field,

and thus, by stooping a little, I have my western horizon just above the stems of the

lucern; this circumstance is indispensable for success, for it is between 8 and 9

o’clock that I find the insect flying heavily over the lucern, and if it be not projected

upon the sky, it is impossible to see it on account of the obscurity. I do not know if

the lucern is indispensable to the insect, and as the neighbouring fields have not the

same elevation above the road, I have not been able to prove the matter ; possibly the

question might be resolved by means of a lantern, but not having tried the method, I

do not know if it would succeed.

“To ensure a successful result it is necessary, independently of the condition of

horizon, but for the same reason, to have a sky without clouds, and an atmosphere very

hot and calm, without which the insect does not fly ; when the weather is favourable,

I take in half an hour four or five specimens of Bolbocerus mobilicornis, but more

females than males. I have remarked that those taken at the end of May are the yel-

low and brown varieties, which are only insects incompletely developed, those which I

have taken in June and July are all black on the upper surface.

“T do not know any method of capturing the Bolbocerus in the day-time ; there

ought to be one, for the insect is then in the ground, as I have observed that living in-

sects which I had brought home, and which remained all day buried in the earth at

the bottom of a pot containing about four inches of it, every night came out, but in

the morning I found they had gone in again; each day making fresh holes. M. le

Major d’Aumont has told me he has often taken Bolbocerus mobilicornis near Lyon,

on the banks of the Rhone, by digging into the holes made by these insects ; he has

also taken Bolbocerus Gallicus, near Marseilles, in the same manner. For my part,

I have not noticed the holes of Bolbocerus mobilicornis in the locality where I take

the insect, probably because the soil is not sufficiently damp and clayey to preserve

their form ; I have not observed any such holes as those made by them in captivity,

but I think that with a little patience I might discover them.”

Mr. Curtis remarked that many years ago he saw a number of these beetles flying

at dusk over a heath near Norwich.

Mr. Stevens said he once caught one flying ina room at the Bull Inn, Birch Wood,

attracted, he thought, by a light burning therein.

The following memoirs were read :—

New Species of Saccophora, &c.

“Description of a New Species of Saccophora, found in the valley of the Amazon

by Mr. Bates, and proposed to be named in honour of him, Saccophora Batesii.”

By Edward Newman, Esq., F.L.S., &c., President. This paper contained a re-

ference to the only other known species of the genus described by Dr. Harris, under

the name of Melsheimeri, and critical observations on both species, the larve of which,

in their sack-like coverings and general habit, so much resemble the Psychidz, while

in their perfect state they appear to belong to the true Bombycide.

Mr. Westwood thought that these insects well showed that because the larve of

different species resembled each other in form and habit, the perfect insects were not

necessarily of the same genus or family ; for here was an insect whose larva was a

case-bearer, like the Psychide, yet the imago was winged in both sexes, the female

especially (and this sex was always more normal than the male), showing an alliance to

Odonestis ; and further, he considered that M. Bruand and other French entomolo-

gists were in error, in associating Taleporia and such case-bearing Tinee with

the Psychide.

“ Descriptions of some New Species of Lucanidz, taken in the North of China, by

Mr. R* Fortune: ” by W. W. Saunders, Esq., F.L.S., &c.

“ Descriptions of the Larve of some Coleopterous Insects:” by John Curtis,

Esq., F.L.S., &c.

All these papers were illustrated by drawings of the several subjects.

A new part of the ‘ Transactions, completing Vol. ii., New Series, was announced

as ready.

May 1, 1854.

H. T. Stainton, Esq., Vice-President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the

donors : — The ‘Zoologist’ for May; by the Editor. The ‘Atheneum’ for April; by

the Editor. The ‘ Literary Gazette’ fur April; by the Editor. The ‘ Journal of the

Society of Arts’ for April; by the Editor. The ‘ Proceedings of the Royal Society,’

Vol. vii. No. 1; by the Society. The ‘ Procecdings of the Literary and Philosophical

Society of Liverpool, No. vii.; by the Society. ‘Revue et Magasin de Zoologie,’

1854, No. 5; by the Editor, M. Guérin-Méneville. ‘Genera des Coléopteéres d’Eu-

rope, par MM. Du Val et Migneaux, pties. 1 et 2; by the Authors.

Election of Members.

W.C. Dale, Esq., St. Pancras Vicarage, was elected a Member, and Messrs. Wal-

lace and Bates were elected Corresponding Members of the Society.

Technical Trade Museum.

It was announced that the Council had resolved that the co-operation and aid of

the Society should be given to the “ Technical Trade Museum,” now forming by the

Society of Arts, under the direction of Mr. Solly ; and that any duplicate specimens

in the Society’s collection, of insects beneficial or injurious to man, should be pre-

sented to it.

Exhibitions.

The Rev. Joseph Greene sent for exhibition a specimen of the rare Notodonta

Cucullina, bred from a larva found on maple, and N. trepida, also reared ; both larve

having been taken at Halton, Bucks, last year.

Mr. Edwin Shepherd exhibited a pair of Aleucis pictaria, bred by a collector, who

had no recollection of the larve.

Mr. Bond exhibited two bred specimens of Anticlea Berberata, of which the upper

wings differed from each other in marking.

Mr. Douglas exhibited larve of Elachista cerusella, mining leaves of reeds, and

larve of a new species of Elachista in leaves of Poa aquatica. These two kinds of

larve are much alike; their manner of mining is somewhat similar, although in diffe-

rent plants; they had been considered to belong to one species (Zool. 4142), but the

pupe and perfect insects showed they were quite distinct; and Mr. D. proposed to

call the new species E. Poze.

Mr. Stevens exhibited a fine Notodonta dicteoides, and a pair of N. Carmelita,

taken in coitu, the female of which was still laying eggs. These insects were captured

on the 29th ult. at Shirwood Forest, where Mr. 8. also took, under the bark of birch,

Hylecetus dermestoides, larva, pupa, and imago; the larve he observed making

transverse galleries in the alburnum. He also exhibited Elater rufipennis, E. balte-

atus, E. crocatus, E. sanguineus, Ips 4-punctatus, &c., from the same locality.

Mr. Stainton exhibited some shoots of ash, in which larve of Prays Curtisellus

were burrowing beneath the bark; and stated that these larve when young, last Octo-

ber, had mined the leaves of the ash: a figure, by Mr. Wing, of the young mining

larva, was also exhibited. Mr. 8S. observed that Guenée had said of this insect, —

‘« Species incerte sedis, donec larva latebit;” but he doubted whether the discovery of

the larva and its singular habits would tend to remove this uncertainty, as no other

larve were known to have a similar economy.

Mr. Stainton also exhibited some young shoots of the spindle-tree, which, as they

grew, drooped in consequence of a minute larva feeding on the pith; these larve,

however, soon leave the shoots, and spinning a few leaves together, feed thereon, thus

almost reversing the order of things which takes place with Prays Curtisellus. He

was at present unable to say to what species these larve belonged, but he strongly sus-

pected they would produce Hyponomeuta plumbellus.

Mr. Stainton also exhibited a new Lithocolletis larva, discovered in Scotland by

Mr. Scott, in the under side of the leaves of the bear-berry (Arciostaphylos Uva-ursi ?),

which was especially interesting, as being another instance of the larve of this genus

feeding on a low-growing plant.

Insects at Tunbridge Wells and Dover.

Mr. Curtis read the following list of insects found at Tunbridge Wells and Dover

in 1852: —

“ Rhamphidia longirostris, Wied., July 6, two females on the borders of a pond in

a copse; I could not find the male. The species has not been taken in Eng-

land before, but it has occurred in Ireland, where also, in company with Mr.

Haliday, on the damp and shady rocks on the shores of the Shannon, I took

Geranomyia unicolor.

Thalycra sericea, Sturm (Strongylus fervidus, Oliv.), July 14, off sallows.

Mylechus brunneus, Lat., July 23.

Quedius rufitarsis, Mars., August 2, on parsnip-flowers, Dover.

Latridius nodifer, Westw., July 3, off a hedge.

Malachius marginellus, Fab., July 30, by Ziczac, Dover.

Miarus Campanula, Linn., July 14, in flowers of Campanula rotundifolia.

Coccinella ocellata, Linn., July 21, under fir-trees, Eridge Park.”

Entomologists treated as Trespassers.

The Secretary read a newspaper account of the committal to prison for trial of two

poor working entomologists on a charge of setting fire to the furze on Putney Heath.

Tt did not appear from the report that there was any proot that the act was committed

by the men, and, as they justly stated, the fire would destroy the insects they sought.

A conversation then arose respecting the difficulty experienced by collectors of insects

arising from the illiberality of landed proprietors, and their encroachments upon the

public right of way, of which some instances were adduced ; and it was suggested,

whether the Society might not in some degree mitigate the annoyance, by giving its

Members a certificate that they were such, and that into woods and such-like places

they went only in pursuit of insects.

Field-study of the Tineina.

Mr. Stainton laid on the table an invitation to such persons as wished to study

the Natural History of the Tineina in the field, to meet at his house every Wednesday

evening during the summer, and make an excursion in the neighbourhood.

June 5, 1854.

W. Wixson Saunpers, Esq., Vice-President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the

donors:—The ‘ Zoologist’ for June; by the Editor. The ‘Atheneum’ for May; by

the Editor. The ‘ Literary Gazette’ for May; by the Editor. The ‘ Journal of the

Society of Arts’ for May; by the Society. ‘ Entomologische Zeitung, January to

April; by the Entomological Society of Stettin. ‘Revue et Magasin de Zvologie,’

1854, No. 4; by the Editor, M. Guérin-Meéneville. ‘ Proceedings of the Royal So-

ciety, Vol. vi. No. 102, Vol. vii. No. 3; by the Society. ‘ Zeitung fur Zoologie,

Zootomie und Paleozologie,’ heraus-gegeben von Dr. E. D’Alton and Dr. H. Bur-

meister; 1848, 2 Quartal. ‘Bemerkungen wber den allgemeinen Bau und die

Geschlechtsuntershied bei den Arten der Gattung Scolia, Fabr.’ von Dr. H. Burmeis-

ter; both presented by Dr. Burmeister. ‘ Proceedings of the Berwickshire Natural-

ists’ Club’ for 1853; by the Club. A box of British Micro-Lepidoptera; by Mr.

Douglas. Two boxes of insects collected in Burmah, and presented by Captain Ha-

milton, M.E.S.: this collection contains several very rare and new insects, including a

new Goliath beetle, which Mr. Westwood described under the name of Narycius

Hamiltonii, and seven specimens of a wasp which M. de Saussure has just described

from the single example hitherto seen in Europe, now in the British Museum: the

Society passed a special vote of thanks for this valuable donation.

The Society's Excursion.

The Chairman announced, that in consequence of the opening of the Crystal

Palace having been fixed for the 10th instant, the excursion of this Society, which was

appointed for that day, would not take place; but the Council recommended an ex-

cursion to Darenth Wood on the 17th inst. instead.

Exhibitions.

The Secretary exhibited some very beautiful drawings, by Mrs. Hamilton, of the

transformations of Indian insects, which that lady had forwarded for the use of the

Society.

Mr. Smith exhibited several Hymenoptera, taken by Mr. Foxcroft, in Scotland,

including Osmia parietina, of which he found a nest under a stone; a new species of

Andrena; and two specimens of an Andrena which agree in every respect with some

in the British Museum received from Nova Scotia, which he had placed doubtfully as

dark varieties of A. Clerckella.

Mr. Janson exhibited some Coleoptera, sent from Scotland by Mr. Foxcroft, men-

tioning especially Elater (Diacanthus) impressus, E.. lythropterus, Germar., Pogonv-

cherus fasciculatus, Sericosomus brunneus, 8. fugax and Dictyopterus Aurora. He

likewise exhibited a larva of Aplecta tincta with two excrescences, resembling Cla-

varie, proceeding from the head, and which the captor states were green when the

larva was alive.

Mr. Stevens exhibited a moth (Leucania ?) found covered with a fungoid film; a

fly, found impaled on a point of dry grass; two living larve of Notodonta Carmelita,

part of the brood hatched from the eggs laid by the female exhibited at the last Meet-

ing; and a specimen of the scarce Incurvaria tenuicornis, taken flying at Wickham

Wood, in May.

Mr. Douglas exhibited Drilus flavescens, taken on flowers near Darenth Wood,

June Ist; and seven species of Elachiste reared from the larve, including the new

one from Poa aquatica, for which he had proposed the name of E. Pow.

Mr. Westwood exhibited some cocoons of the “ Eria” silk forwarded from Malta

by Dr. Templeton, with a request that he might be informed if any method was known

by which the silk could be unwound from these cocoons, in which the silk was agglu-

tinated into a solid mass, and hoping, if such a method was not known, some atten-

tion would be given to the subject, as, if this difficulty were overcome, there was no

doubt this silk would become extensively used.

The Chairman said that very recently a gentleman, residing near Geneva, had

asked his aid to procure some Indian silk cocoons, such as were exhibited by the

East: India Company at the Great Exhibition of 1851, in order to carry on some ex-

periments of unwinding hard cocoons, in which he had hitherto been successful; and

now that, by the extension of the cultivation of this valuable silk by its introduction

into Malta (Proceed. 8), the supply would be increased, it was highly desirable that

the difficulties of drawing off the threads should be conquered, and he trusted his

correspondent would be successful with this kind also.

Mr. Boyd exhibited specimens of Elachista Treitschkiella, reared from the

curious larve destitute of true legs, some of which were exhibited by Mr. Douglas

at the Meeting of this Society in September last (Proceed. 127).

Goliath Beetles.

Mr. Westwood read a Memoir on Goliath beetles, describing several new species,

and others of which one sex only was hitherto known.

¥7

July 3, 1854.

Evwarp Newman, Esq., President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the

donors:—The ‘ Zoologist’ for July; by the Editor. The ‘Atheneum’ for June; by

the Editor. The ‘Literary Gazette’ for June; by the Editor. The ‘ Journal of the

Society of Arts’ for June; by the Society. ‘The Natural History Review,’ No. 2;

by the Editor. ‘ Monographia Cassididarum,’ auctore C. H. Boheman, Holmiz,

1854; by the Author. ‘ Hewitson’s Exotic Butterflies,’ Part 11; by W. W. Saun-

ders, Esq. ‘ Bibliotheca Historico-Naturalis, 3 Jahrgang, 1 Heft, 1853; by the

Author, Ernst A. Zuchold. Fifty specimens of British Lepidoptera; by T. H.

Allis, Esq.

Exhibitions.

Mr. Stevens exhibited a living full-grown larva of Notodonta Carmelita, reared

from the egg; a specimen of Pyrochroa pectinicornis, a new British beetle, taken by

Mr. Buxton, in Scotland; and Damaster Blaptoides, Aoll., from Japan, of which only

four specimens were known in Europe.

Mr. Waring exhibited several insects, found dead and covered with a tough film,

apparently of a fungoid nature.

Mr. Janson exhibited a box of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, captured by Mr. Fox-

croft, in Scotland; also Drilus flavescens and other insects, taken on the occasion of

the Society's excursion to Darenth Wood, on the 17th of June, when the Members

present had the pleasure of the company of Herr C. A. Dohrn, President of the

Entomological Society of Stettin, and Professor C. H. Boheman, Conservator of the

Entomological Museum at Stockholm. He also exhibited six specimens of the scarce

Hypulus quercinus, taken on the Sth and 10th of June, at Colney Hatch Wood.

My. Stainton exhibited specimens of the new British Anthrocera Minos, taken

near Galway, by A. G. More, Esq., by whom they were sent for distribution among

the Members.

Mr. Douglas exhibited a new species of Lithocolletis, bred from leaves of Vacci-

nium Vitis-Idea sent from Scotland by Mr. Weaver; also Parasia Metzneriella, the

larva of which fed in the receptacle of a flower-head of Centaurea nigra.

Mr. Smith exhibited Nomada armata, Smith, a bee hitherto exceedingly rare, but

which Mr. Dossetor found to be common at Cline Wood, near Swansea, in company

with Andrena Hattorfiana. He also exhibited a male of Tenthredo cingulata, this

sex being rare, although the female is common in many places; and a new British

Crabro,—both taken by Mr. Dossetor, at the above locality.

Carabus intricatus.

Mr. Waterhouse stated that a clergyman, the Rev. Mr. Hore, had lately informed

him that he had, at different times, taken in the neighbourhood of Plymouth four spe-

cimens of Carabus intricatus,—a species which had been looked upon as a doubtful

native.

Nepticula quadrimaculella.

My. Stainton called attention to a paper, by Professor Boheman, on Entomological

discoveries made during a tour in the South of Sweden, in 1851, published in the

Transactions of the Stockholm Academy, containing descriptions of many new spe-

cies of all Orders, and, among them, a description of the insect taken by Mr. Boyd in

the New Forest, and exhibited at the August meeting of this Society last year, which

Mr. Stainton thought was Trichopterous, but which Prof. Boheman had, without any

remark, placed among the Lepidoptera, under the name of Nepticula 4-maculella.

Nature of the Materials of Wasps’ Nests.

Mr. Ingpen said that a microscopic examination of the material of wasps’ nests

rendered it doubtful if it were made of woody fibre, as was generally believed, for,

viewed under a high power, it appeared to be composed of fungoid matter.

Mr. Mark, of Bogota, present as a visitor, said that in South America the wasps

collected wood for their nests.

The President stated that Professor Quekett had made a microscopical examination

of an anomalous mass taken by Mr. Bree from a rail cut out of the solid wood of

an oak, and had pronounced it to be not wood, but fungus.

Genus Amycturus, Se.

Mr. Waterhouse read a paper entitled ‘“ Notes on the Genus Amycturus and

allied Genera of Coleoptera, with Descriptions of some new Species.”

New Species of Paussus.

Mr. Westwood read descriptions of four new Paussi, viz. P. pacificus from Ceylon,

P. De Geerii, P. Afzelii, and P. Bohemanii, all from Caffraria ; the first communicated

for description by Herr Dohm, the others by Professor Boheman. He also read

“ Notes on various Insects,” by Mr. W. Varney.

New Part of the‘ Transactions.’

Part 1, Vol. iii., new series of the ‘ Transactions, was on the table.

ms August 7, 1854.

H. T. Srarnton, Esq., Vice-President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the

donors : —‘ Annales de la Société Entomologique de France,’ 2me Série, tome x. 1852,

and 3me Série, tome i. 1853; by the Society. ‘Mémoires de la Société de Physique

et d’Histoire Naturelle de Genéve, tome xiii. 2me partie; by the Society. ‘Journal

of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, vol. xv. part 1; by the Society. ‘ Mono-

graphie des Guépes Sociales, cahier 6; by the Author, M. H. de Saussure. ‘ Revue

et Magasin de Zoologie, 1853, No. 10, and 1854, Nos. 5 and 6; by the Editor, M.

Guérin-Méneville. The ‘Atheneum’ for July; by the Editor. The ‘ Literary Ga-

zette’ for July ; by the Editor. The ‘ Journal of the Society of Arts’ for July; by the

Society. The ‘Zoologist’ for August; by the Editor. ‘ Entomologische Zeitung,

for May and June; by the Entomological Society of Stettin. ‘A List of the British

Tineina, for interchange among collectors and for labels ;’ by the Author, H. T. Stain-

ton, Esq. Specimens of Anthrocera Minos for distribution among the Members; by

A. G. More, Esq.

Election of a Member.

J. R. Turner, Esq., Manchester, was elected a Subscriber.

Exhibitions.

Mr. Boyd exhibited Limacodes Asellus, ¢ and 2, recently taken in the New

Forest.

Mr. Ingpen exhibited a box of Australian Diptera and Hymenoptera, chiefly from

the vicinity of Adelaide. He also exhibited an exotic wasps’ nest, but by what species

made he was not aware, which he had examined microscopically, and found to be wholly

composed of fungoid matter. He thought it probable that the nests of some of our

native species were not made altogether of wood, as is generally believed, and in cor-

roboration of this idea exhibited a piece of decayed wood from one of the cedars in the

Botanic Garden at Chelsea, in which was a layer of fungus, and wasps, he said, were

observed to frequent this tree for building materials.

Mr. Curtis said he had often seen wasps scraping off and carrying away Haniotes

from wooden palings where there certainly was no fungus.

Mr. Wing said he had recently seen wasps carrying away the pile from the leaves

of a species of mullein.

Mr. Stevens exhibited a drawing of a variety of alarva of Acherontia Atropos made

by a gentleman, who thought it might be a distinct species, but the imago reared from

it (which was also exhibited) proved to be only a very slight variety; and Mr. West-

wood, referring to Fuessly’s ‘ Archives, showed that the same variation from the or-

dinary colour of the larva was there figured.

Mr. Stevens also exhibited the very rare species of Curculionide, Trachodes his-

pidus ; this single specimen having been taken by Mr. Plant, of Leicester, by sweep-

ing under oaks in a wood near that place.

Mr. Boddy exhibited a living specimen of the rare Ludius ferrugineus, of which

the larva was found in a rotten ash tree near London, on the 3rd of September, 1853,

and the beetle appeared on the 9th of July last. He also exhibited a living larva of

the same species, respecting which Mr. Westwood observed the last segment of the

body had not the least denticulation, thus affording a good character for generic dis-

tinction.

Mr. Douglas exhibited a series of specimens of Grapholita nisella, Linn., bred from

catkins of sallow and poplar, including all the varieties Pavonana, Beeberana, cuspi-

dana, rhombifasciana and cinerana, which had been placed together by Mr. H. Dou-

bleday, and might now be deemed without doubt to be but one species.

Notes on Irish Spherie.

Mr. A. R. Hogan, of Dublin, sent the following communication respecting two ex-

amples of a Spheria, accompanied by the specimens referred to.

“The Lepidopterous larva bearing the Spheriez now laid before the Society was

taken by me on the 10th of March, 1853, while digging for pupe at the roots of an

oak tree in Mount Merrion, a demesne belonging to the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert,

and not far distant from the place where I live. The Spherize were at the time quite

young, the tallest not being more than a quarter of an inch in height; and the species

appeared to be the same as that on a former occasion (5th July, 1852), exhibited at a

meeting of the Entomological Society, with no apparent difference but that of the

shoots being somewhat stronger and thicker. The following entry appears in my note-

book, made on the 12th of April :—‘ On examining the larva taken last month, which

by Professor Harvey’s advice has been kept moist in a jam-pot filled with clay and

moss, and covered with a piece of glass, I found fully a dozen fresh sprouts on it, pure

white, and one of them about the height of a line, shaped like the point of a dagger.

From that time the Spheriz continued to grow, some more and some less rapidly, for

several months, always retaining the white point at the end of each stem, generally

covered with small drops of moisture, till at length the cold of winter seemed to deaden,

though it did not destroy, their vitality. Meantime none of the shoots showed any

sign of fructification, without which Professor Harvey said that it would be impossible

to identify the species. In autumn I tried the experiment of placing a dead larva of

Pygera Bucephala and one or two other species in the same pot where the Spherie

were growing, in order to see whether any of the seed might be communicated to

these larve from the moss (as in the first instance I met with evidently was the case),

but without the desired effect.

“ As early spring opened the Spherie again threw out fresh shoots, some of the

latter forming branches from the old ones whose extremities had withered away: this

will be seen by an examination of the specimen, and it will also be remarked that there

is a great diversity in the relative size of the shoots, one or two of them being so fine

and delicate as hardly to be perceptible at first sight. At this stage of their growth,

however, the space in which they were confined being manifestly too small, and seem-

ing to cramp their existence, I could not resist the temptation (though from the great

delicacy of the plants I knew it would be attended with risk) of transferring the whole

into a larger vessel, where they might enjoy more space, more light and more air;

but this experiment proved fatal, from what special cause I know not, and the entire

nursery died away by slow degrees.

“IT should previously have stated that the other example of Spheria now exhibited,

that of the chrysalis, was found at the foot of on old hawthorn tree at Roebuck, on the

27th of January of this year,—that the large shoot was then about an inch long, which

length was soon trebled,—and that it came to its end in the same way and along with

its brethren.

“In putting together these notes I have merely detailed the facts that fell under

my own observation, and seem to come within the sphere of entomologists; the inves-

tigation of the plants and of their origin I leave to the botanist: yet, in conclusion, I

may mention that as far as I can learn there has not hitherto been recorded any in-

stance in Ireland similar to the one just described: the Rev. Joseph Greene indeed

informs me that he saw a specimen at Powerscourt, but, as he did not preserve it, no

further light can from this circumstance be brought to bear on the subject.”

This kind of parasitism of vegetable upon animal bodies being rare, especially in

Europe, it is to be hoped that Mr. Hogan may succeed in finding other specimens and

rearing them to maturity.

Species of Trochilium and Cynips reared from American Oak-galls.

Mr. Westwood stated that from some galls of Quercus palustris received from

North America, and deposited in the Museum in the Botanic Gardens at Kew, several

specimens of a species of Trochilium had emerged, two of which he now exhibited.

The larve had doubtless fed in the galls, although such a proceeding was quite ab-

normal to the genus, their excrement being visible near the apertures where the pupa-

cases were left projecting. He could not find that the species had been noticed by

Dr. Harris, in his ‘ Monograph on the American Sphingide,’ and he had therefore

described the insect in the ‘ Gardener's Chronicle, under the name of T. Gallivorum.

Among the galls he also found specimens of the Cynips causing the formation, which

he had described under the name of C. palliceps. The following are the descriptions

referred to: —

“ Trochilium Gallivorum.—M easures 8 lines in the expanse of the fore wings and

5 lines in the length of the body. It is of a blue-black colour, with two slender, pale

yellow diverging lines on the sides of the thorax above, and with the edges of the tail

also pale yellow; the wings are transparent, except the dark fore margin, a curved bar

across the middle, and a pale brown apical border; the legs are yellow, with a dark

ring round the tibiz near the tips.”

“ Cynips palliceps.—Of a black colour, with the head and front and under parts of

the thorax pale yellow; the males are distinguished by the large size of their heads,

Length rather less than 2 lines.”

Economy of Evania.

Mr. Westwood said a connection between Blatta and Evania had often been no-

ticed without the nature of it having been understood: he had recently had an oppor-

tunity of investigating the subject, a correspondent having sent him some egg-capsules

of an exotic species of Blatta imported with Orchidaceous plants, and he had found

Evania appendigaster, in the several states of larva, pupa and imago, within these

capsules.

Captures by Mr. Curtis.

Mr. Curtis said that when on a visit recently to Mr. Dale, at Glanvilles Wootton,

he had taken the following insects: —Myrmica graminicola, @ only; Ephyra orbicu-

laria, June 10th, a fine ¢; Crambus uliginosus, June 15th to July lst; Limnobia

6-guttata, Hal., June 15th to July Ist; Acentropus Garnonsii, June 15th to July Ist.

Concerning the latter insect he should make a communication at a future Meeting.

At Clifton he saw Mr. Walcott’s beautiful collection of bees, from which he exhibited

two captured with the wings in a rudimentary state. At Mr. Vaughan’s, at Bristol,

he noticed the method of capturing small moths in glass tubes, invented by Mr. Brown,

of Burton-on-Trent, and exhibited a sample.

Singular Beetle found in South-American Ants’ Nests.

Mr. Westwood read a notice, accompanied by drawings of dissections, of a very

curious beetle found by Mr. Bates in ants’ nests, in the Valley of the Amazon, pos-

sessing the characters of several families, and so anomalous that it was very difficult

to indicate its nearest relationship; and he further remarked that it was very singular.

that all the many Coleopterous insects found in ants’ nests should have some peculi-

arity of form or structure. He described the present species under the name of

Gnostus Formicicola.

New British Hemerobii, &c.

Mr. Curtis read a paper on two new British species of Hemerobius, with remarks

— upén the synonymy of Coniopteryx, &c.

September 4, 1854.

Epwarp Newman, Esq., President, in the chair.

In the absence of the Secretaries, the Chairman appointed Mr. 8S. J. Wilkinson to

act as Secretary for the evening.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to

the donors :—‘ Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Van Diemen’s Land,

Vol. ii., Part 2; by the Society. - ‘ Fabricia Entomologica, par H. Jekel, Part 1; by

the Author. A paper entitled “On some Arctic Species of Calanide,” by John

Lubbock, Esq., F.Z.S. (from the ‘ Annals and Magazine of Natural History’); by the

Author. ‘ Proceedings of the Royal Society, Vol. vii., No. 5; by the Society.

‘Journal ef the Society of Arts’ for August; by the Society. The ‘ Literary Gazette’

for August; by the Editor. The ‘Atheneum’ for August; by the Editor. ‘ Re-

sumen de las Actas de la Academia Real de Ciencias de Madrid, en el Ano Academico,

de 1847 a 1848;’ Idem, 1848 a 1849; ‘ Estatutos de la Academia Real de Ciencias ;’

all by the Royal Academy of Sciences of Madrid. The ‘ Zoologist’ for September ;

by the Editor. ‘Insecta Maderensia; being an Account of the Insects of the Islands

of the Madeira Group,’ by T. Vernon Wollaston, M.A., F.L.S.; by the Author.

‘ Bericht uber die zur Bekanntmachung geeigneten Verhandlungen der Konig]. Preuss,

Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin im Monat Juni, 1853,’ by Dr. Schaum;

‘Hemiptera and Orthoptera from Mozambique, forming part of the work of Dr.

Peters on that country, by Dr. Schaum; both presented by the Author.

Old Series of the Society's ‘ Transactions.

It was announced to the Meeting that, by a resolution of the Council, at the end

of the present year the stock of the old series of the Society’s ‘ Transactions’ would

be made up into volumes; and this notice was given that the Members might avail

themselves of the interval to complete their sets.

Trade Museum of the Society of Arts.

It was also announced that the Council had resolved to present to the “ Trade

Museum” now forming by the Society of Arts such duplicate specimens of insects as

could be spared from the Society’s collection, especially of those which are injurious or

beneficial to man, and a certain selection had been made; but in order to make the

gift as comprehensive as possible, the Council requested the co-operation of the Mem-

bers, by their giving such further specimens from their own collections as they may

think proper.

Exhibitions.

Mr. 8. Stevens, on the part of Mr. Evans, of Darley Abbey, exhibited a specimen

of a new British Noctua, of which several had recently been taken in North Wales.

According to Herrich-Schaffer’s figure and description, it appears to be the Spelotis

Valesiaca, And. § Boisd., but it does not agree with Freyer’s figure of the species.

Mr. Stevens also exhibited six specimens of Agrotis lunigera, likewise examples of

Spzelotis cataleuca, taken recently at the Isle of Wight. He also brought for exhibi-

tion a box of insects collected in the neighbourhood of Singapore by Mr. Wallace,

which contained many new and interesting species both in Lepidoptera and Coleoptera :

among the latter, the Longicorns were very beautiful, and bore much the larger pro-

portion compared with the other families.

Mr. Bond brought for exhibition specimens of Acidalia degeneraria from the Isle

of Portland; Orthosia hyperborea from Perthshire, observing that this species had

hitherto been unique in the cabinet of Mr. Douglas; Noctua tenebrosa, also from

Perthshire ; and a specimen of Acosmetia caliginosa from the New Forest.

Mr. Edward Sheppard exhibited a box of Coleopterous insects, captured in the

New Forest at the end of July and beginning of August, containing Phloiotrya rufi-

pes, Platypus cylindricus, Elater sanguineus, Triplax anea, Mycetocharus scapularis,

Triphyllus bifasciatus, Salpingus ruficollis, and many others.

Mr. Hudson exhibited a hermaphrodite Polyommatus Alexis, remarkable for having

the right wings 9 and the left ¢, contrary to what usually occurs in such cases.

Mr. F. Smith exhibited specimens of Myrmica cespitum, ¢, 2 and workers, only

the Q and workers being hitherto known ; Myrmica flavidula; a new species; and

both the sexes of the true Bombus soroensis, taken from the nest. All these specimens

were captured by him at Shoebury, near Southend. .

Mr. 8S. Stevens, on the part of Mr. Oxley, exhibited a collection of insects, chiefly

Coleoptera and Lepidoptera, made by him in South Australia: it contained many in-

teresting species, and among the Lepidoptera were some fine examples of the families

Tortricina and Tineina, and some cases of a large species of Psyche, composed appa-

rently of pieces of a rush about an inch long, placed longitudinally and firmly ce-

mented together.

Mr. Curtis exhibited specimens of the curious Acentropus Garnonsii from Glan-

ville’s Wootton, including the apterous female; also a large mass of white and very

elongated eggs, supposed by Mr. Curtis to have been laid by the specimen exhibited,

as they were found near her. Mr. Curtis presented two males for the Society’s

cabinet.

Damage to White Mustard-Crops by Insects.

Mr. Westwood read the following letter relative to a species of beetle (Phaedon

Betule) which had done great mischief to the mustard-crops near Ely :—

“Ely, August 29, 1854.

“ Sir,

“The enclosed beetles are now ravaging the white mustard-crops in the Fens

near Ely. They are so numerous that hundreds of thousands might be collected in a

few minutes by shaking the stems over a newspaper. Having devoured the leaves,

they then bark the stems and the seed-vessels (provincially called “coshes”). The

effect of walking through the field where they are is very singular: as soon as the stem

is jarred down they fall, and the noise so produced is like the rattling of shot or hail

allaround you. The crops appear to have approached maturity before they commenced

their attack, otherwise they must have been wholly destroyed. As it is, the stems and

seed-pods are stripped, and the seed becomes lean and of inferior quality. I have not

heard the folks say they remember such a visitation before, although I apprehend the

insect is a very common one.

“ Mixed with the larger insects was the cominon turnip beetle, in the proportion of

about 1 in 100. I observed that the brown mustard (Sinapis nigra), scattered as a

weed throughout the crop, was also eaten in the same manner ; but another cruciferous

plant, the Erysimum cheiranthoides (which by the way is a very common garden and

corn weed about Ely), was untouchee. Will you kindly state what the insect is, and

if it has been known to do the like before ?

“Yours, &c.,

“ W. MarsHALL.”

Acarus on Hay.

Mr. Westwood then read the following letter :—

** Villiarstown, Cappoquin.

“ Sir,

“ Enclosed are some insects taken from the base of a newly made rick: they

lie in a band of about 4 inches thick by 9 inches wide. The hay was off a reclaimed

bog, after oats. There is also another rick close by, which is affected the same way.

When first they appeared they were removed at once, but in one or two days after the

rick was as bad as ever. I shall] feel much obliged if you will let me know what they

are, what should be done to the hay to get rid of them, and also whetlier it is bad for

horses to be fed on such hay.

“J am, Sir, yours truly,

SAD He INICHOT.2

Mr. Westwood exhibited a drawing of this Acarus, observing it was very similar

to the common cheese-mite.

Habitat of a Chelifer.

Mr. Westwood exhibited specimens of a Chelifer, which had been found in great

numbers on the plants and fruit in melon-frames. Messrs. Walker and Curtis had

likewise observed them frequently in such places, and both thought they fed upon

minute insects.

Materials of Wasps’ Nests.

The Secretary read the following letter from Mr. W. H. Watkeys, relative to

wasps nests, and specimens of the material alluded to were exhibited.

* Stroud, July 27.

coSins

** Seeing, in the report given in the ‘ Gardener’s Chronicle’ of your meeting,

that a discussion arose as to whether wasps use the scrapings of solid wood in the con-

struction of their nests, allow me to give an account of a little personal observation on

the subject. I have several times observed wasps on and near beds of the dried stalks

of stinging-nettles and similar substances, but till last Saturday I had not proof that

they were used in the construction of their nests: I was passing near a hedge in which

were numbers of these stalks, and about ten or a dozen wasps were hard at work

biting off nearly all the outside of the dried nettles, and, the nest being near, I

watched their coming to and fro, which I think was evident proof of the fact main-

tained by your Society. a a i

am, Sir, yours &c.,

* W.H. WatTKEYs.”

Mr. F. Smith observed that wasps sometimes do use solid wood in the construction

of their nests, for he once had a nest of Vespa Norvegica for some months in his room,

the wasps going constantly to and fro, during which period he noticed them frequently

scraping and gnawing the outsides of his store-boxes, which are of deal, for building

material. His room being a very dry one, he is confident it was the wood they used

and not fungus, which could not have been found in such a place under such circum-

stances.

Beetles in Seeds of the Brazilian Wax Palm.

The following letter, from Geo. F. Wilson, Esq., was read :—

“ Price’s Patent Candle Company, Belmont, Vauxhall, London,

“ August 22, 1854.

< Sit,

“A short time back a friend brought us, from Ceara, some seeds of the Coper-

nicia Cerifera,—the wax palm of the Brazils, which yields the Carnahuba wax.

While looking at the seeds yesterday, I perceived three live beetles among them. As

the seeds are probably the first that have come to this country, the beetles may possibly

be rare.

“Your obedient servant,

“ Geo. F. Wixson.

“The Secretary of the Entomological Society.”

Some of the seeds and the beetles above alluded to were exhibited: the latter

proved to be Caryoborus Bactris, of the family Bruchide. /

October 2, 1854.

Epowarp Newman, Esq., President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the

donors : —‘ Mémoires Couronnés et Mémoires des Savants Etrangers,’ tome xxv. ;

‘Bulletins de l’Académie Royale des Sciences et des Beaux Arts de Belgique, tome

xx. 3me partie, tome xxi. lre partie ; ‘ Annexe aux Bulletins,’ 1853—1854 ; ‘ Annuaire

de Académie Royale des Sciences, des Lettres et des Beaux Arts de Belgique, 1854 ;

all presented by the Academy. Zuchold’s ‘ Bibliotheca Historico-Naturalis, Vierter

Jahrgang, 1 Heft. January to June, 1854; by the Author. Gueérin’s ‘ Revue et

Magasin de Zoologie, 1854, No. 8; by the Editor. ‘ Proceedings of the Royal

Society, vol. vii. No. 6; by the Society. The ‘ Literary Gazette’ for September ; by

the Editor. The ‘Atheneum’ for September; by the Editor. The ‘ Journal of the

Society of Arts’ for September; by the Society. The ‘Zoologist’ for October; by the

Editor. ‘ Annales des Sciences Physiques et Naturelles d’Agriculture et d’ Industrie,’

tomes iv. and v.; by la Société Imperiale d’Agriculture &c. de Lyon. ‘ Mémoires de

VAcadémie Impériale des Sciences, Belles-Lettres et Arts de Lyon;’ ‘ Classe des

Lettres, nouvelle Série, tome 2me; by the Society. ‘ Annales de la Société Linnéenne

de Lyon, nouvelle Série, tome lre; by the Society. ‘ Opuscules Entomologiques,’ par

E. Mulsant, cahiers 2, 3 and 4; by the Author. ‘ Mélanges Entomologiques,’ par B.

P. Perroud, 2me partie; by the Author. ‘Die geographische Verbreitung der Eu-

ropaischen Schmetterlinge in anderen Welttheilen, von G. Koch, Leipzig, 1854; by

the Author. ‘ Kiferfauna fiir Nord und Mitteldeutschland, 3 and 4 Lieferung, von

M. Bach, Coblenz, 1854. Specimens of Formica cunicularia, ¢ and ?, Myrmica

ruginodis, M. scabrinodis, M. levinodis, M. cespitum and M. flavidula; by Mr. F.

Smith. A piece of larch wood, from an old post, showing marks of the mandibles of

wasps in biting off particles for building materials ; by W. H. Watkeys, Esq., Stroud.

Exhibitions.

Mr. Stevens exhibited the first known British specimen of Goniodoma auroguttella

(a species beautifully figured and described by Fischer-von-Réslerstamm), lately taken

by him while sweeping on the banks of the Yar, in the Isle of Wight; specimens of

a new Miana, captured near Darlington; a variety of Apatura Iris and a hermaphro-

dite Thecla Querctis, taken near Rochester; and a new species of Eccoptogaster,

found by Mr. Weaver in birch stumps at Rannoch.

Mr. Foxcroft sent from Perthshire, for exhibition, the following Lepidoptera, re-

cently taken there by him: — Phibalapteryx lapidata, Depressaria ciniflonella, Lepto-

gramma Scotana, and Cheimatobia autumnaria.

Mr. Douglas exhibited a specimen of Crambus Cassentiniellus, taken by Mr. J.

Hemmings on the downs near Brighton, remarking that it was not only a species new

to Britain, but is only known to have been captured in Italy by Professor Zeller, He

also exhibited a new Nepticula, bred by Mr. Weaver, in Scotland, from leaves of

Vaccinium Vitis-Idea, four which he proposed the name N. Weaveri; and a specimen

of the scarce beetle Dictyopterus minutus, found by himself, on the 17th of October,

on the palings of Addington Park.

Mr. Stainton exhibited leaves of various plants, each kind containing larve of

different species of Nepticula; also leaves of hawthorn, containing larve of the beetle

Ramphus pulicarius.

Motion communicated to Seeds by Insects.

Mr. Westwood said that Sir William Hooker had sent him some seeds received

from the West Coast of America, which had excited some curiosity by jumping about:

this motion was caused by an insect-larva in each of the seeds, and after a further

examination he hoped to communicate some more particulars, and to obtain the

name of the plant producing the seeds. Among them he had found an Ichneumon,

which was probably a parasite on the enclosed larve.

Mr. Janson doubted if larve, perfectly enclosed as these were said to be, could

possibly give “jumping” motion to the seeds; the President said that Réaumur, as

cited by Kirby and Spence, had recorded an instance of a jumping chrysalis, and

My. Curtis said he had verified Réaumur’s statement, the insect being one of the

Ichneumonide.

Economy of Grapholitha corollana.

Mr. Douglas read the following translation of part of an article by Professor

Zeller, in the ‘ Zeitschrift fir Entomologie des Vereins fiir Schlesische Insekten-

Kunde zu Breslau,’ No. 23, 1852 (published in 1854), observing that the species was

not unlikely to occur in England.

“ GRAPHOLITHA COROLLANA, Hub. fig, 282.

“ Tortria corollana, Frolich, Tort. Wurtembergiz, p. 91, 218.

“‘ Graphol. corollana, Dupouch. Cat. p. 306.”

After some critical remarks on the species, he says,—

“ According to Frélich this Tortrix flies on flowers in May and June, but my ex-

perience is entirely contrary to this statement. I might assert that this Tortrix does

not frequent flowers at all: it generally flies but little, and therefore is so seldom met

with. Near Berlin I once caught several specimens on the 9th of May, towards even-

ing, on the trunks of moderately thick aspens, and two of them were paired. After-

wards, in Frankfort on the Oder, on the 17th of March, from branches of aspen, which

also contained larve of Saperda populnea, and which I had placed in water in a win-

dow exposed to the sun, I reared a fine female, which sat upon the young aspen-leaves.

I then thought the larva had lived in the buds, and sought therein accordingly, but

found only one larva, which I carefully described, but from which I only bred Peuthina

dealbana. At Glogau, on the 11th of May, 1851, on a young aspen, I caught a male

which thus early was somewhat injured, going to prove that the time of flight could

not extend far into the second half of the month, that consequently the indication of

‘June’ has not much probability, and, as all the allied species appear only once a

year, there is no reason to think there is a.second brood of this. In the year 1852 I °

procured, from two Coleopterists of this place, branches of aspen, in which were Sa-

perda larve. On examination of the knots on the branches I noticed, in a defective

part, an empty pupa-case projecting from the wood, and it immediately occurred to

me that it might very likely belong to corollana. I therefore next examined other

injured branches, and when I saw some larva-excrement hanging out of one I became

certain that the larva of corollana lived in the wood of aspens. Only one of these

branches furnished me with a moth, a male, which came out in the morning of the

11th of May. The bravch was, underneath a twig, somewhat knotty and decayed.

I had cut into it, in April, just down to the cavity wherein the pupa lay, in a web of

powdered wood, with the head upwards, very lively, and still quite yellow. I fastened

the pieces of the branch together again, and looked at it from time to time, and thus

observed how the pupa became coloured. As it had lain with its head within the wood,

I feared that, as in consequence of iny cutting into the wood it had fallen out, I had

replaced it in an unfavorable position, but this fortunately did not appear to have

been the case. I saw, on the 11th of May, the pupa had worked itself out through

a decayed part hitherto unobserved by me, from which it was almost entirely

suspended ; it became thus all but exposed; still it could make use of the spines

of the abdomen, by means of which it had doubtless burst through the place

of its exit, which had been prepared beforehand by the larva. At first I could

not find the moth, and on shaking the box it did not fly off. At last I saw it

sitting on a small bit of the wood, with its wings in a convex, roof-shaped position.

In consequence of my having disturbed it, in my endeavours to put it into a small

glass, it became very lively in the sunshine. A second fine example of corollana,

which came out with the Saperda, I afterwards received from Herr Capt. Quedenfeld,

one of the above-mentioned Coleopterists.

“Tt appears to me, from the foregoing details, that this moth is not so scarce as

hitherto supposed, and that it may be obtained by breeding. For this purpose both old

and young lower branches of aspens should be examined in the winter and spring, at-

tention being directed to those having the knots of Saperda larva, as both these

insects appear to stand in a certain sort of relation to each other. If the branches be

put into water there will be no difficulty in the breeding ; indeed the moth will be ob-

tained earlier by the warmth of a room than it could be taken at large.”

On Entomological difficulties.

Mr. Stainton read a paper entitled “On the difficulties experienced by En-

tomologists, as exemplified by recent experience with the Larve of the Genus

Elachista.”

Introduction of Bombyx Cynthia into Malta and Italy.

The Secretary, adverting to the mention of the subject at the March and June

meetings of this Society, read, from the ‘Journal of the Society of Arts,’ July 14th,

an account, transmitted by Col. Sir Wm. Reid, Governor of Malta, to the Duke of

Newcastle, of the successful propagation and distribution in Italy of the larve of this

moth.

“The following despatch and enclosures have been received through the Foreign

Office :—

** Valetta, May 17, 1854.

“My Lorp Dcvxe—In my despatch dated 2nd February, 1854, I begged your

Grace to inform the Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, that through the

very laudable efforts of Mr. Piddington, of Calcutta, with the aid of the directors of

the Peninsular and Oriental Company (after many failures), I had received sound

eggs of the Indian silkworm (Bombyx Cynthia), called by the natives ‘ Eria’ or

* Arrindy,’ and which feeds on the leaves of the castor-oil plant.

“These worms having passed through all their mutations in Malta in a healthy

state, a second generation, from eggs laid here, are now hatching daily.

“T have also had the satisfaction of learning that cocoons sent from Malta to the

Agricultural Society of Turin have produced moths. Eggs have also been sent to

Rome, and I am preparing to send them to other places in Italy, where they have

already been asked for.

‘“*T am not sure whether the natives of India usually spin the silk of this worm or

wind it, although it is said that by a weak solution of alkali they so far dissolve the

gum as to be enabled to wind the silk. But we have not yet succeeded in doing so

in Malta.

“T enclose, from a Malta newspaper, some account of the periods at which the

first brood made their changes, and also, from the ‘ Piedmontese Official Gazette,’ an

account of their progress at Turin, both of which may be interesting to the Society of

Arts.

“*T also send for the Society of Arts a few old cocoons, left by the chrysalides on

assuming the state of moths, in the hope that the Society may be able to find some

means of dissolving the gum, by which the worm unites the silken threads.

“T have, &c.,

*“ (Signed) Wiuttram Rerp, Governor.

“ His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, K.G.”

The Eria Silkworm of Assam.*

“Some time since, our contemporary the ‘ Mail’ published the contents of a

pamphlet consisting of extracts from the ‘Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal’

on the silkworms of Bengal. The idea of introducing into Malta one of the species,

viz., the Eria, or Phalena Cynthia, of Assam, was then already started; but it was

still a question whether the very first step of the introduction could be successfully

accomplished. It is now known that this difficulty has been overcome; that eggs

have been brought, worms hatched, fed on the leaves of the castor-oil plant, have spun

their silk shrouds, and gone through all the processes of their mysterious existence

round to the egg again, in a room of the Palace of St. Antonio.

“<The subjoined memorandum, which we are authorised to publish, states the

* From the ‘ Malta Times.’

different stages of this process, the dates and appearance of the changes, and, in short,

all the leading phenomena of the case :—

“¢Through the laudable efforts of Mr. Piddington, of Calcutta, aided by the

directors of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Company, after many unsuccessful

attempts, his Excellency the Governor has succeeded in obtaining sound eggs of the

Assam silkworm, called in that country the Arrindy, Aria or Eria, and by naturalists

the Bombyx Cynthia and also Phalena Cynthia. These eggs, which arrived in Malta

on the 2nd December, 1853, having been placed under the care of Dr. Frendo, M.D.,

at St. Antonio, produced upwards of 600 worms. The first which were hatched died

apparently from cold. But after a fire was kept in the room, and the temperature at

between 588 and 68° of Fahrenheit’s thermometer, very few died, and latterly none.

These worms were fed exclusively on the leaves of the castor-oil plant, the Ricinus

communis of botanists.

“¢On the 18th January some were observed to change their colour, and became of

a light yellow.

“«On the 23rd January they underwent their second change; they then assumed a

bluish green colour.

«On the 28th January they commenced to undergo their third change.

“<QOn the 6th February they began the fourth mutation.

“¢ On the 8th February the first cocoon was observed.

“On the 11th March fires in the room were left off.

*“¢On the 16th March the worms were in the state of chrysalis.

“¢ On the 12th April the first moth appeared, and

“¢ On the 17th April they began to Jay their eggs.

“«By the 7th of the present month the greater part of the moths died, after

depositing their eggs, the average duration of their lives having been about 14 days.

Twelve cocoons weighed 4 drachms and 25 grains: the average weight of a cocoon

according to this is 1-12th of a grain.’ ”

“We have just been informed (May 9) that some of the eggs are hatched this

day.

“In addition we republish, extracted from the above pamphlet, all the portion of

it relating to the Eria worm. It may be useful for those interested in the subject to

compare the series of phenomena observed in Malta and in India, and to note any

differences. It certainly is not unreasonable to anticipate much advantage from the

‘ Eria,’ should the climate permit the establishment of this stranger among us. The

Palma-Christi grows readily in Malta, and it will be seen from the statements of the

pamphlet how great is the productive power of the worm, and how useful a manu-

facture can be derived from its produce, even under the disadvantage of its not being

yet ‘wound off.” The last sentence quoted from the pamphlet seems particularly

worthy of attention. The Maltese, who have made so much of their cotton, will in

any case be able to turn to good purpose the durable produce of the Eria worm, and

should practical chemistry prove to have in store the solution of the problem, how to

wind off the silk without breaking, a new and most profitable channel for exertion

will have been opened to the patient and ingenious workers of these Islands.” *

* The matter referred to by the editor of the ‘ Malta Times’ has already been

published in the ‘ Journal of the Society of Arts.’ It will be found in the number for

March 3rd of the present year, p. 263.

Silk Culture.*

“ At last, after many unsuccessful trials, we have had the good fortune to see the

chrysalides hatched in Turin. Our correspondents, persuaded that will is power, were

not deterred from the task, but by renewed exertions and successive attempts, have

succeeded in their object of importing from Bengal to Turin the precious silkworm of

the Indies.

‘Our colleague Signor S. Giseri, so skilful in the rearing of silkworms, charged

especially by the Royal Academy of Agriculture, writes us the following :—* The

cocoons delivered tu us by you on the 19th of March last, were placed in a dark room,

where the mean temperature was kept at 20 centigrammes. I began to despair when

I saw a month pass without any result, as at an equal temperature the cocoons of our

country take only from 12 to 15 days to bring forth the moth; still the state of the

chrysalis was not yet hopeless. The new insects just now come to life are very fine,

with large and full wings, of a tawny colour, and having yellow oblong spots. I have

already two pairs, which came forth two days since, and three males, which came forth

yesterday, and am impatiently waiting for the appearance of their mates. The delay

above mentioned was, to say so, providential, as the nourishment of the future worms

was not yet ready; the young plants of the Ricinus (Palma-Christi) being only as yet

furnished with their hard primitive shoots, although we had planted the seeds during

the previous winter. I trust now we shall be able to rear up this new insect, which

with so much anxiety, perseverance and outlay, has been brought over alive to

Piedinont.’

‘“*In the meanwhile we have received the intelligence that the Governor of Malta

has successfully brought up a brood of them at Valetta.

“Sir W. Reid informed us, in his last, that he hoped to overcome the difficulties

of unwinding the silk from the new worms, by using water slightly alkaline, and, what

is perhaps better, water with a small quantity of soap, as the soda might perchance

weaken the silk, and also injure its spinning quality.

“ His Excellency Sir James Hudson, the English Minister in Turin, assures us

that when at Rio Janeiro, two years ago, he had heard that a Lombard had come there

for the purpose of attempting, on a large scale, the rearing of the Palma-Christi worm,

as both this insect and the Palma-Christi thrive well in Brazil.

“ Mr. Piddington writes us from Calcutta, on the 17th of March last:—*I have

read with pleasure the various notices of the Bombyx Cynthia inserted in the ‘ Official

Gazette’ of Turin. I know that these silkworms thrive at Malta, although they have

been somewhat affected by the cold. I have written to our common friend, the

Governor of Malta, to inform him that the temperature of Assam varied from between

57° and 40° Fahrenheit, the temperature being 68° F. (20 centigrade, 16° R.), and that

the north and north-east winds blowing there are very cold. The seed I have for-

warded to him came from Bogorah (?), half-way between Calcutta and Assam, where

the cold is very intense. There is a great quantity of ice in winter in the plains at

Hoogly, distant about 25 miles north of Calcutta, by reason of the evaporation of water

in porous and shallow pans. I have also brought up in the winter many of those silk-

worms (une couvée de vers), which I had not hitherto attempted, and I have seen many

* Translated from the ‘ Piedmontese Official Gazette.’

perish in the early stages of their existence, the formation of the cocoons retarded, and

every insect beginning to spin whilst still very small. In this we must admire one of

the laws of Providence, to which every animal, and especially such prolific insects,

must conform, namely, that there are seasons in which, owing to the atmospheric

changes, and for want of sufficient nourishment, the insects die in great quantities.

Were it not so, the world would not be large enough to contain them. TI also warned

Sir Wm. Reid that perhaps our rooms are too light for these insects, the light being

injurious to their eggs, as it is to the germination of plants. In its natural state, the

Bombyx Cynthia lives under the shade of green foliage, a very scanty light pene-

trating into the miserable huts of our ryots (peasants of Bengal). It is also believed

that too much light is injurious to the production of silk. I give you a hint of these

ideas, without commenting on them, being persuaded that you will exert yourself in

every way for the successful rearing of these valuable insects. Lastly, let us bear in

mind that these pocr little animals are the first of their kind which have crossed the

ocean, and been installed in the splendid palaces of the Knights of Malta, and that if

you have an idea of presenting them at Court je ne reponds pas des suites.’

“ Our spirited Mr. Piddington finishes by begging us to send his kind compliments

to Signor F. Berzonzi, at Boulogne-sur-Mer, to whom we owe the first idea of the

attempt to enrich Italy, if possible, with the new silkworm of the Indies.

“The problem, then, for the naturalist seems solved. This insect can be trans-

ported to, and successfully reared in, latitudes differing so widely from those of Turin

and Assam in Bengal. The common Ricinns (Palma-Christi), especial food of the

Cynthia, takes well in Piedmont; and already the production of the seeds more than

pays the cost of cultivation. In the Province of Nice, in the Island of Sardinia, and

in the more southern countries of Italy, the Ricinus grows luxuriantly. The silk-

growers will now try how far it will answer to couple the rearing of the silkworm of

India with that of China. The first yields in its native land seven crops of cocoons

in the year, and supplies us with a finer and more beautiful silk. Naturalists and

silk-growers will soon have the opportunity of trying a mixture of the two breeds ;

meanwhile, the experiments now made give every man to expect that the most

sanguine hopes of those interested in the cultivation of silk will ultimately be realised.

Let us close these few lines addressed to our numerous correspondents with the obser-

vation recently made by the celebrated naturalist, Geoffroy de St. Hilaire, President of

the Paris Society of Zoological Acclimatation:—‘The number of the species of

animals generally reckoned by the modern naturalists exceeds 140,000, the greatest

part of which will be perhaps always useless to man; whilst up to the present time

we have not been able to domesticate more than 43 species. How much, then,

remains to be done, and why, for instance, should we not follow the example of the

Canary Islands, which have already more than doubled the value of their rural

products by the easy cultivation of cochineal, and attempt to introduce at once this

valuable insect into the Province of Nice, or, at least, into the Island of Sardinia,

where the Cactry spantia [? Cactus Opuntia] thrives in abundance.

“G. F. Barort.

“ Turin, April 29th, 1854.”

Mr. Westwood said that Professor Solly had made several experiments on the co-

coons sent by Dr. Templeton from Malta, and he believed he had discovered the much-

desired method of unwinding the silk from the cocoon.

November 6, 1854.

Epwarp Newman, Esq., President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the

donors :—‘ Entomologische Zeitung,’ July to October; by the Entomological Society

of Stettin. ‘Revue et Magasin de Zoologie,’ 1854, No. 9 ; par M. F. E. Guérin

Meénéville; by the Editor. ‘Journal of the Society of Arts’ for October ; by the So-

ciety. The ‘Atheneum’ for October; by the Editor. The ‘ Literary Gazette’ for

October; by the Editor. The ‘ Zoologist’ for November; by the Editor. ‘Smith-

sonian Contributions to Knowledge,’ vol. vi.; ‘Seventh Annual Report of the Board

of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution for 1852;’ ‘ Directions for Collecting,

Preserving, and Transporting Specimens of Natural History,’ 2nd Edition; ‘ Regis-

try of Periodical Phenomena,’ one sheet; ‘Catalogue of the Described Coleoptera of

the United States, by Friedrick Ernst Melsheimer, M.D., revised by S. S. Haldeman

and J. L. Le Conte, | Vol. 1853 (6 copies); ‘List of Foreign Institutions in Cor-

respondence with the Smithsonian Institution; ‘ Natural History of the Red River

of Louisiana ;’ (reprinted from the Report of Captain R. B. Marey); all by the

Smithsonian Institution, Washington, U.S. ‘ Boston Journal of Natural History,

vol. vi. No. 3; ‘Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History, pp. 225 to

384, November, 1852, to April, 1854 ; both by the Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. ‘ Proceed-

ings of the Royal Society, vol. vi. No. 102; ‘ Philosophical Transactions of the Royal

Society,’ Vol. exliii. Part 3, Vol. exliv, Part 1; ‘ List of the Royal Society, 30th No-

vember, 1853,’ all by the Royal Society. Plutella annulatella (2) and Tinea ochra-

ceella (2) ; by George Wailes, Esq. A box of Scotch Lepidoptera and Coleoptera ;

by Mr. Foxcroft.

Election of a Member.

Professor Edward Solly, F.R.S., F.L.S., &c., was ballotted for and elected a Mem-

ber of the Society.

Exhibitions.

Mr. Stevens exhibited a new British beetle, Otiorhynchus septentrionis, Herbst, a

single specimen taken by Mr. Foxcroft at Rannoch. He also exhibited some insects

sent from Port Natal by Mr. Plant, including the rare Goliathus Derbyanus and

Tefflus Delargorguei ; also two living examples of an Tulus which were imported in a

case of plants, and had been in his possession more than a fortnight.

Mr. Salt sent for exhibition a fly presented to him by a medical friend, who wrote

concerning it “It was apparently blown out through the nostril by a gentleman who

had long had pain in the face, and discharge of pus from the nose and throat. It is

supposed to have been lodged in the ‘antrum of Highmore,’ a cavern that exists na-

turally in the bones of the face.” It appeared to be Phora urbana. Mr. Westwood

said he had reared species of this genus of fly from wool and animal rejectamenta,

such as old crab-shells. My. Walker had reared them from Fungi, and Mr. Curtis

from the body of one of the Sphingide.

Mr. Stainton exhibited a specimen of the rare Elachista triseriatella, taken by

Mr. Hogan near Dublin, and specimens of a new Simaéthis, for which he proposed

the name S. Parietariw, the larve having been found by Mr. Harding on Parietaria

officinalis.

Luminosity of Helobia brevicollis.

Mr. Westwood said Mr. Gould had placed in his hands a specimen of the common

beetle Helobia brevicollis, which he found one evening lately near Windsor, having

been attracted thereto by its luminous appearance. Mr. Westwood thought the

luminosity was due to adherent particles of phosphorescent matter arising from some

decaying animal, or a Geophilus—one of the luminous Scolopendre—on which the

Helobia had been feeding ; both these views, indeed, had been advanced with respect

to a luminous Goérius, at a Meeting of this Society on December Ist, 1851, by the

late Mr. Stephens, Mr. Curtis, and Mr. Smith.

Motion communicated to Seeds by Insects.

Mr. Janson, adverting to the Report’ of the discussion on this subject at the last

meeting, said that in his remarks on that occasion he did not mean to deny that any

motion could be communicated to the seeds by the imprisoned larve, but he still

maintained that the possibility of larve, perfectly enclosed in seeds, having the power

of causing the seeds to jump had not been explained. ‘The instance quoted from

Kirby and Spence he did not think was analogous, for that was evidently a naked

chrysalis unencumbered by an extraneous envelope.

Mr. Westwood read the statement in Kirby and Spence’s ‘ Introduction,* which

had been referred to, where, alluding to Réaumur’s Memoir upon the enemies of

caterpillars, they say, “Round the nests of the Processionary Bombyx he found

numerous little cocoons suspended by a thread, three or four inches long, to a twig or

leaf, of a shortened oval form and close texture, but so as the meshes might be

distinguished. These cocoons were rather transparent, of a coffee-brown colour, and

surrounded in the middle by a whitish band. When put into boxes or glasses, or laid

in the band, they surprised him by leaping. Sometimes their leaps were not more

than ten lines, at others they were extended to three or four inches, both in height

and length. When the animal leaps, it suddenly changes its ordinary posture (in

which the back is convex and touches the upper part of the cocoon, and the head and

arms rest upon the lower) and strikes the upper part with the head and tail, before its

belly, which thus becomes the concave part, touches the bottom. This occasions the

cocoon to rise in the air to a height proportioned to the force of the blow.’ In the

same chapter of the ‘ Introduction’ it is also recorded by the author, “that in 1810 a

young lady informed him a friend had brought a similar chrysalis, which was found

attached by one end to the leaf of a bramble. It repeatedly jumped out of an open

pill-box that was an inch in height. When put into a drawer, in which some other

insects were impaled, it skipped from side to side over their backs, for nearly a quarter

of an hour, with surprising agility. Its mode of springing seemed to be by balancing

itself upon one extremity of its case. About the end of October one end of the case

grew black, and from that time the motion ceased; and about the middle of April in

* Vol. ii. page 299, 4th Edition.

the following year a very minute ichneumon made its appearance by a hole it had

made at the opposite end.” Réaumur could not ascertain the fly that should legiti-

mately come from the cocoon, for different cocoons gave different flies: whence it

was evident that these ichneumons were infested by their own parasite. This might

have been the case with the cocoon mentioned by the lady.

Mr. Westwood said, that though in this account the chrysalis was stated to be

attached to the leaf, yet it was evidently an enclosed pupa, for its case is immediately

afterwards mentioned. Since the last meeting he was satisfied the larve in the seeds

were Lepidopterous, and thinking it possible that only those seeds moved that contained

alarva infested by anichneumon, he had inquired of Sir William Hooker if there were

any exceptions, among the affected seeds, in the power of jumping, but was informed

all gave equally strong leaps.

Mr. Curtis said that at the last meeting he had observed “he expected the seeds

contained the larva of a Bruchus,” and in confirmation of Reaumur, and of the possi-

bility of an insect confined in a hard case having the power to give it motion, he

had stated that “he had a compact horny oval cocoon formed by an ichneumon,

which bounded about on a table like an India-rubber ball, shortly before the fly

hatched.” In order to identify the fact with the insect, he had searched for and found

the specimen which had been disregarded for twenty years, and he now had the satis-

faction of exhibiting the insect with its cocoon, and the label attached to it when the

fly hatched. It was a Campoplex allied to C. majalis, Grav., and probably described

by that author; but the species of this genus being very difficult to identify, he would

not venture to characterise or name it. These Ichneumonide are parasititic on the

Tortricidz and smaller moths, and also on the Curculionide.

Mr. Lubbock said it would not be difficult to demonstrate, according to the laws

of matter and motion, that the muscular power of an insect in the situation referred to,

if exerted in a particular manner, would cause a jumping motion in its envelope.

A new British Cynips and the Galls made thereby.

Mr. Rich, present as a visitor, exhibited some sprays of oak thickly covered with

bunches of large galls. In Somersetshire generally, and in part of Gloucestershire,

they were so abundant that the oaks were covered with them, to the extinction of the

acorns, the loss of which, for feeding their pigs, the farmers greatly regretted,

although he believed that in the value of these galls they had more than an equiva-

lent, for their chemical qualities were nearly equal to those of the imported galls of

commerce. '

Mr. Curtis said, Mr. Rich recently gave him an example of this gall, and he had

since received some of the galls with a specimen of the fly from his friend W. H. L.

Walcott, Esq., who obtained these galls from an oak growing near the Hotwells,

Clifton. Having paid great attention to the Cynipide,* and bred most of those

which are produced from oak trees, he had often been doubtful regarding the true

Cynips Quercus-petioli of Linneus, but he was convinced the specimen he now

* Vide vols. i. ii. iii. iv. and v. of the ‘Gardener’s Chronicle, for the economy

and figures of Cynips aptera, C. umbraculus, C. Quercus-tiare, C. lenticularis, C.

Quercus-pedunculi, C. Quercus-ramuli, C. Quercus-castanew, and C. Quereus-folii.

exhibited, which was bred with a few others from the galls alluded to, is the Linnean

species. He believed all that have hatched are females, but as there are many maggots

alive in some of the galls he expected the males would appear in the spring.

Cynips Quercus-petioli is described by Linneus in his ‘ Fauna Suecica, No. 1523,

where he refers to Reesel, who has given good figures of the galls, fly, &c.* The flies

are much larger than any other species which has been described as British, and they

are nearly allied to those produced from the galls of commerce, the Diplolepis galle-

tinctorie of Olivier. He was inclined to think the species was of recent introduction

into England, for during the time of his researches into the Cynipide neither he nor

the many friends who assisted him with specimens from all parts of the country had

ever seen it, and such conspicuous galls could hardly have escaped notice if they had

existed.

Mr. Stainton said that for the last four or five years he had noticed these galls in

Devonshire, but not in such profusion as now stated.

The President said he had some doubts if this was the Cynips Quercus-petioli of

Linneus, for the galls were situated in the axil of the leaf, and not on the petiole.

Chrysomelide of Australia.

Mr. Baly read the concluding portion of his Memoir on the Chrysomelide of

Australia.

New Part of the Transactions.

Part 2, vol. iii. N.S. of the Transactions, published in October, was laid on the

table.

December 4, 1854.

Epwarp Newman, Esq., President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to

the donors :—‘ Catalogue of the Birds in the Museum of the East India Company,’

Vol. i.; by the Hon. Court of Directors of the East India Company. The ‘ Literary

Gazette’ for November; by the Editor. The ‘Atheneum’ for November; by the

Editor. The ‘ Zoologist’ for December ; by the Editor. The ‘Journal of the Society

of Arts’ for November; by the Society. ‘ Revue et Magasin de Zoologie,’ No. 10,

1854; by the Editor. ‘Insecta Britannica, Diptera, Vol. ii., by F. Walker; ‘ Lepi-

doptera—Tineina,’ by H. 'T. Stainton ; by the Committee of the ‘ Insecta Britannica.’

‘List of Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum,’

Part i. Lepidoptera—Heterocera; ‘ List of Specimens of Dipterous Insects in the Col-

lections of the British Museum, Part y. Supplement 1; ‘ List of Specimens of Neu-

ropterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum,’ Part iv., Odonata; ‘ List

of the Specimens of British Animals in the Collection of the British Museum,’ Part xiv.,

Nomenclature of Neuroptera; all presented by Mr. F. Walker. The First Annual

Supplement to ‘Insecta Britannica, Lepidoptera—Tineina, by H. T. Stainton; by

the author.

* *Tnsecten Belustigung,’ iii. Supp., tab. 35 and 36.

Election of a Member.

George Wailes, Esq., Newcastle-on-Tyne, was balloted for and elected a

Member.

Exhibitions.

Mx. Pickersgill exhibited a fine specimen of Argynnis Lathonia, and a variety of

Vanessa Urtice in which the colours of the upper wings were not distinct but

suffused, and the under wings were almost entirely black. Both these butterflies he

caught near Eastbourne, Sussex, on the 29th of July last.

Mr. Saunders exhibited two examples of a small patelliform nidus, probably of a

spider, attached to a leaf of Chailetia latifolia received from Rio Negro.

Mr. Stevens exhibited some Coleopterous larve, which had destroyed a large

cherry-tree drooping by forming galleries in the solid wood, a log of which he

also showed. The larve were probably those of Gnorimus nobilis.

Mr. Tweedy exhibited a box of Coleoptera and Lepidoptera, among which were

some new species, just received in fine condition from St. Domingo.

Photographie Representations of Insects.

Herr Pretsch, Manager of the Imperial Printing Office at Vienna, present as

a visitor, exhibited a great number of magnified positive photographs of various insects

and parts of insects.

Mr. Westwood observed, that though these figures gave very good general repre-

sentations of the objects, yet the details were not sufficiently accurate for entomo-

logical purposes; indeed, he had never seen the small parts of insects delineated by

this process with the clearness necessary to render the figures of scientific value.

Mr. Curtis thought that, if greater distinctness in detail could be attained, the

photographic process would be invaluable for representations of the wings of the

Ichneumonide and the neuration of wings generally.

Singular Specimen of Anthocharis Cardamines.

The President exhibited a specimen of Anthocharis Cardamines, which had been

placed in his bands by Mr. W. Machin, of Mile End: the insect combined the

characters of the sexes in a remarkable manner: the whole of the upper surface

of the upper wings, as well as the antenne, head, thorax and abdomen, present the

normal appearance of a female: there was nothing whatever to induce a doubt of the

individual being a female: the same observation applied to the left wings on the

under side, but the right upper wing on the under side was adorned with the bright

orange mark distinctive of the male. Many insects were known to be subject to what

he (the President) had called hemigynism, i.e. when the individual is divided by a

right line down the back, the one half being male and the other half female;

the peculiarities of each sex extending not only to the distribution of colour, but also

to the structure of the antenne, eyes and genitalia; but the present instance differed

from any that he had previously seen, in the fact of the entire upper surface being

female.

Introduction of Bombyx Cynthia into Malta and Italy.

Mr. Westwood exhibited a sample of the silk produced at Malta from cocoons of

Bombyx Cynthia, which sample was given by the Governor, Sir William Reid, to

Dr. Templeton, and by him forwarded to Mr. Westwood with the following letter :—

“ Valetta, November 10.

‘“* My dear Westwood,

“IT take advantage of the Governor's kind offer to send you the enclosed silk,

unwound from the Cynthia cocoons by Signor Lotteri, an Italian, skilled in silk-

winding, who declared that his fingers stuck together for a very long time afterwards,

so gummy and resiny was the binding matrix of the silk, The result seems very

fine, and is, I believe, very strong, in comparison with the silks of similar thickness.

At Casal Zebbourg a gentleman introduced, from the Governor's gardens, some of the

worms, got little boys to tear the cocoons to pieces, and native women to spin it; and

there is now hanging, in the window of Mr. Guodenough’s shop, a pair of stockings

and some lace-work made from the spun silk: the stockings have a muddy look, the

colour of the enclosed, but in other respects appear fine substantial affairs, such as

country people would be glad to get; and I believe they are everlasting. ‘The great

business is to get a machine to tear the cocoons to pieces, and that will soon follow,

I presume. They have got the worm now into Tripoli in a fine healthy state; and

planting castor-oil plant is now the order of the day everywhere.

“T trust the packet of live cocoons arrived safe, which were sent to you by the

Governor's directions, per last mail. His Excellency was much pleased by the note

in the ‘ Atheneum’ respecting them.

“ Very truly yours,

(Signed) “ R, TEMPLETON.”

Mr. Westwood added that he had received the cocoons referred to, and found that

some at least of the pupz inclosed were alive, notwithstanding the long journey and

the change of temperature to which they had been subjected.

The Secretary read, from the ‘ Journal of the Suciety of Arts,’ November 10, the

following extract from a despatch forwarded by Governor Sir William Reid to his

Grace the Duke of Newcastle :—

“We have here in Malta gone through all the operations as practised in Assam,

except weaving the silk thread into cloth. For this we have not yet a sufficient

quantity; but the worms are breeding here faster than we can rear the castor-oil

plant: they are now (in October) thriving in the open air, and as they consume the

leaves of the castor-oil, they travel from plant to plant, feeding upon several, but

apparently doing well only on the Ricinus.

“The French Government have applied, through their Consul, for a larger

quantity of eggs, both for France and Algeria, and I have been enabled to supply

him with as many as he requires.

“In consequence of statements published in the ‘ Journal of the Society of Arts,

I have had an application from the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of Grenada,

in the West Indies, for eggs of this silkworm. Some fresh cocoons will be sent from

hence to Grenada, and I am not without hope, from the way in which they are being

conveyed, and with the assistance of the Directors of the Royal Mail Steam Company,

that eggs in a sound state will reach the West Indies.”

The Secretary also read the following extract from the ‘ Turin Gazette, inclosed in

the above-mentioned despatch :—

“Culture of Silk in Piedmont.—Sig. Vincenzo Griseri, the first person who has

undertaken the rearing of the Bombyx Cynthia worm upon leaves of the castor-oil

plant, and the first who introduced it into France, has now terminated his second

experiment of rearing the said worms. Sig. Griseri, conceiving the great service that

these valuable insects might render in the production of silk, diligently distributed

them to the various provinces of the State, as also in Brianza, and has received from

all quarters accounts of a successful result. He succeeded last spring in rearing these

worms even upon the castor-oil plants while in the ground and in the open air, in the

garden of the Chemical Laboratory, under the observation of Chevalier Cantu, Director

of that establishment, the Minister, Conte de Cavour, his Excellency the Duke of

Guiche, Minister Plenipotentiary of France, Professors Abbenne and Borsarelli, and

many other distinguished personages. From this mode of treatment Signor Griseri

discovered that these worms do not suffer from a low temperature, nor from strong

winds, nor from continued rain; but, on the contrary, he obtained finer and better-

formed cocoons than those produced by the ordinary method, all which circumstances

have been submitted to the Royal Academy. After the first experiment he published,

through the printers Chirio and Mina, the mode of bringing up these worms. In the

second experiment he also fully succeeded, and found that the cocoons were superior

to those brought from Calcutta and Malta, on which account he came to the conclu-

sion that this new silkworm, a native of Bengal, has found its own climate in our

country. An experiment is now being made as to the mode of extracting the silk,

which has been confided to the care of able throwsters, and from some samples

already produced it results that this silk is finer and more elastic than our common

silk; further, two more important facts have just been communicated by Sig. Griseri,

namely, that he has succeeded in feeding these worms exclusively upon willow-leaves

and lettuce-leaves, and has obtained cocoons similar to those produced from the

leaves of the castor-oil plant. During these experiments Sig. Griseri was assisted by

the Countess Marianna Antonini, an experienced producer of silk, and Sig. Francesco

Comba, a distinguished naturalist, who kindly offered him their aid and advice.

Sig. Griseri intends next spring to try the rearing of our native grubs, the Pavonia

major and the Pavonia minor, which feed upon various wild plants, and yet produce

silk, as he has already confirmed this by experiment. There is reason to believe from

these experiments made by so celebrated a silk-grower, well known by the numerous

services he has rendered in rearing and improving the race of silkworms, that the

culture of silk will receive a development, the limit of which can hardly be foreseen,

as the object is nothing less than to convert the vegetable matter of the most common

leaves into the valuable substance of silk.”

Larve preserved in Canada Balsam.

Mr. Westwood said he had received examples of insect larve preserved in Canada

balsam, by a gentlemen in Zurich, and he wished to state that they could be furnished

at a very reasonable rate.

Galls produced by Cynips Quercus-petioli.

Mr. Stainton, adverting to the mention of this subject at the last meeting, read

the following extract of a letter received from R. C. R. Jordan, Esq., of Queen’s

College, Birmingham :—

“ The galls are old friends of miue, I have known them for twenty years: of late

they have been more common. I have here some fine specimens of the Cynips,

or rather, in searching them out, I have four specimens: I have known the Cynips

for three years. About five years ago a medical man at Lympstone, near Exmouth,

used them always to make his ink, and tried to impress upon the country people the

use that might spring from making them an article, so to speak, of exportation. But

of course, as with all other things of this sort, they would gather the galls for him to

make the ink, when paid for it, but never made any attempt to sell them elsewhere.

They would be a good substitute for the nut-galls, and deserve to be used instead.

“The Cynips appears in September, perforating the gall by a single round hole.

‘The galls themselves are first green, afterwards brown: the larve may be occasionally

found in them in spring. I have never found any other than a Cynips larva in the

galls: in the common cherry-like gall on the under side of the oak leaves, there is a

larva of a saw-fly occasionally, and I have a notice of an ichneumon-parasite on the

Cynips.”

Mr. Stainton added that, since the last meeting, he had ascertained these galls were

more than usually abundant this year in Devonshire.

Mr. Curtis hoped that Mr. Stainton would procure some of these galls, for he still

doubted if those seen by Mr. Stainton and Mr. Jordan were identical with those he

had referred to Cynips Quercus-petioli.

Mr. Westwood said he had announced the discovery of this species in England, in

the ‘Gardener's Chronicle, some time since.

Larva of Ctenicerus murinus.

Mr. Curtis read a letter from the Rev. C. A. Kuper Trellich, Monmouthshire,

stating that he had found, under a loose stone, a larva of a reddish colour, which he

believed to be that of Ctenicerus murinus. The locality was the top of a wall in an

elevated bleak situation, whereon stems of gorse had been laid and had decayed, in

which stems, he presumes, the larve feed, for he had often found the perfect insects

thereon while immature.

Locality of Papilio Antenor, Drury.

Mr. Westwood stated that this butterfly was long known only by the figure of

Drury, until Mr. Hope received a specimen, taken, as he stated, by Ritchie, at

Soudan, in Central Africa, which, however, was doubted by Mr. Edward Doubleday,

who considered the species to be an Asiatic form. He had now to announce that the

British Museum had just received a specimen from Madagascar. Was it possible the

species could have so wide a geographical range, or had there been some error in the

former instance ?

Mr. Westwood also took this opportunity to state, as bearing upon this subject,

that a beetle, Pachylomerus femoratus, stood in Mr. Hope’s collection as African ;

another species or sub-species of the genus had now been received from Mozambique,

on the Eastern Coast of Africa, and yet it had a great resemblance to the forms from

Tropical Western Africa.

Economy of various Insects.

Mr..Curtis read a paper entitled ‘ Notes on the Economy of Various Insects.’

Essay on the British Formicide.

Mr. Smith read ‘An Essay on the Genera and Species of the British Formicide,’

in which twenty-eight species were described, being an addition of eleven species to

the list of species known in 1851.

January 1, 1855.

Epwarp Newman, Esq., President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to

the donors: — The ‘ Zoologist’ for January; by the Editor. The ‘Atheneum’ for

December; by the Editor. The ‘ Literary Gazette’ for December; by the Editor.

The ‘Journal of the Society of Arts’ for December; by the Society. ‘ Entomolo-

gische Zeitung’ for November and December; ‘ Linnea Entomologica,’ 9 Band; all

by the Entomological Society of Stettin. Hewitson’s ‘ Exotic Butterflies, Parts 12

and 13; by W. Wilson Saunders, Esq. ‘ Transactions of the Linnean Society, Vol.

xxi. Part 3; ‘ Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Nos. 52—58; ‘ List of the Lin-

nean Society, 1854 ;’ ‘ Address of T. Bell, Esq., President of the Linnean Society,

at the Anniversary, May 24th, 1854 ;’ all by the Linnean Society. ‘ Proceedings of

the Literary and Philosophical Society of Liverpool,’ 1853—4 ; by the Society. ‘The

Entomologist’s Annual for 1855;’ by the Editor, H. T. Stainton, Esq.

Exhibitions.

Mr. Douglas exhibited a living specimen of Cratonychus castanipes, Payk., one

of the Elateride, which he found a few days since in the centre of a large mass of

rotten wood thoroughly permeated with fungoid matter, which he dug out of an old

oak stump, and within which it lay in an oval cell, at one end of which were seen the

pellicles of the larva and pupa. This species, kindly determined by Mr. Janson, has

not hitherto been recorded as British, though it probably exists in most collections

mixed with Melanotus fulvipes, which it greatly resembles.

Mr. Stevens exhibited a fine specimen of the male of Jumnos Ruckeri, from Dar-

jeeling, and a fine female of Dicranocephala Wallichii, from India; both beetles out

of the same collection.

Silk Felt produced by Saturnia Pavonia-media.

The President exhibited a specimen of silk produced at Vienna by the larve of

Saturnia Pavonia-media called in Germany “ Schwartzdornspinner: ” he had received

it through the kindness of Herr Pretsch, from whom he learned that a series of most

interesting experiments were now in progress, the object being to obtain, from the la-

bours of this insect, a silken felt impervious to water. The larve were confined sepa-

rately in polished receptacles, from which there was no escape, and which presented

no salient points that the cocoons could possibly be attached to, so that the whule

stock of silk was exhausted on the smooth surface, and could afterwards be removed

at pleasure. As the space allotted to each caterpillar was large and the stock of silk

small, the coating was very thin, as in the specimen exhibited, but the felt was readily

increased in substance by introducing a second and then a third larva, each of which

readily worked on the felt manufactured by its predecessor. He did not know to

what extent the experiments have hitherto beew carried, but he believed they promised

perfect success.

Note on Helobia impressa, Newman.

The President read the following memorandum on Helobia impressa :—

“I beg to exhibit some specimens of the insect which twenty-three years ago I

ventured to describe as distinct, under the name of Helobia impressa; and I do this,

not because I am now at all persuaded of its distinctness, but because the Rev. Mr.

Dawson appears to have been unacquainted with the insect at the time he was pre-

paring his invaluable ‘Geodephaga Britannica. Helobia impressa was found at a

great altitude, on Ben Nevis and Ben Voirlich, by our friend Mr. Walker, and was

distributed by him amongst entomologists at the time: the specimen which I beg to

exhibit was captured by him. The difference between this and the common Welsh

insect, Helobia nivalis, is this :— in nivalis, one interspace of each elytron, the third

counting from the suture, is impressed with large deep fovee ; in impressa, two of these

interspaces, the third and fifth, are thus impressed, giving the insect, at the first

glance, a very different appearance. After having read Mr. Wollaston’s admirable re-

marks on the effects of isolation on species, I will not presume to dwell on the

importance of the character on which the species is founded, but I trust entomologists

will agree with me that the subject is worthy of investigation, and that this very

doubtful species ought at least to be separated from its Cambrian congeners as a named

and locally isolated variety.”

Improvements in Bee-hives.

Mr. Downie exhibited a model of a wooden bee-hive, containing, as he explained,

several important improvements, proved by its use for the last three years. The im-

provements consisted of a moveable open floor with bars placed transversely to the

bars of the hive, sliding above the true floor of the hive, and affording great facility

for removing dead bees in winter without admitting cold air, a circumstance on which

he laid much stress, as by the ordinary method of lifting the hive for the purpose of

clearing the floor the bees were injured by the reduced temperature in the hive; and

where the dead bees were not removed, as was too common, the effluvium arising

therefrom was most prejudicial to the living bees: this winter, within a circuit of nine

miles from his residence, he knew five hundred hives in which the bees had perished

either from this cause or the want of ventilation. Another improvement was a set

of openings below the false floor and at the top of the hive, which could be closed en-

tirely or partly at pleasure, as occasion required, and by which the ventilation of the

hive was at all times secured. The third improvement was a shallow zinc feeding-

trough at the side of the moveable floor. The whole hive was surrounded by a loose

wooden cover.

“* Notes on the Economy of Various Insects.”

Under the above title the following notes, by John Curtis, Esq., were read :—

“ As nothing can contribute so essentially to the advancement of the science of

Entomology as a correct knowledge of the economy of insects, whether we regard

their influence on the vegetable productions of the earth, or study them as a branch of

Natural Science which has occupied the attention of some of the most celebrated phi-

losophers of antiquity as well as those of our own age, I shall make no apology for

laying before the Society this sketch of the habits and transformations of some species

but little known, and to which I shall hope to make additions as opportunities may

offer.

“In 1844 Col. Goureau contributed a memoir upon this subject to the Entomolo-

gieal Society of France,* full of truth and interest, and I trust the following observa-

tions may throw some light upon the early stages of various families of insects. I

regret that several years have passed since many of the discoveries were communicated

to me, and those facts which fell under my immediate observation were principally

collected in the year 1848, in the Isle of Wight, in company with my esteemed and

lamented friend Dr. Wm. Arnold Bromfield.

“ Anthemis Cotula. Stinking Chamomile.

** On the 10th of August at least half the flower-heads around Ryde had the recep-

tacles infested by little maggots, which ate into the solid parts, giving them a brown

appearance when the florets were removed. They were cylindrical, shining and

whitish, with two very minute sharp black hooks at the head. When arrived at ma-

turity they contracted themselves, and assumed an oval form: they then changed in-

side the receptacle, or in cavities eaten on the surface, to oval pitchy pup, from which

a fly (Tephritis radiata) emerged on the 12th of August. There were also scarlet

larve of a Cecidomyia and various others, which evidently escaped my search from

their minuteness, as from the flowers I bred the following insects:—from the 20th to

the 28th August, Tephritis radiata, Fab., 9 specimens ; Cecidomyia, 2; Lasioptera, 3;

Phytomyza lateralis, Fall., 3.

“The Hon. C. Harris first detected the larve of the Phytomyza feeding in the re-

ceptacles of Pyrethrum inodorum.t The cocoons are elongate, cylindric, the ends

* ‘Notes pour servir a Histoire des Insectes qui vivent dans le Chardon penché

(Carduus nutans), par M. le Colonel Goureau. 2nd Series, y. 3, p. 75, pl. 2.

+ Vide Curtis’s Brit. Ent. fol. and pl. 393.

rounded, with two minute tubercles at the head; they are coriaceous, but very thin,

shining, and of a straw colour.

“On the 22nd of September, from the same heads, I found hatched in the box—

Cochylis subroseana, Haw., 1; Phalacrus eneus, Payk.,1; nov. gen.? of Staphylinide

allied to Hypocyptus ; and Pteromalus, 2 species.

* Senecio Jacobea. Ragwort.

“ There were small and large maggots in some of the receptacles which were more

or less eaten out, the cavities being blackened with the dung of the larva, whilst others

contained pupe.

“ On the 28th of August males of Tephritis marginata, Fall., hatched, and on the

30th two females came forth; also three of Cecidomyia flava, Meig.

“The larva of the Tephritis is elongated, fleshy and yellow, attenuated at the

head, which is furnished with two minute black hooks, and two trifid ferruginous

spiracles at the tail. The pupz are oval, but curved, black and shining like polished

ebony.

“ Inula dysenterica. Common Fleabane.

“The 11th of August the receptacles had been eaten into by a caterpillar, and the

space was covered with dung. This caterpillar could descend by a thread: it was

somewhat depressed, broadest anteriorly, the segments constricted and slightly hairy,

ochreous with bright brown spots on the back, caused by the intestines shining

through: the head was small, black and shining, with two black spots on the thoracic

segment ; the six pectoral feet were very minute, as well as the anal ones: the excre-

ment towards the tail shone through of a green colour, and there was a spot at the tip.

These, I suspect, are the caterpillars of a Tinea (Aphelosetia ? Inulella),* two of which

I bred from the flowers of the Inula on the 28th of August, and in all probability the

larvee feed on the seeds.

“On the 9th of September I bred also a female of Microgaster lacteipennis,

Curt.; and on the 10th Pteromalus cupreus, a male, and an ichneumon allied to

Trachyderma or Bassus.

“ Carduus lanceolatus. Spear-thistle.

“On the 11th of August I found maggots in the receptacles, feeding on the seeds.

They were fat, barrel-shaped, but attenuated before, shining ochreous-white; head

furnished with two short black hooks, the tail with a circular ferruginous space, the

lower margin pitchy, with two minute spiracles in the centre of the stern. The pupe,

which were imbedded in the woolly receptacles, were similar in form to the larve, being

attenuated to the head and obtuse at the tail, and of an ochreous or rusty colour.

From these, on the 4th of October, I bred a female Tephritis pallens, Wied., and af-

terwards four males and eight more females.

* “Vide my description in the Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 2nd Series, v. p. 117.

“ Juncus glomeratus.

“ Dr. Bromfield frequently found, attached to the bundles of seed-vessels, whitish

cases in which the larve of some species of Coleophora had lived, and from which the

moths had hatched about the third week in August, but most of them produced a mi-

nute dark green parasite of the family Chalcidide, which prevented my ascertaining

the name of the moth: possibly it is the Porrectaria leucapennis of Haworth, or the

Coleophora cespititiella of Zeller.

* Artemisia maritima. Sea Wormwood.

“ At the end of September, 1852, I bred from this plant two specimens of a minute

Cecidomyia ? and a still smaller Entedon.

“ Pistacia Lentiscus. Mastic.

“ During my sojourn at Nice, in Piedmont, in 1850—51, I frequently found upon

the Pistacia bushes, which grow wild on the rocky hills near Nice and Villafranché,

galls attached to the midrib of the leaves, as large as scarlet bean seeds and somewhat

of a similar shape: they were very plump, of a pale green colour, more or less rosy

from being marbled with red. In the early part of December I opened and examined

the contents of these galls, and found them to contain an Eriosoma, very like E. bur-

saria, Linn., but larger, and also the pupe of an Agromyza, rather larger than Phy-

tomyza lateralis. It was of a cinereous tint, as if dusted with the white powder which

enveloped the Eriosoma; the face white; antenne black; legs ochreous; the thighs

dark, tipped with ochre. I will name this provisionally Agromyza Pistaciw. A

Pteromalus also issued from the galls, no doubt a parasite of the fly.

“ T once saw, on a lawn at Wilton, the larva of some genus of this family carrying

off an earthworm several times its own length; and last May a gentleman near London

caught a similar larva holding fast to a worm by its strong mandibles.

“« After heavy rains I have observed the Carabus glabratus, Fab., on the mountains

in Yorkshire, emerge from their hiding-places and seize earthworms in their jaws,

running off with them readily enough.

“The following species have been observed or reared from the larve by F. J.

Graham, Esq., F.L.S.:—

“‘ Helobia brevicollis, ab. In turnip-fields, where the larve form cells about two

inches below the surface, communicating with the surface by a vertical shaft.

“ Malachius bipustulatus, Linn. Bred from an ash stump. It has also been

reared from the stalks of an Echium by M. Vallot; and M. eneus, Zinn., has been

obtained by M. Perris from stubble, where it undergoes its transformations. The larve

are Carnivorous.

“ Elater longicollis, Fab. Reared from a pupa found in his garden at Cranford.

The exuvia of the larva exhibits a structure of the tail somewhat like that of E. mu-

rinus ? viz., with a denticulated margin and two horny processes at the apex.

“ Pezomachus agilis, Fab. Females of this ichneumon and Microgaster annulipes ?

were bred from the same bundle of cottony cocoons, and J have more than once ob-

served the same fact. It may be inferred that the Pezomachus is the parasite of the

Microgaster, yet it is possible their larve might inhabit the same caterpillar and the

whole spin up together, for Ratzeburg has bred P. agilis from the larve or pupe of

Orthotznia Buoliana, P. hortensis from Tinea lichenella, and a third species, which he

names P. terebrator, from the pupe of Bombyx Salicis; whilst Schonherr has reared

P. pedestris from larve of Hypera plantaginis, and Degeer has bred a species from

the larva of a Curculio. Mr. Haliday bred a species of Pezomachus and Hemiteles

fulvipes from the mass of cocoons formed by Microgaster intricatus. ,

“ Scopula prunalis, W. V. End of April, the caterpillars feeding on the leaves of

scarlet geraniums, at Cranford.

“ Lophonotus fasciculellus, Steph. The caterpillars feeding on the leaves of An-

gelica sylvestris, leaving the entire membrane perfect like lace. Several specimens of

this beautiful and curious Tinea were bred from them, together with a Microgaster.

“'Tephritis guttularis, Metg. Bred from galls at the top or collar of roots of

Achillea Millefolium.

“ Heteroneura albimana, Meig. Bred from rotten willows. The pupe resemble

those of Piophila Casei.

“The following Staphylinide, which I have not seen in any other British collec-

tion, were captured by myself, and have not I believe been recorded as inhabitants of

England :-—

“ Myrmedonia funesta, Grav., I found in a fungus in Birch Wood, on the 6th of

May, 1821.

“‘ Gymnusa brevicollis, Payk. On the 13th of May, 1844, I swept a fine speci-

men off rushes by the side of a brook near the sea, at Covehithe, Suffolk; and Mr.

Haliday also captured one on the edge of a pond near Holywood, Belfast.

“ Euryporus picipes, Payk. I took this rare insect in June, 1837: I believe it was

found under a stone at Slaughter, in Gloucestershire.

“ Stenus vafellus ? Hrich., and S. emulus, Hrich., I discovered in the marshes at

Horning, Norfolk, on the 14th of July, 1840. Iam indebted to Mr. Waterbouse for

the names of these two species, which he found in my collection.”

British Species of Stenus.

Mr. Waterhouse read a memoir, by himself and Mr. Janson, on the British species

of the genus Stenus, with notes on the species of the genus in the collection of the

late Mr. J. F. Stephens,

Brazilian Ants. «

Mr. Sinith read a paper, by himself, entitled “ Descriptions of some Species of

Brazilian Ants, with Observations on their Economy by Mr. H. W. Bates.”

In his note on a new species, Eciton legionis, Smith, Mr. Bates says that he only

found it on open, sandy and grassy campos, which kind of locality afforded him an

opportunity’ of observing some parts of the habits of the species, and the business

which occupies its immense processions. Among other things, he noticed that the

column consisted of two trains of ants, moving in opposite directions, one train empty-

handed, the other loaded with a variety of the mangled remains of insects, chiefly the

larve and pupe of ants.

Mr. Brayley, present as a visitor, remarked that this fact might illustrate one of

the causes of the accumulation of insect remains seen in strata of the secondary geo-

logical formation, for if these trains of ants had been covered up suddenly, the stratum

in which they were imbedded would in after time exhibit the same appearance as the

deposits to which he had alluded.

Mr. Saunders observed, that insects were sometimes congregated together in

immense numbers by local or accidental circumstances: he remembered especially

that, a few years since, Galeruca Tanaceti was seen in immense numbers on the

Norfolk coast.

Anniversary Meeting, January 22, 1855.

Epwarp Newman, Esq., President, in the chair.

Election of Officers.

The Secretary read the chapter of the Bye-laws pertaining to the Anniversary

Meeting, and the Report of the Library and Cabinet Committee made to and adopted

by the Council. The Treasurer’s accounts, duly audited, were laid before the Meeting,

and it appeared that the finances of the Society were now in a better condition than

at any former period. The ballot for four new members of the Council then took

place, when F. Bond, Esq., J. Curtis, Esq., J. Lubbock, Esq., and J. O. Westwood,

Esq., were elected in the room of W.S. Dallas, Esq., W. W. Saunders, Esq., S. J.

Wilkinson, Esq., and W. Wing, Esq., and the following gentlemen were then elected

officers for the year: John Curtis, Esq., F.L.S., &c., President ; Samuel Stevens, Esq.,

F.L.S., Treasurer; J. W. Douglas, Esq., and Edwin Shepherd, Esq:, Secretaries.

The Presidentsdelivered the following Address, for which and his services to the

Society during the last two years the Meeting passed a cordial vote of thanks, and

requested he would allow the Address to be printed.

Votes of thanks were also passed to Mr. Stevens and Mr. Douglas for their services

in the respective offices of Treasurer and Secretary.

THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS.

GENTLEMEN,

Time, with that rigid punctuality which disregards alike human

haste and human delay, relieves me to-night of those honourable duties

with which you have entrusted me; and, permitted by custom, I

indulge in a retrospective glance at our progress during the past

year.

From the Report of the Library and Cabinet Committee you have

learned that our books and collections are in good preservation, but

that the exotic insects are in an unsatisfactory state as regards ar-

rangement and naming; an invitation is held out, to such of you as

are willing to give your services, to join the Committee and take part

in this most desirable labour, and I sincerely hope I shall hear of

members voluntarily coming forward and applying themselves to the

task: I believe I may even now hint to the Society an offer by Mr.

Smith to undertake the arrangement of the Hymenoptera, and we

know that there is no member of our Society so capable of accom-’

plishing the task.

I have particularly to congratulate the Society on the state of its

finances as disclosed in the Auditor’s Report just read: two years ago,

owing to unusual and perhaps unavoidable outlay, the Society had

incurred a debt which was only liquidated a few days before I came

into office by the generous contributions of several of its members,

but I am fortunate, peculiarly fortunate, in having presided over the

Society for a period of two years during which it has been entirely

self-supporting, during which the Chancellor of our Exchequer has

drawn from legitimate sources all the funds requisite for the main-

tenance of our position, and now exhibits a large surplus applicable

to our future requirements. I lay great stress on these facts, because

I believe that all societies dependent on accidental, eleemosynary, or

any extraneous support whatsoever, contain in themselves the elements

of dissolution.

It appears that during the year we have elected ten members and

three subscribers, and that we have lost three members by resignation

and one by death, and one subscriber by resignation, thus giving us

during the year an increase of six members and of two subscribers, a

state of affairs on which I think we have every reason to congratulate

ourselves: we have also elected, as corresponding members, Mr. Bates

and Mr. Wallace, of whose indefatigable industry I said so much on

the occasion of my last addressing you, and whose claims on us for

the little courtesy thus rendered them will be freely admitted by all of

you.

Itis my painful duty to say a few words of that member of whom

death has deprived us, on the very threshold of what appeared to all a

brilliant and a prosperous career.

William Wing in early life was distinguished for his love of Natural

History and for the care and accuracy with which he depicted natural

objects: in the capacity of an artist he was frequently employed by

Dr. Gray, of the British Museum, and the range of objects he deline-

ated was very extensive: by degrees he appears to have turned his

attention more and more to Entomology. In 1847 he was elected a

member of our Society, and during the last and preceding years he

filled the office of one of our Secretaries, but for many months he has

been disqualified by illness from attending to the onerous duties which

that office entails. He continued to employ his pencil in the cause of

Science, and many of the illustrations of the Catalogues of the British

Museum, of the Transactions of the Linnean, Zoological, and Ento-

mological Societies, and of several other publications, are the work of

his hands: a paper of my own, just published in the Transactions of

our Society, owes any value it may possess to the surpassing accuracy

with which he depicted the perfect insects, and the artistic skill with

which, from very slender materials, he contrived to give most life-like

figures of the larve. The illustrations of Mr. Stainton’s volume on

Tineina are also by his pencil, and his last effort was to draw the

figures of Goniedoma auroguttella and Nepticula Weaver for Mr.

Stainton’s ‘ Entomologist’s Annual.’ About twelve months ago a

disease that almost always proves fatal exhibited itself, and this, acting

on aconstitution predisposed to consumption, terminated his life on the

9th of the present month, while in his 28th year. He was distinguished

throughout his brief life by the most amiable and obliging manners,

and he will be equally regretted for the amenity of his disposition and

his skill as an artist: we have no one who can fill that department in

science which his death leaves vacant. Mr. Wing was a Fellow of the

Linnean Society, having been elected in 1852. I am only aware of

two entomological papers that he has written: these are intituled

Characters of Three New Genera and Species of Lepidoptera. Proc. Zool. Soe.

1854, p. 104.

Descriptions of some Hermaphrodite British Lepidoptera, with figures of the Insects.

Trans. Ent. Soc. vy. 119.

I must here notice the loss which our Science, although not our

Society, has sustained, in four other deaths which have occurred

during the year.

Abel Ingpen was born on the 20th of May, 1796: he very early

evinced a strong predilection for Entomology, and not only collected /

with indefatigable industry, but was remarkably careful and neat in

his method of nomenclature and arrangement: the success of his la-

bours is proved by the fact that in 1826, or less than twenty-eight

years ago, he sold to the Manchester Museum a collection of British

insects, of his own making, for the sum of £100: he again made a

most valuable collection, not only of insects, but also of shells, fossils,

birds’ eggs, prints, rare books, &c., all which were arranged and pre-

served with the utmost neatness and care. He was elected an Asso-

ciate of the Linnean Society in 1826, and was very regular in his

attendance at the meetings of that learned body: he was an original

member of the Entomological Society, and for years took an active

part in its proceedings, but resigned his membership in 1849. He was

also a member of the Microscopical Society, being devotedly fond of

the microscope, and having made valuable observations on the struc-

ture of the scales on the wings of Lepidoptera. Mr. Ingpen was the

author of the little work intituled ‘ Instructions for Collecting, Rearing

and Preserving British and Foreign Insects, and for Collecting and

Preserving Crustacea and Shells, a neat, useful and extremely porta-

ble volume, which has gone through two editions, and which ought

to be in the hands of every entomologist: to all who have written on

“collecting” it forms what might be called the base of operations,

and is more practical and more readily understandable than anything

in our own language on the same subject. I find one paper by Mr.

Ingpen in the Transactions of our Society,* intituled “ Remarks on the

* Vol. i. p. 174.

Destruction of Cocci.” Mr. Ingpen was also an enthusiast in Horti-

culture, and contributed many articles to the ‘Gardener’s Magazine’

and ‘ Horticultural Magazine.’ His garden was so well stocked with

rarities, and kept in such exquisite order, that the late Mr. Loudon

paid it a visit for the express piirpose of describing it in the ‘ Gar-

dener’s Magazine.’ He died of cholera, at his residence at Chelsea,

on the 14th of September, 1854, in the 58th year of his age. He was

a man of mild and inoffensive character, and was beloved and respected

by all who enjoyed his friendship. By far the greater part of Mr.

Ingpen’s contributions to science being strictly anonymous, I am un-

able to give any of their titles, with the exception of those above

mentioned.

George Newport, whose name stands first and almost alone as a

British physiological entomologist, was born at Canterbury on the 14th

of February, 1803, and was apprenticed to his father, a wheelwright,

residing in that city. His taste for Natural History was early noticed,

and he was appointed to the Curatorship of the Natural History Mu-

seum immediately on its establishment: the decided bent of his inclina-

tions, thus evinced, led to a dislike of business and to a preference for

the study of medicine ; he consequently became a pupil of Mr. Weekes,

of Sandwich, and soon afterwards came to London to attend lectures

at the London University: here he wrote a paper on the Nervous Sys-

tem of Sphinx Ligustri, and on the changes it undergoes while the

insect is progressing to maturity. This essay was read before the Royal

Society, and printed in the ‘ Philosophical Transactions.’ No sooner

was it known than its merits were admitted, and the anthor was at

once acknowledged to be the most profound physiological entomolo-

gist that this country has produced. This remarkable essay is distin-

guished by the elaborate and conscientious care with which the most

minute details are worked out, and it is worthy of record that many of

the delicate and difficult dissections were made with the assistance

of a single lens. Papers of a similar character rapidly succeeded

each other, and occupied him almost up to the hour of his death: of

these I can only give the titles; a volume might be occupied in cri-

tically analyzing the works themselves. He was elected a member of

the Entomological Society in 1835, and filled the President’s chair in

1843 and 1844, but resigned his membership in 1848: he was also a

Fellow of the Royal and Linnean Societies. While engaged in his

researches on the changes which the ovum of the frog undergoes during

its development, it became necessary to examine the living objects in

all their stages; and in his zeal to procure these, during the chilly

months of February and March, he is supposed to have contracted

that fever which terminated his life: he died at his residence in Cam-

bridge Street, Hyde Park, on the 6th of April, 1854. I cannot con-

clade this notice more appropriately than in the words of Mr. Bell:—

“* He loved and followed Science for her own sake; and if occasion-

ally he appeared somewhat tenacious of his opinions and over-anxious

for his own fame, surely this was pardonable in one who gave up all

for the pursuit of knowledge, depriving himself without a murmur of

even the most common comforts, that he might devote himself the

more unreservedly to the one noble object of his life. He worked for

knowledge and perhaps for fame; but he never prostituted science to

gain, nor mingled ignoble motives with his pursuits.”

List of Mr. Newport's Scientific Papers.

On the Nervous System of the Sphinx Ligustri, and the changes which it undergoes

during a part of the Metamorphoses of the Insect. Phil. Trans. exxii. 383,

and cxxiv. 359.

On the Respiration of Insects. Id. exxvi. 529.

On the Temperature of Insects, and its connexion with the Functions of Respiration

and Circulation in this Class of Invertebrated Animals. Id. exxvii. 259.

On the Organs of Reproduction and the Development of the Myriapoda (1st Series).

Id. cxxxi. 99.

On the Structure, Relations and Development of the Nervous and Circulatory Systems,

and on the Existence of a complete Circulation of the Blood in Vessels in Myri-

apoda and Macrourous Crustacea. Id. cxxxiii. 243.

On the Reproduction of Lost Parts in Myriapoda and Insecta. Id. exxxiv. 283.

On the Impregnation of the Ovum in Amphibia. Proc. Roy. Soc. v. 971; vi. 82, 171.

On the Respiratory Organs of the Common Leach (Hirudo officinalis) and their con-

nexion with the Circulatory System. Id. iii, 206.

Monograph of the Class Myriapoda, Order Chilopoda, with Observations on the

General Arrangement of the Articulata. Linn. Trans. xix. 265 and 349.

On the Aqueous Vapour expelled from Bee-hives. Id. xx. 277.

Note on the Generation of Aphides. Id. xx. 281.

On the Natural History, Anatomy and Development of the Oil-beetle (Meloé), more

especially of Meloe cicatricosus of Leach.—First Memoir: The Natural History

of Meloé. Id. xx. 297.—Second Memoir: The History and General Anatomy of

Meloe, and its Affinities, compared with those of Strepsiptera and Anoplura, with

reference to the connexion which exists between Structure, Function and Instinct.

Id. xx. $21.—Third Memoir: The External Anatomy of Meloé in its relation to

the Laws of Development. Id. xxi. 167.

On Cryptophagus cellaris of Paykull. Id. xx. 351.

On the Formation of the Air-sacs and dilated Trachee in Insects. Id. xx. 419.

On the Anatomy and Affinities of Pteronarcys regalis of Newman, with a Postscript

containing Descriptions of some Awerican Perlide, together with Notes on their

Habits. Id. xx. 425,

The Anatomy and Development of certain Chalcidide and Ichneumonide, compared

with their Special Economy and Instincts; with Descriptions of a New Genus and

Species of Bee-Parasites. Id. xxi. 61 and 85.

Further Observations on the Genus Anthophorabia. Id. xxi. 79.

Further Observations on the Habits of Monodontomerus; with some Account of a

New Acarus (Heleropus ventricosus), a Parasite in the Nests of Anthophora retusa.

Id. xxi. 95.

On the Ocelli in the Genus Anthophorabia. Id. xxi. 161.

On the Predaceous Habits of the Common Wasp (Vespa vulgaris, L.) Ent. Trans.

i, 228.

On the Use of the Antenne in Insects. Id. ii. 229.

On the Habits and Structure of the Nests of Gregarious Hymenoptera, particularly

those of the Hive-Bee and Hornet. Id. iii, 183.

On the Habits of Megachile centuncularis, Id. iv. 1.

On the means by which the Honey-Bee finds its way back to the Hive. Id. iv. 57.

Address to the Entomological Society at the Anniversary Meeting, 1844. Id. 1845.

On Iulus Sandvicensis et I. pilosus. Proc. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1842.

On the Parasitic Habits of Nomade. Id. 1842.

On some New Genera of the Class Myriapoda. Proc. Zool. Soc. x. 177.

On the Anatomy of certain Structures in Myriapoda and Arachnida which have been

thought to belong to the Nervous System. Lond. Med. Gaz. 1838, p. 970.

A List of the Species of Myriapoda Chilopoda contained in the Cabinets of the

British Museum, with Synoptic Descriptions of 47 New Species. Ann. & Mag.

Nat. Hist. xiii. 94 and 263.

On the Genus Atya of Leach, with Descriptions of four apparently New Species. Id.

xix. 158.

The Article “Insecta” in Todd’s ‘Cyclopedia of Anatomy and Physiology,’ iv.

853—994.

Observations on the Anatomy, Habits and Economy of Athalia centifolie, the Saw-fly

of the Turnip, and on the means which have been adopted for the prevention of

its Ravages; being a Prize Essay proposed by the Entomological Society of Lon-

don in conjunction with the Agricultural Society of Saffron Walden.

Lieut.-Col. Champion recently died at Scutari of wounds received in

the Crimea: twenty years ago he was well known to the readers of the

‘Entomological Magazine, under the pseudonym of “ Ionicus,” by

his admirable papers on the economy of certain Cephalonian insects,

published in the third volume of that Journal: it is true that some of

the statements there published related to facts previously familiar to

entomologists, yet described with great care and evident originality ;

others, for instance the fact that Brachinus grecus explodes with its

mouth, I have not seen elsewhere. “On the approach of danger,”

wrote the author, “ this insect salivates and a bubble appears at its

mouth ; on contact with the air it explodes with a considerable report,

and gaseous matter may be seen rising up like smoke: * * * on

being immersed in boiling water to kill it, it let off one of these

explosions, and the water for about an inch around it effervesced much

in the same manner as a Seidlitz powder.” Lieut.-Col. Champion

collected botanical as well as entomological specimens, not only in

Greece, but also in China and Ceylon. In the second volume of the

new series of our ‘ Transactions,’ he is spoken of by Mr. Bowring as

“avery zealous entomologist: ” he discovered many new Coleoptera,

some of which are described by Mr. Westwood in our ‘ Transactions,’

and one is named after him Callirhipis Championii. Lieut.-Col.

Champion’s scientific papers are as follow :—

Notes on Various Insects. By Tonicus. Ent. Mag. iii. 176, Td. 376, and Id. 460.

A foreign entomologist, Count Mannerheim, well known as an acute

and diligent Coleopterist, and the author of a great number of Me-

moirs, most of them descriptive, published in the ‘ Bulletin de la

Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou,’ died at Stockholm, on

the 9th of October, 1854.

The interest as well as the attendance of our meetings has been

well maintained, and many of the exhibitions and notices have led to

animated discussions. Three subjects appear to be peculiarly worthy

of remark: Ist, the production of silk by other insects than the well-

known and invaluable Bombyx Mori; 2nd, the materials of which

wasps construct their nests; and 3rdly, the communication of motion

to seeds by the movements of an inclosed insect. With your per-

mission I will say a few words on each of these.

One of the silk insects, and that which has obtained the most at-

tention, is the Bombyx Cynthia, a native of Assam, the larve of which

feed on the castor-oil plant (Ricinus Palma-Christlt) : it was first intro-

duced to our notice by Mr. Spence, who read some extracts from the

‘ Journal of the Society of Arts,’ from which it appeared that this insect

was reared most extensively over a large part of Hindustan, more par-

ticularly in the districts of Dinagpur and Rangpur,—that the silk was of

incredible durability, and the insect so prolific that twelve broods

were reared in one year. Dr. Helfer, who transmitted the informa-

tion, adds, that he estimates that no less than 150 of the Indian Bom-

byces form cocoons more or less adapted for manufactures. At the

June meeting Mr. Westwood exhibited some of the cocoons of this

insect, forwarded from Malta by Dr. Templeton, together with an in-

quiry whether any method was known by which the silk could be

unwound; and finally, at the October meeting, our Secretary read

extracts from the ‘ Journal of the Society of Arts,’ showing that the

insect had been introduced with complete success into Malta and

595

Italy; and Mr. Westwood added that Professor Solly had made

several experiments on the cocoons sent to England, and he believed

a method of unwinding the silk from the cocoons had been discovered.

At Vienna a number of experiments have been made with a view to

introduce the silk of Saturnia pavonia-media as an article of com-

merce: the few particulars yet known were introduced to your notice

by myself at a late meeting of the Society. From the information IT

have received on this subject it seems highly probable that these ex-

periments will lead to the most important results, since the insect not

only produces the raw material, but completes a fabric without the

intervention of machinery. Nevertheless on these important topics

a few commercial questions necessarily obtrude themselves: for in-

stance, is there any difficulty in obtaining an ample supply of silk

from the well-known silkworm ? will the new species, or either of them,

bear a greater degree of cold than the silkworm of China? can the silk

be produced cheaper? is it more durable—of finer quality or colour?

The man of science will be interested in all such discoveries as those

to which I have alluded, but before we can engage the merchant in

the cause we must point out to him its pecuniary advantages.

The materials used by wasps for the paper-like substance of which

their nests are composed was brought under consideration, by the late

Mr. Ingpen, at the July and August meetings: having detected fungoid

matter in the nest of an exotic wasp, he thought it probable that

those of our native species were not altogether composed of wood, as

is generally believed ; and, in corroboration of this idea, that lamented

entomologist exhibited a piece of decayed wood from one of the cedars

in the Botanic Garden at Chelsea, in which was a layer of fungus, and

wasps were observed to frequent this, apparently for the purpose of

obtaining building materials: in support of such a supposition I took

occasion to observe to you that a mass of anomalous matter, cut from

a wooden rail, had been found, on a microscopic examination, to be

entirely fungoid. In connexion with this subject were two other

statements of much interest: the first from the late lamented Mr.

Wing, that he had seen wasps collecting the tomentum of a mullein;

the other from Mr. Watkeys, that he had seen wasps at work on the

stems of dead and dried nettles. I observed that all other speakers

on the subject strove to establish the fact that wasps had been seen in

the act of detriting the surface of palings, &c., a fact that I previously

conceived to be so notorious as not to need this reiteration. Revert-

ing, then, to the question raised by Mr. Ingpen, “ What is the material

actually used by wasps?” I am able with confidence to announce the

following results :—The nest of Vespa Norvegica is not uniform in its

composition: in one part it consists of very long, flat, cotton-like

fibres, very much resembling, if not actually identical with, the long

silky hairs attached to the seed of the cotton-grass (Eriophorum), in-

termixed with a very few fibres of woody tissue, and in a number of

examinations a single fibre only was detected of coniferous wood: in

another part of the same nest the cottony fibres of the supposed Eri-

ophorum were intermixed with particles of the cuticle and large

cellular tissue of what appears to be a species of Juncus. The nest

of Vespa germanica is almost entirely composed of loose bundles of

flexible cotton-like fibre, the material and structure being very similar

to that in the nest of Norvegica, but other fibres are intermixed, pre-

cisely similar to those which compose the epidermis in the thistle

tribe. The disposition of the fibres is similar in the material used by

both these species: they look as if felted together. The exterior of

the nest of Vespa vulgaris is composed of the vascular tissue of

coniferous and other woods: spiral, cribriform and entire vessels occur

in abundance, with fragments of divergent layers frequently adhering

to them; the entire substance is composed of these materials, with a

considerable admixture of transparent cementing matter having just

the appearance of irregular films of isinglass: the interior of the nest

is composed of the same materials more highly comminuted, and with

a larger admixture of the cementing matter. When I tell you that

the nests and names were obligingly supplied by Mr. Smith, and that

the microscopic investigation was conducted by Mr. Bowerbank, un-

rivalled in his knowledge of intimate structure, you will see that the

facts elicited must be received as final: the conclusions drawn from

them may be various; my own conviction is that each species, or per-

haps even each colony, may select the most accessible substance

suited to its purpose: thus the wasp of the barren moor may find

suitable material at hand in the gracefully flowing tresses of the cotton-

grass, while our London wasp may obtain from every post and rail all

that is required: again, the exotic species instanced by Mr. Ingpen

may have built its dwelling in a region of Fungi, and have found in

the dried fibres of these generally fugitive vegetables a fitting material

for its purpose: again, the nest of the tree wasps, exposed to wind

and rain, may need a different material from that used by the ground

wasp, whose nest is always sheltered from the storm. Simple, and I

trust satisfactory, as this explanation may appear, it is one which must

fill our minds with the most profound admiration; for it exhibits a

being which we heretofore supposed to be acting under the influence

of a blind but unerring instinct, like a machine or automaton worked

by steam or by clock-work; it exhibits that being in a new and

unlooked-for character,—the character of a calmly reasoning architect,

who, in the first instance, selects his materials according to the site of

his building, and who, secondly, not finding at hand the material best

suited to his purpose, substitutes another totally and widely different

as far as all external appearances are concerned, still perfectly adapted

to his requirings. It is held to be a triumph of intellect when a man

thus substitutes one article for another and incurs no loss by the

change, but here we have a much-despised insect constantly doing

this, always reasoning on, and shaping its course by adventitious cir-

cumstances. Is it not a fresh proof of the perfect wisdom of that

Power which has created and which upholds the Universe !

The third subject, which has attracted attention at some of our meet-

ings, I am compelled to strip of its miraculous character: I allude to

the so-called “jumping” of seeds. The seeds to which our friend

Mr. Westwood alluded, in the interesting communication made at the

meeting of October 2nd, were the cocci or compartments of the well-

known tricoccous fruit of a Euphorbiaceous plant, the botanical name

of which, if indeed such name exist, is not ascertained; but the gene-

ral character of such vegetable productions is familiar to many of

you: they may be said to possess three surfaces; one highly convex,

almost hemispherical ; the two others flatter, but still slightly convex:

in the species under consideration these cocci were about a third of

an inch in length, and each of them contained an obese maggot, be-

lieved by Mr. Westwood and Mr. Stainton to be Lepidopterous, a

conclusion which [ am quite willing to believe correct, since I have

long since observed the Coleopterous larvee confine their ravages to

farinaceous seeds, while Lepidopterous larve are not unfrequently

found devouring the interior of oleaginous seeds, of which fact I might

cite many apposite examples: this larva is contained within the

coccus. Many of the cocci moved from the first; others were quiescent

at first, and could only be induced to move by the application of

warmth ; many did not move at all: the motion was slight and of a

rocking character, such as a man in a cask, a child in a cradle, or

people in a boat, would produce; and which, repeated, sometimes

amounted to a slow progressive movement, so that in some instances

the cocci were eventually worked off the table by the movements of

the contained larve : the motion was of course more observable when

the coccus rested on its more convex than on its less convex surface ;

but it did not even then entirely cease. Dr. Hooker, who has most

obligingly supplied me with this information, adds, “ Many people

saw this motion day after day ; we had them exhibited at parties, and

I think if you reflect you will agree with me that it is nothing more

than a repetition of the old trick of the mouse in the egg, and”—here,

gentlemen, I wish you to notice particularly Dr. Hooker’s concluding

words—“ besides this rocking I never saw any other motion whatever.”

The accounts previously published in Réaumur and Kirby and Spence,

of cocoons or pupz possessing locomotive powers, and to which allu-

sion was made at two successive meetings, do not appear to meet the

case: they belong to quite another class of phenomena, and must still

rest on their respective authorities, which I do not for a moment

question, but which are totally independent of and totally unsupported

by these more recent observations.

The year has been remarkable not only for the number but for the

extent and the intrinsic value of its entomological publications.

Of our own ‘ ‘Transactions,’ * of which four unusually valuable parts

have been published, I refrain from saying anything, since every

member must be thoroughly acquainted with them: of the other serials

I say but a few words.

In the ‘ Annals and Magazine of Natural History’+ for August is

a description by Mr. Wollaston of an entirely new curculionideous

insect, which that gentleman has called Pentarthrum Huttoni: it is

one of the Cossonides of Schénherr, yet is so singularly constructed

as respects the funiculus of the antenne, which is five-jointed, that it

may be regarded as connecting the Cossonides with the Rhyncopho-

rides, in which a similar number of joints occasionally obtains: four

specimens of this curious insect were extracted from the hard and un-

decayed wood of a cherry tree at Alphington, near Exeter, in

November, 1853.

Mr. Stainton has commenced, in the ‘ Zoologist,’} an essay on Ento-

*¢ Transactions of the Entomological Society of London.’ New Series. Vol. ii.

Part 7. 1854. Price 3s. 6d. '

Id. 1854. Vol. i. Part 8. Price 4s.

Id. 1854. Vol. iii. Part 1. Price 3s. 6d.

Id. 1854. Vol. iii. Part 2. Price 3s. 6d.

+ ‘The Annals and Magazine of Natural History.’ London: Taylor & Francis.

1854. Nos. 73—84. 2s. 6d. each.

t ‘The Zoologist: a Popular Monthly Magazine of Natural History, and Journal

for recording Facts and Anccdotes relating to Quadrupeds, Birds, Reptiles, Fishes,

Annelides, Insects, Worms, Zoophytes, their Habits, Food, Retreats, Occasional

Appearance, Migrations, Nests and Young’ London: Van Voorst. 1854. Nos.

135—146. Price Is. each.

mological Botany, more especially with reference to the plants fre-

quented by the Tineina. This work promises to be very useful: it is

on the plan of Martyn’s ‘ Aurelian’s Vade-Mecum,’* published at

Exeter in 1785, and a work which the late Mr. Stephens highly

prized: it is an almost forgotten but invaluable witness to “ the light

of other days.” Mr. Harding, the President of the Society of British

Entomologists, has taken up the same subject, and has made various

observations on the pupa-cases and food-plants of Micro-Lepidoptera :

these will be found in various numbers of the ‘ Zoologist.’

In the January number of the ‘ Zoologist’ I had the pleasure of

recording the capture of Zygzna Minos in Ireland, by Mr. Milner, of

Nunappleton, and in the September number are some valuable remarks

on this interesting insect by Mr. A. G. More, who informs us that it

occurs all around Castle Taylor, Ardrahan, and that he has traced it

within the limits of the county Galway as far as Garryland: it is more

particularly abundant towards the sea: it appears about the first week

in June, and is in perfection until the middle of the month; it then

swarms on many parts of the rock-strewn pasture so characteristic of

the mountain limestone district of the West of Ireland.

In the December number of the ‘ Zoologist’ is a minute description, by

that indefatigable collector Mr. Bold, of a brachelytrous insect, which

he has called Lathrobium carinatum: the very careful description has

enabled our excellent curator, with little hesitation, to identify the

species with the Lathrobium dentatum of Kellner, described at page

414 of the ‘Entomologische Zeitung’ for 1844; but even under the

altered name the insect is new to this country, and an interesting ad-

dition to our insect Fauna: two specimens only have come under

Mr. Bold’s notice; one, a male, taken by himself under gravel by the

river Irthing, in Cumberland ; the other, a female, ina similar locality,

on the Devil’s Water, Northumberland, by Mr. Wailes.

In the same number of the ‘ Zoologist’ is anotice of the occurrence

of Dytiscus lapponicus in the Isle of Mull, together with a copy of

Gyllenhall’s description. The Rev. Hamlet Clark, who made this

interesting discovery, says that he took four specimens on four different

occasions, in a very deep lake in the Isle of Mull, in September,

1854. Mr. H. Clark expresses his belief that the Dytiscus septen-

trionis, distinguished by the smooth elytra of the female, will be

* ¢The Aurelian’s Vade-Mecum ; containing an English Alphabetical and Linnean

Systematical Catalogue of Plants affording nourishment to Butterflies, &c.’ By M.

Martyn. Exeter: 1785. 8vo.

eventually referred to lapponicus: it seems to be now pretty clearly

established that the smoothness or sulcation of the elytra in Dytisci

is neither a certain character of species nor absolutely diagnostic

of sex.

A great number of other notices occur in the ‘ Zoologist,’ recording

the capture of novelties or rarities, but I will not repeat them here,

because that Journal is always on your table as soon as published ;

and, moreover, I believe I may congratulate myself on having each

individual member as a subscriber.

In the ‘ Transactions of the Linnean Society’ * are two beautifully

illustrated papers by that distinguished entomologist whom, since I

began to address you, you have elected as your future President.

The first of these is intituled “On the Genus Myrmica and other

indigenous Ants;” the second, ‘‘ Remarks relative to the Affinities

and Analogies of Natural Objects, more particularly of Hypocephalus,

a Genus of Coleoptera.” In the paper on British Ants Mr. Curtis

enumerates five genera and sixteen species, two of which, Myrmica

perelegans and M. denticornis, are presumed to be new to science.

The paper on Hypocephalus has a double object; the first, used as a

stepping-stone to the second, is to show that Hypocephalus belongs

to the great Coleopterous section of Lamellicorns; the second, in the

author’s own words, is “ to assist in fixing our systems on some firm

basis, generally understood and universally to be adopted, so that we

may no longer be tossed to and fro as we are at present.” I am sure

that every entomologist will give his meed of praise to so high an ob-

ject as these words disclose, but I do not feel quite so confident that

what I have called the stepping-stone to this philosophical eminence

will be so generally availed of: I do not feel quite sure that entomo-

logists will, with the same unanimity, agree to place Hypocephalus

among the Lamellicorns, and | should scarcely be enacting my pre-

sent part with perfect faithfulness were I not to say that I entertain a

different view; but it must be distinctly understood that I dissent

simply in my individual capacity as an entomologist, entirely dis-

claiming any importance for my dissent on account of the office which

I have just relinquished; and I feel confident that Mr. Curtis will at

once pardon what is simply an avowal of difference of opinion.

Mr. Stainton has published the first number of a new serial called the

* «Transactions of the Linnean Society.’ Vol. xxi. Part 3. 4to. Plates. London:

Longman. 1854. Price 12s.

‘ Entomologist’s Annual:’ * it contains much useful information, col-

lecting in a concise manner the published records of novelties added

to onr lists of Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera and Coleoptera: these three

orders are worked out respectively by Mr. Stainton, Mr. Smith and

Mr. Janson. Mr. Stainton has likewise issued a second edition of the

‘Entomologist’s Companion,’ + and has completed the Museum Cata-

logue of the British Lepidoptera { interrupted by the death of the

lamented James Francis Stephens.

Mr. Walker, with a laborious assiduity which I have never known

surpassed, has produced four Parts of the Museum Catalogue.§ Some

idea of these important works may be gained by the following

summary. The first list is intended to include short descriptions of

all the species, genera and families of Lepidoptera: the first part con-

tains descriptions of 508 species, of which 114 are Cydimonii and

394 Zygenides; in the Cydimonii there are 21 new species, and in

the Zygenides 175: the second part contains descriptions of 575 spe-

cies of Lithosiide, of which 276 are new: the total number of species

is 1083, of which 472 are new. The second list includes descriptions

of the species of Diptera not characterized in the first series of the

same work or in the ‘Insecta Saundersiana:’ the first part contains

379 species of Stratiomyde, of which 26 are new ; 36 of Xylophagide,

of which 1 is new; and 830 of Tabanide, of which 31 are new: the

second part contains 74 species of Acroceride, and 470 of Asilide, of

which 8 are new: the total number of species is 1789, of which 66

are new.

Mr. Andrew Murray, of Conland, has published an admirable

Insects detected in 1854,’ Lepidoptera, by the Editor, H. T. Stainton: Hymenoptera,

by Frederick Smith: Coleoptera, by E.W. Janson. Col. Plates. London: Van

Voorst. 1855. Price 2s. 6d.

+ ‘The Entomologist’s Companion.’ Second Edition. By H. T. Stainton.

London: Van Voorst. 1854. Price 3s.

t ‘List of the Specimens of British Animals in the Collection of the British

Museum.’ Part 16. Lepidoptera completed. London: 1854. Price 3s.

§ ‘ List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British

Museum. Part 1. Lepidoptera: Heterocera. London: 1854. Price 4s.

Id. Part 2. Lepidoptera: Heterocera—continued. 1854.

‘List of the Specimens of Dipterous Insects in the Collection of the British

Museum.’ Part 5, Supplement 1. London: 1855. Price 4s. 6d.

Id. Part 5, Supplement 2. 1855. Price 3s.

‘ Catalogue of the Coleoptera of Scotland :’ * this little work not only

equals but far surpasses any Catalogue of Coleoptera ever published

in England: it exhibits an acquaintance with the best continental

authorities and great power in adjudicating the true value to supposed

species. It is a source of the most unmixed pleasure to me to see

Scotland, the finest field for the naturalist in the Queen’s dominions,

thus understood, appreciated and illustrated by one of her own sons.

Our indefatigable friend Mr. Westwood has just published a re-

issue of his work on the Butterflies of Britain,t and also a Supplement

to Wood’s ‘ Index Entomologicus, { which “ contains five plates now

first engraved, exhibiting 180 coloured figures of British moths and

butterflies not included in the former edition of the ‘ Index Entomo-

logicus,’ with synonyms and localities, also a systematic list of the

whole of the species, in order to show their distribution into families

and the position of the supplemental species, and of those whose

generic classification has been modified.”

Messrs. Baikie, Barron and Adams have published a work intituled

‘A Manual of Natural History for the Use of Travellers’§$ This

volume contains 750 pages, 150 of which are occupied by Ento-

mology.

I now arrive at the Rev. J. F. Dawson’s Monograph of the Carnivo-

rous Ground-beetles, || a work that bears internal evidence of invincible

assiduity and a profound knowledge of the subject. This volume is

less remarkable for the amount of new matter it contains than for the

mass of old and worthless matter which it sweeps away. Nothing was

ever more extraordinary than the wholesale destruction of names

which Mr. Dawson has achieved. Those entomologists who had

* Catalogue of the Coleoptera of Scotland.’ By Andrew Murray, of Conland,

W.S. Blackwood: Edinburgh and London. 1853.

+ ‘The Butterflies of Great Britain, with their Transformations delineated and

described.’ By J. O. Westwood, Esq., F.L.S., &c. Col. Plates. London: Orr.

1855. Price 15s.

+ ‘A New Supplement to Wood’s Index Entomologicus, or a complete Illustrated

Catalogue of the Lepidopterous Insects of Great Britain” By J. O. Westwood, Esq.,

F.L.S., late President of the Entomological Society, &c. Col. Plates. London:

Willis. 1854. Price 12s. 6d.

§ ‘A Manual of Natural History for the Use of ‘Travellers, being a Description of

the Families of the Animal and Vegetable Kingdom.’ By Arthur Adams, William

Balfour Baikie and Charles Barron. London: Van Voorst. 1854. Price 12s,

||‘ Geodephaga Britannica. A Monograph of the Carnivorous Ground-beetles

indigenous to the British Isles.’ By John Frederic Dawson, LL.B. Col. Plates.

London: Van Voorst. 1854. Price 12s,

reserved long gaps in their cabinets, under the fond idea that these were

to be eventually filled, now find that half the names for which this

extensive accommodation was prepared actually signify nothing, while

a large portion of the remaining moiety is comprised of names erro-

neously applied. I do not lay this enormous mass of error at the

doors of any one or two or three individuals who may have been more

actively engaged than the rest in literary labours in Entomology: we

have all more or less contributed to this confusion by fostering a mor-

bid desire for novelty, and a consequent tendency to exalt unreason-

ably the importance of accidental and inconstant differences. The

numerical diminution of names in Mr. Dawson’s work extends to the

genera as well as to species, and no less than 31 genera, which had

become familiar as household words, have merged in others and dis-

appear: these are — Lamprias merged in Lebia; Helobia and Pelo-

phila in Nebria: Blethisa in Elapbrus; Trimorphus in Badister;

Platynus and Agonum in Anchomenus; Pecilus, Abax, Platysma,

Adelosia, Steropus, Omaseus, Argutor and Platyderus in Pterostichus ;

Celia, Acrodon, Percosia, Bradytus and Curtonotus in Amara; Opho-

nus in Harpalus; Epaphius in Trechus; Cillenum, Tachys, Ocys,

Philocthus, Peryphus, Notaphus, Leja, Lopha and Tachypus in Bem-

bidium. These are sweeping alterations, but I think there is no doubt

they will be regarded as wholesome ones, for this department of our

science had really become overloaded with names that signify

nothing. The actual additions to our British Geodephaga make slight

compensation for the large deductions: these are twenty-one in num-

ber, and are highly interesting in character :—1. Dyschirius obscurus

of Gyllenhall, found by Mr. Haliday on the sandy shores of Lough

Neagh. 2. Dyschirius impunctipennis of Dawson, found by the author

by the side of a stream on the Smallmouth sands, near Weymouth.

3. Dyschirius jejunus of Dawson, found by Mr. Bold, of Newcastle,

on a sandy bank of the river Irthing, in Cumberland, a little above

Lanercost Abbey. 4. Anchomenus atratus of Duftschmidt, first cap-

tured in Hampshire, afterwards in Cornwall and other western coun-

ties of England, and very abundantly near Bristol. 5. Amara curta

of Dejean, not uncommon on the sand-hills at Deal, in company with

lucida and tibialis, but readily distinguishable from either by its

broader form. 6. Amara ingenua of Duftschmidt, a well-known Eu-

ropean species, but unique as British, the only known example having

been captured in Scotland. 7. Harpalus cordatus of Duftschmidt,

also well known on the Continent and also unique as British; the

only example was captured by the author near Deal, at the roots of

tall wing-grass which grows on the sand-hills. 8. Harpalus rupicola

of Sturm, found in chalky districts, Dorking, Basingstoke and the

Isle of Wight. 9. Harpalus sulphuripes of Germar; a single exam-

ple taken near Bristol. 10. Harpalus Wollastoni, of which four or

five specimens were captured by Mr. Wollaston, in May, 1852, at

Slapton Ley, Devonshire. 11. Harpalus melancholicus of Dejean,

captured by Mr. Wollaston near Swansea. 12. Stenolophus elegans

of Dejean, found by the Rev. Hamlet Clark between Sheerness and

Queensborough, in the Isle of Sheppey. 13. Stenolophus derelictus

of Dawson, found near London by Mr. F. Smith. 14. Stenolophus

exiguus of Dejean, discovered in England by Mr. Samuel Stevens,

who captured a few specimens on Bury Hill, near Arundel: a single

specimen was taken by Mr. Wollaston in the Isle of Wight, and Mr.

Dawson himself subsequently took a series of the insect on the sands

at Pegwell Bay, near Ramsgate, in February, 1849. 15. Bradycellus

cognatus of Gyllenhall, a mountain species, which appears to occur

only on the high moors of Wales, Yorkshire and Scotland. 16. Bem-

bidium fluviatile of Dejean, taken by Mr. Hadfield, of Newark, on

the, banks of the Trent at Kelham. 17. Bembidium stomoides of

Dejean, captured by Mr. Bold, of Newcastle, on a sandy bank by the

Irthing. 18. Bembidium obliquum of Sturm, found also by Mr. Bold,

at Gosforth, in Cumberland. 19. Bembidium Schuppelii of Dejean,

found by Messrs. Bold, Murray and Wailes, on the banks of the

Irthing. 20. Bembidium Doris of Panzer, an insect of rare occurrence

in the salt-marshes of England. And lastly—21. Bembidium callosum

of Kuster, found by Mr. Steuart on Woking Common. I believe the

whole of these twenty-one insects to be perfectly distinct as species,

certainly all of them are new as British. It would have been a labour

of love with me to have abridged the minutely accurate characters

which Mr. Dawson has drawn up for each of them, but I think that

every British Coleopterist is bound to possess himself of this valuable

volume.

In next calling your attention to Mr. Stainton’s work on the

British Tineadz,* it seems necessary to glance at the previous closet-

history of these minims of their tribe: this closet-history commences

in 1829 with the publication of the fourth Part of Haworth’s ‘ Lepi-

doptera Britannica, a monograph the most complete, the most learned,

the most useful, ever published on the Entomology of Britain, and

London: Lovell Reeve. 1854. Price 25s,

one which will long remain an invaluable treasure to the Lepidop-

terist. The sterling good qualities of Haworth are, first, that he

described from Nature, and, secondly, that he described well: he

says, “ My specific and detailed descriptions of every species and va-

riety are entirely new-wrought, and from British specimens, except in

a few instances, where I either had no British specimen, or where

they were not very good, in which cases only I have extracted the

description of Linneus, Fabricius or Villars, and in no instance with-

out a proper acknowledgment.” That Haworth, working almost alone,

should have fallen into some errors is not only excusable, but must be

regarded as a necessary consequence of this comparative isolation :

thus it need not be concealed that in several instances he multiplied

species unnecessarily, while in others he reduced Nature’s species to

the rank of varieties ; but these last he distinguished by the significant

memorandum “ Forté propria species.” Of the Tineadz, the family

to which my observations are now exclusively directed, Haworth

described 286, and from that period the study of the Micro-Lepidoptera

appears to have received an impetus which culminated in the appear-

ance of Mr. Stainton’s volume: the great labourers in this fruitful

vineyard to whose names I would particularly call your attention are

Mr. Stone, Mr. Bentley, Mr. Chant, Mr. Stephens, Mr. Edwin Shep-

herd, Mr. Bedell, Mr. Douglas, Mr. Samuel Stevens, Mr. Doubleday

and Mr. Weir; and more recently Mr. Wing, Mr. Allis, Mr. Wilkin-

son, Mr. Boyd, and many others, have laboured assiduously in the

field: the collections of Stone, Bentley and Shepherd have stood out

conspicuously and prominently from the rest: that of Stone was, for

its day, incomparably the finest, but merged in that of Bentley, and

eventually in that of Shepherd, which I presume now stands as a whole

entirely without a rival, although perhaps equalled or surpassed in all

groups except the Tineade by that of my worthy friend Doubleday :

still, although the Jabourers have been so many and so successful, two

of them appear to me to call for individual notice, and these are the

late James Francis Stephens and William Bentley, both of them dis-

tinguished for the extreme liberality, candour and pains-taking with

which they opened their collections, compared specimens, explained

differences, and unlocked and made patent without reserve the arcana

of the science; and to the memory of Mr. Stephens a still greater

debt of gratitude is due, for the free use he allowed all students to

make of his magnificent library of entomological works. Mr. Stain-

ton is now in the possession of this library, and, with such an accession

to his own previously extensive collection of authors on Lepidoptera,

possessed of an energy which no obstacle can resist, an assiduity which

no amount of labour can weary, and turning his attention almost ex-

clusively to these minims, it is not extraordinary that he should have

produced, as he has done, a second most useful monograph on a sub-

ject already ably treated. It contains really elaborate descriptions

of 591 species, of which 272 are not given as species by any other

British author. I say advisedly “as species,” because I am well

aware that “as varieties” some few of them are noticed by the illus-

trious Haworth, in whose footsteps Mr. Stainton has closely followed,

by carefully describing every species, as he himself assures us, from

actual specimens. It would far exceed the limits, and indeed the ob-

ject, of an evanescent summary like this, were I to give even the

names, authorities and localities of the new species, as I have done in

the instance of Mr. Dawson’s Geodephaga: the most superficial

mention of 272 species would occupy an hour at least, and I will not

venture such a tax on your patience. All that I can do is cordially to

recommend Mr. Stainton’s volume, and to hope that all may profit by

it equally with myself. The copious and almost crowded illustrations

by the pencil of our deeply-lamented assistant-secretary are worthy of

attentive study.

But the most important and valuable work I have to notice, and

the one which as a work of science will confer most honour on this

country, is the ‘ Insecta Maderensia’ of Mr. Wollaston.* This work

is distinguished throughout by persevering industry, profound know-

ledge and philosophical spirit. Nothing can exceed the industry with

which the author has pursued his object, a fact that will be sufficiently

evident when I state that he has described 213 genera and 482 species

of Madeiran Coleoptera, out of which 41 of the genera and 270 of

the species are now characterised for the first time, and are therefore

absolutely new to science. With regard to the solid entomological

knowledge possessed, and in every page made manifest without display,

there can be but one opinion, for not a single species or genus is men-

tioned unaccompanied by the evidence of a perfect knowledge of its

antecedent history: this, I am aware, is very high praise, but it is

praise which no one can say is unmerited. The philosophical spirit

is manifested equally in the masterly characters given of every genus

and species, and in the explanatory remarks which invariably follow

* ‘Insecta Maderensia; being an Account of the Insects of the Islands of the

Madeiran Group. By T. Vernon Wollaston, M.A., F.L.S. 4to, Col. Plates.

London: Van Voorst. 1854. Price £2 2s.

each description; and I must not omit to add that these descriptions

and remarks are invaluable to the British Coleopterist, because a large

proportion of the genera described and cited for comparison are fami-

liar to us as indigenous to Britain. Into such descriptions and such

remarks it is impossible for me to enter here, but [ cannot forego the

opportunity of citing some general observations which appear to me

of more than ordinary value. The statistical conclusions forced on

Mr. Wollaston’s attention by his analysis of the Madeiran Coleoptera

are as interesting as unaccountable. In this mild and sunny isle there

is not a single representative of those lovers of warmth and sun, the

Cicindelide and Buprestide ; in the deep mossy ravines there is no

representative of the moss-loving Pselaphidz ; in this land of flowers

the flower-feeding lamellicorns and the Elateride have each but a

single and abnormal representative : descending to genera, the cosmo-

politan Carabus, Nebria, Silpha, Necrophorus, Cetonia, Telephorus,

Tentyria, Pimelia, Acis, Asida and Otiorynchus are entirely unrepre-

sented. The numerical proportion of the thirteen great groups of

Coleoptera present in Madeira is as follows :—

Rhyncophora”. : : og. 104

Necrophaga : : ‘ : 80

Brachelytra : : . 74

Geodephaga : : : 63

Serricornes . : : : : 35

Atrachelia . = : : : 29

Cordylocerata. : 4 : 22

Phytophyga : : : : 21

Pseudotrimera. : : : 17

Philhydrida : : : 13

Trachelia . : : ; 11

Hydradephaga . ; : 5 7

Longicorus : : : : 6

452

The most remarkable feature in this list is not the preponderance of

Curculionide, Necrophaga, Staphylinide and Carabide, all of which

one would suppose abundant, but the extremely small number of

water-beetles and longicorns: 4 Colymbetes, 2 Hydropori, and the

familiar Gyrinus natator, are all the Hydradephaga. Mr. Wollaston

thinks that this paucity is not difficult to understand, “ the rapid nature

of the rivers, which are liable to sudden inundations from the moun-

tains, and to deposit their contents in positions distant from their

banks, or to pour in ceaseless torrents over the perpendicular faces of

the rocks,” being peculiarly unfavorable to the preservation of insect

life: this is a reasonable solution, but how shall we account for the

absence of Cerambycide from this island of woods? and how shall

we account for the great scarcity of all flower-loving Coleoptera, ex-

cept on the supposition that their office of pollen-bearers is performed

by the hosts of Hymenoptera and Diptera. Mr. Wollaston’s remarks

on the effects of isolation on species are worthy of deep study and

attention ; they will be found appended to the descriptions of Scarites

abbreviatus, Calathus complanatus, Harpalus vividus, and the Ptini:

after alluding to the two sections of the latter, the author proceeds to

say that “the representatives of both are subject to very great variation

in size and colour, and, since even the sexes themselves often display

considerable incongruity, inéer se, it is not surprising that the bounda-

ries between some of the species which are nearly allied should be

difficult to trace out. Such being the fact, it is impossible to overrate

the importance of studying them én situ, so as to be enabled not only

to connect the numerous aberrations, but even at times, perhaps, in a

certain measure, to account for them; since it is by this process of

inquiry that we are more likely to arrive at truth, than by the collation

of treble the amount of individuals, at a distance, when anything like

local phenomena in connexion with them must be entirely overlooked.

So completely, indeed, are some of the Madeiran Ptini affected by

isolation, and by an exposure to a perpetually stormy atmosphere, that

they do not attain half the bulk on many of the adjacent rocks that

they do in the more sheltered districts of the central mass; and so

marvellonsly is this verified in a particular instance, that I have but

little doubt that five or six species, so called, might have been re-

corded, had only a few stray specimens been brought home for identi-

fication, without any regard having been paid to the respective

circumstances under which they were found. Judging from many

hundred examples which I have submitted to a close comparison, the

most constant of their characteristics would appear to be outline and

sculpture, whilst size and colour are apparently the least to be de-

pended on, and hence trifling differences may be often of specific

indication in the former case, where in the latter much larger ones are

worthless.” Again, the observations on Tarphius, one of the Colydi-

idx, a family of Necrophaga, are replete with interest: prior to the

publication of Mr. Wollaston’s work a single species was known, and

this of the greatest rarity ; it was taken in Sicily by the late lamented

Coleopterist Mr. Melly. Mr. Wollaston has added no less than fifteen

Madeiran species, all of which appear to be abundantly distinct. “ Of »

the influence and economy in situ of snch an assemblage it is not easy

to speculate ; suffice it therefore to remark that the enormous numbers

in which they exist, when compared with the limits within which they

are confined, would seem to point to some especial end which they

may be presumed to fulfil amongst the insect population of those re-

mote upland districts. Meanwhile it is far from improbable that, like

many of the Nitidulide and the xylophagous groups, they may assist

materially in the decomposition of the superfluous masses of loose

rolling timber with which the damp ravines and dense mountain slopes

of Madeira everywhere abound. To such localities it is that they are

exclusively assigned, occurring in the greatest profusion in those spots

which are the least accessible, and where consequently the primeval

timber is, except by the hand of man, most untouched. In their

habits the Tarphii are strictly nocturnal, adhering to the under sides

of moist decaying logs of wood, felled timber, and even stones during

the day, and being only active apparently by night. From 2000 to

5000 feet above the sea may be said to include their range; neverthe-

less they are more peculiarly abundant from 3000 to 4000 feet, and it

is perhaps towards the upper edge of these bounds that they find their

maximum. * * Considering the inaccessible nature of their favorite

localities it is far from improbable that many species will remain for

ever undiscovered, a possibility which is not lessened by the fact either

of the remarkable manner in which they are able to counterfeit death,

and so elude observation, or of the near resemblance of the dull rusty

colouring of their uneven and inanimate-looking surfaces to the stones,

lichen and portions of rolling wood to which in the day time they re-

main firmly fixed.” We are all aware of the creaking sound emitted

by Aromia moschata and many other longicorns ; we all know that this

noise is accompanied by a movement of the great central articulation

of the body, that of the prothorax with the mesothorax, and we all at-

tribute the creaking to the friction of some part of the prothorax on

some part of the mesothorax. Mr. Wollaston is not content with this

theory, although self-evident, but has been at great pains to discover

the exact truth, and has detected and described the mechanical appa-

ratus by which the sound is produced, and tested his conclusions by

producing similar sounds at pleasure and with Nature’s own instru-

ments: he finds in the genera Deucalion, Parmena and Doreadion, a

narrow space in the shape of an isosceles triangle (the apex being

turned towards the scutellum), which occupies nearly the entire length

of the mesonotum, and which, from its brightness, appears at first sight

perfectly smooth, but when viewed under a microscope is seen to be

covered with very fine transverse parallel and acute ridges, closely set

together after the manner of a file; and it is by depressing and raising

the prothorax, an act which alternately exposes and recovers the upper

region of the extremely cylindrical mesothorax, that its under side is

brought to play against this inner dorsal file, and by this process the

stridulation is effected. “In order to convince myself,’ says Mr.

Wollaston, “ of the reality of this, I have relaxed many specimens of

the genera in question, and have caused the sound artificially with the

greatest ease.” Although these Madeiran commentaries and quota-

tions have already exceeded a reasonable length, 1 trust I shall be

pardoned for making still another extract, in which the effects on in-

sect life of a calm at sea are admirably set forth: the author is on the

Northern Deserta or leo Chao, and is speaking of the Ptinus albo-

pictus. ‘So perpetually,” says he, “is that remote table rock played

over by the breezes of the ocean, that even a temporary respite is al-

most an anomaly within its desolate area; and if such a crisis should

chance at times to arrive, it is curious to note how every species of

life, taking advantage of Nature’s repose, comes forth to enjoy the

calm. I shall not soon forget the pleasure I derived on the 5th of

June, 1850, from the sudden effects of a lull, after an exposure to the

blasts during several successive days, on this iron-bound isle, — how

all things seemed to participate in the change, and literally to rejoice.

Even the vegetaticn, as though released from its suffering, began to

look up; whilst insects, unthought of before, filled the atmosphere as

it were on the instant, as though experience had taught them that

such tranquillity was but of short duration, and that if it were to be

enjoyed at all not a moment was to be lost. It was on that particular

afternoon that I first appreciated the prodigious numbers of the lilli-

putian Ptinus under consideration, which, though apparently scarce

during the more boisterous period, now emerged by thousands on

every side. From whence they came it would have been difficult to

conjecture: * * they were in greater or less profusion everywhere,

until, as evening approached and the winds began to return, as quickly

as they came every one of them vanished.”

With this sketch of the entomological labours of my friends—con-

trasting, so unfavorably to myself, with my own inactivity—I conclude

this too lengthened Address: faint and imperfect as the sketch confess-

edly is, it still must amply suffice to show that Entomology with us

is not on the wane: your exertions were never greater; they were

never crowned with more triumphant success: this is a subject on

which I may heartily and truthfully congratulate you, and as heartily

and as truthfully may I congratulate you on the state of the Society,

on the solidity of our present position, and on the brightness of

our future prospects: we have published largely, and met with a

most encouraging sale; the number of our members has increased ;

our exchequer is full; our debts are paid. Heartily wishing that this

prosperity may continue, that every success may attend our united

and harmonious labours on behalf both of the Science and the

Society, I now retire from that important office with which you have

entrusted me, deeply feeling that no thanks of mine can make you an

adequate return for the kindness with which you have invariably re-

ceived me, and carrying with me into obscurity the most pleasurable

recollections of my brief tenure of authority.

Report of the Library and Cabinet Committee for 1854.

The books are in good order; some of them, chiefly serials and pamphlets, which

require binding in order to preserve them, we are about to put into the bookbinder’s

hands.

The library, continually augmented by donations, now contains many valuable

works, and a considerable number of volumes is constantly out on loan to the

Members. ;

The loss of the second volume of Lacordaire’s ‘ Phytophages,’ immediately after it

was presented by the Author, has been already reported to the Council and announced

at the October Meeting of the Society: hitherto no tidings of it have been heard, and

it must be concluded that it was stolen from the room.

The insects remain in good preservation. During the past year the exotic Diurnal

Lepidoptera have been arranged, and, as far as possible, named, by one of the Mem-

bers of this Committee: the duplicates resulting are now at the disposal of the

Council. A number of duplicates selected from the exotic Coleoptera also awaits the

directions of the Council. With the above exceptions, the exotic collections remain in

the same unsatisfactory state in which they have so long been, —a condition neither

creditable to the Society nor just to the liberal donors of the insects. The Curator

finds his time so much occupied, by his routine duties and attending to visitors, that

he can do nothing in the matter, and few of the present Members of this Committee

are able to devote to it the necessary time. The work required might doubtless be

done by paying for it, but, considering the little interest taken by the Members gene-

rally in the foreign collections, we could not recommend such a course. As the

existing state of things is constantly becoming worse, some decisive measures should

be adopted, and we apprehend the only practicable plan is for the Council to request

such of the Members of the Society as are conversant with the several Orders of

insects, and have the requisite time at their disposal, to allow themselves to be

appointed Members of this Committee, with an especial reference to the arrangement

of the exotic insects. If the collections were once arranged, future additions could be

put into their proper places, and the Museum would become useful to students and a

credit to the Society. We, however, have reason to doubt if the Society at present

possesses sufficient cabinet room to carry out this object, and it is for the Council to

consider what steps should be taken in the matter.

(Signed)

EDWIN SHEPHERD.

A. F. SHEPPARD.

J. W. DOUGLAS.

EDWARD W. JANSON.

Abstract of the Treasurer's Accounts jor 1554.

RECEIPTS.

by balance on hand January Ust, 1854.s0..0.ese... ccs sesccccecsesces ass

ERP ELERES OS SUDCCTIDUIOIN ssis scuiacie aaislativcaatcgesusvaisesvenns «ise

5, Subscriptions for 1854 ....... ajafassi ic oletser cise lcaiare slaisiols/ole'yajelclaicnyaelalals eiastclow'als ss

BP PCAIMISSIONVMEES! .scece vce tes salveneaalcienls cic eiesisis slejapideasvemaedesseraeseess

Pee ASAI SEN GLO Miu ie aeisn k's leds os cinenieaalucisn ena cb cise o'cWeddeseanascersiasnoss

5, sale of ‘ Tanesetions’ at the Roonis Rcareebilhen va ace, ia £30 0

» x - Pte MONG IAUS wy rccepeimind sonia Ve al

»» Cash of Mr. Spence, for printing Dr. Davy’s Paper .........s0esse00

5 » of Mr. Curtis, for extra Engraving ..... A avbiegdneseseasserees es

MEETXCUISIONMIICKEE NOL USEG) sccicenzosessace/sclessllasesie aa steustensiansiessinns

PAYMENTS.

To paid arrears for 1852—53:—Messrs. Ford & West ... £2 18

Mr. Westwood, for Plates 3 3

Mr Dunn; for Oiltsc.-.--- 2)

Messrs. Holmes & Impey,

Rent to Christmas, 1854 17 10

5, Rent to Midsummer last: 12... c.cscccecescccceccevestiesssceenscscesestvanes

sy) Ansurance to Lady-day, 1855 .....0.css.clecevsevs ovsssecveenscocteesacees

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3 5 Sundry small payments .......sscccssecscsvscsscasseecenceeceeens

5, ‘Lea, thirteen Meetings. ......ssccecsatavcsscerneasaes ecersceqeusinveess ses ven

, Attendance, Coals, tearing: oe ROU CAC EEEIGOU CBG CCDOOBS coe oot nriceane

» Postage, Parcels, Stationery, &C.....ssssssssseccecessscrccseveceeesaneees

» Printing ‘Transactions,’ three parts...... sssssscccecssecsccsecescesseecs

” ” Plates POOR PORTE OTH AEH EEE EEE EOE HEH OTS OOO SES OES EOD EES HE BES OED EEE BED

ap Colouring ditto ......seocscseccsessccsscnscrscsssesssscrsssesscescsssersceees

Balance in hand) .s.csscesavscsceneeaveseoss

awowr

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“ Som &

£ 212

LTnabilities and Assets of the Society.

Liabilities. Assets.

eo 8: a. Sit.

Mr. Westwood, for Plates... 5 O O Arrears of Subscriptions,

MreDunns for Oil fens) 13 69 80 BOG \essccencessasvaeecrsme ste

Messrs. Roworth, for printing 9 6 O Ditto, doubtful £4 4 0

Spay, tor Plates........4, 2, 6 Ditto, bad .2..<: 17.17, 0

Rent to Christmas, 1854... 17 10 0 Add balance in hand ...... 51 10

ITIES Sitestcvaces sascxeeerien. 1) Ae? GO

70 8

Less Accounts due at Xmas. 36 0

a True Balance in favour of

£36 0 0 the Society .........0.34 8

Errata.

Page 37, line 12, for “ cherry-tree drooping” read “ drooping cherry-tree.”

», 40, lines 27 and 30, for “ murinus” vead “ castaneus.”

»> 95 line 28, insert a comma after “ Kuper.”

5, 42, line 3, dele “t” in “ Schwartzdornspinner.”

» 9» line 11, for “readily” read “ easily.”

45, line 23, for “ this family” read “ Staphylinide.”

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON,

1855.

February 5, 1855.

Joun Curtis, Esq., President, in the chair.

Donations. °

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to

the donors: — The ‘ Zoologist’ for February ; by the Editor. The ‘Atheneum’ for

January; by the Editor. The ‘ Literary Gazette’ for January; by the Editor. The

‘Journal of the Society of Arts’ for January; by the Society. ‘ Proceedings of the

Royal Society, Vol. vii. No. 7; by the Society. ‘Report of the Council of the Art

Union of London for 1854, 2 copies; by the Art Union. ‘ Revue et Magasin de

Zoologie,’ Nos. 11 and 12, 1854; by the Editor, M. Guérin-Méneville. Specimens of

the silken fabric woven by caterpillars of Saturnia pavonia-media, accompanied by

figures of the insect in its different stages of growth, with a summary description

thereof, and the method used to procure the silk; presented by Herr Pretsch, through

Mr. Newman.

President's Inaugural Address.

The President returned thanks for his election, and delivered an Inaugural Address,

which was ordered to be printed.

Vice-Presidents.

The President nominated as his Vice-Presidents J. O. Westwood, Esq., E. Newman,

Esq., and H. T. Stainton, Esq. ;

Exhibitions.

Brigadier Hearsey exhibited a case of Lepidoptera and three cases of Coleoptera,

just received from Sylhet. Among the rarer Coleoptera were pointed out Jumnos

’ M

Ruckeri, ¢ and 9, numerous species of Cicindele and Lucanide, Lamia Stanleyi

and Buprestis Edwardsii.

Mr. Stevens exhibited three perfect specimens of the rare beetle Cheirotonus

Macleayii, from India.

Galls produced by Cynips Quercus-petioli.

Mr. Stainton exhibited a bunch of galls gathered from an oak near Exeter, and of

the same kind as those exhibited by Mr. Rich at the November meeting. He also read

the following extract from a letter of the correspondent who had forwarded the galls :—

“ Having observed, in the ‘ Gardener’s Chronicle,’ a notice of the Proceedings of

the Entomological Society, in which the subject of the oak-galls of this county was

spoken of, I beg to say that they are more numerous now than at any other time I

have observed them. They are confined to the young aud mostly the long shoots

which spring from oaks which have been cut down to the ground, and to those old

stumps which grow in hedges, and are subject to be cut down in repairing the hedges,

perhaps once in three or four years, or it may be more. _ It is curious to observe that,

should an oak tree stand in a hedge, it is only the lower spray which is selected by the

insects: it is exceedingly rare to see a gall upon the higher branches of a tree. It

may be taken as a rule that the insects never attack a tree or bush above ten feet from

the gronnd, but the nearer the ground the more numerots the galls. Some dwarf oak

pollards IT saw the other day, near Stoke Wood, which had been completely denuded

of their branches last winter, &nd of course last spring the trees produced a goodly

crop of young shoots all round: to see these trees now without any leaves, and the

young one-year old branches almost covered with galls like a gooseberry bush laden

with fruit, is very curious and striking.

“Tt is rather difficult now to find any galls containing insects, for it appears that a

portion of the insects make their escape in the autumn and the rest in the spring fol-

lowing ; but the little prying tits (Parus ceruleus) appear to have found them out, and

thousands are devoured by these birds: it is astonishing how soon they work a hole

and extract the larva, which no doubt is a very dainty morsel, particularly this hard,

frosty weather.

“As for the species of Cynips which causes these galls, if it is C. Quercus-petioli

certainly that name was wrongly applied, for the galls on the petioles of the leaves of

oak never attain that woody consistence which is peculiar to this kind of gall. I sent.

some of these galls, three or four years ago, to Mr. Westwood, through the ‘ Cottage

Gardener, asking for the name, and received for answer that it was Cynips ter-

minalis.”

Mr. Stainton pointed out that the galls now before the meeting were well figured

by Reaumur,* and that no subsequent author appeared to have referred to his figures.

Indian Method of preparing the Silk of Bombyx Cynthia.

Mr. Westwood read, from the ‘ Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal,’ vol. vi.,

* «Memoires ’ tome iii, 452, pl. 41, figs. 7—15.

brought by Brigadier Hearsey, the following account of the method used in India to

prepare the silk from the cocoons of Bombyx Cynthia :—

* The cocoons are put over a slow fire, in asolution of potash, when the silk easily

comes off: they are taken out, and the water slightly pressed out; they are then taken

one by one, loosened at one end, and the cocoon put over the thumb of the left hand;

with the right they (sic) draw it out nearly the thickness of twine, reducing any irregu-

larity by rubbing it between the index and thumb: in this way many cocoons are joined

on. The thread is allowed to accumulate in heaps of a quarter of a sur (sic); it is after-

wards exposed to the sun or near the fire to dry; it is then made into skeins, with two

sticks tied at one end, and opening like a pair of compasses: it is then ready to be

woven, unless it has to be dyed.”

Mr. Newman read the following note, intituled

“A Word for the Cockroach.

“* There is nothing new under the sun:’ so says the proverb. I believed, until a

few days back, that I possessed the knowledge of a fact in the dietary economy of the

cockroach of which entomologists were not cognizant, but I find myself forestalled ;

the fact is ‘as old as the hills:’ it is that the cockroach seeks with diligence, and de-

vours with great gusto, the common bed bug. I will not mention names, but I am so

confident of the veracity of the narrator that I willingly take the entire responsibility.

‘Poverty makes one acquainted with strange bed-fellows, and my informant bears

willing testimony to the truth of the adage: he had -not been prosperous, and had

sought shelter in a London boarding-house: every night he saw cockroaches ascending

his bed-curtains; every morning he complained to his very respectable landlady, and

invariably received the comforting assurance that there was not a ‘ black beetle’ in the

house: still he pursued his nocturnal investigations, and he not only saw cockroaches

running along the tester of the bed, but, to his great astonishment, he positively ob-

served one of them seize a bug, and he therefore concluded, and not without some

show of reason, that the cockroaches ascended the curtains with this especial object,

and that the minor and more odoriferous insect is a favourite food of the major one.

The following extract from Webster’s ‘ Narrative of Foster's Voyage’ * corroborates this

recent observation, and illustrates the proverb which I have taken as my text:—

‘Cockroaches, those nuisances to ships, are plentiful at St. Helena; and yet, bad as

they are, they are more endurable than bugs. Previous to our arrival here, in the

Chanticleer, we had suffered great inconvenience from the latter, but the cockroaches

no sooner made their appearance than the bugs entirely disappeared: the fact is that

the cockroach preys upon them, and leaves no sign or vestige of where they have been:

so far it is a most valuable insect.’ ”

Coccus arborum-linearis, Geoff.

The President read the following extract of a letter from Dr. A. Fitch :—

“ My esteemed friend,—I take the liberty to enclose to you some pieces of bark

covered with the scales of a Coccus which is making appalling havoe in the orchards

* « Foster's Voyage, Vol. 1. 373,

of Illinois and Wisconsin, and is abundant in my own neighbourhood. I have sup-

posed this to be the Aspidiotus linearis (Coccus arborum-linearis, Modeer, §-c.), but

have at hand no good description of that species, and am not without suspicions that

it may be your A. Ostreeformis or conchiformis, these names being far more applicable

to these scales than is that of linearis. As this insect will be embraced in the Report

on insects injurious to fruit trees, which I am now preparing (for the New York State

Agricultural Society, pursuant to directions of the State Legislature), I wish to be

more certain with regard to its true name. <A word from you, in reply to my inquiry,

will be very gratefully received.”

The President exhibited the insects in sitw: they were the Coccus arborum-linearis,

Geoff., and the C. conchiformis he believed of Gmelin. The President remarked that

“Tt is a subject for congratulation that these matters are being taken up by the State,

and, from the valuable work of Dr. Harris having reached a second edition, it is evi-

dent these important objects will in future not be neglected in the United States.”

Proposed Monograph of Elateride.

The President said M. Candeze of Liege, one of the authors of the ‘ Catalogue

des Larves des Coléoptéres, had written to him to make known his intention of pub-

lishing a complete Monograph upon the Family Elateride, which he estimates at 3000

species. He solicits the assistance and cooperation of the entomologists of this

country, by the loan of specimens, especially those of the East Indies and Australia.

Most of the professors in the different cities of Europe have promised to lend him

specimens for description, which he undertakes to return speedily.* He is one of the

pupils of Professor Lacordaire, to whom the Catalogue is dedicated ; and the President

will be happy to transmit to him any specimens which the Members are willing to

send him, provided they be entrusted before the end of February, when his friend will

leave London.

Note on Psyche helicinella.

Under this title Mr. Douglas read the following remarks :—

“ More than a century ago Réaumur, in his ‘ Mémoires, + recorded the discovery

of some curious heliciform cases, which he believed to be those of the larve of a moth,

although he reared from them only ‘ une petite mouche noire et a quatre ailes, which

Siebold thinks must have been a Chalcis parasitic on the larva.

“ Professor Siebold,t in a notice of the recent discovery by several entomologists of

helical cases, which he regards as identical with those mentioned by Réaumur, states

the curious fact that none of the finders thereof, nor any other entomologists, had

up to that time had the good fortune to rear from any of these cases a winged Lepi-

dopterous insect, but either a Chalcis, a Pteromalus, or a vermiform female like that

of a Psyche, which Siebold named provisionally P. helix.

* England, he writes, has not responded to his appeal in the name of Science,

which has been made to the Entomological Society of London through Mr. Westwood.

His first volume will appear at the end of the summer, and he especially wants the

genera Agrypnus, Campsosternus, Hemops and Crepidomenus.

+ Tome iii. Part 1, 12mo, p. 249.

t Trans. Ent. Soc., Vol. i. n. s., page 238.

“* Herrich-Schaffer described and figured * a Psyche helicinella, male, from speci-

mens sent from Sicily by Mann, who only suspected they had escaped from spiral

cases which he found in the vicinity of their capture.

“ Bruand +t has described and figured a Psyche helicinella, male, but does not state

that he ever identified the perfect insect with the case. On the contrary, speaking of

the inhabitant of the helical cases, he says that ‘ the caterpillar is difficult to rear ; and

for my part, after three unsuccessful attempts, I have ceased trying to obtain the

imago in captivity. It is probable that some atmospheric conditions (the morning dew

for example) are necessary to its coming forth. The caterpillar fed quite well up to

the time of its transformation, then it commenced to wander about in the vase or box

in which it was placed, and at length fixed itself near the partition; ... then nothing

came out—it died miserably.’ Neither does he state that he has reared the male from

the pupa found in the natural habitat, so that it may be inferred he also figured the -

insect from captured specimens.

“Lastly, M. Nylander has recorded ¢ that he raised from a helical case which he

found in 1853, in the South of France, a male Psyche.

** Whether the spiral cases, seen by so many observers, all belong to one species of

larva is not certain, but, assuming that they do, it would seem that M. Nylander has

been the first to rear the male insect, which he refers to Psyche helix, Sieb. = P. he-

licinella, H.-S.

“« The larve inhabiting these spiral cases appear to be polyphagous, having been

found on Cheiranthus odoratum (Vallot § Tarnier), Teucrium Chamedrys (Bruand),

Anthyllis vulneraria, Lotus corniculatus, Gnaphalium arenarium and _ olive-trees

(Zeller), Atriplex laciniata (Kollar), and Artemisia vulgaris (Rewt¢).

“ T have thought it worth while to collate and bring these facts before the Society,

as I think it probable, judging from the wide range of the species (it being generally

distributed in Italy, France and Germany), that it may be found in this country, if

our collectors know what to look for. There also attaches to the species another con-

sideration of interest, it being one of those insects of which fertile eggs are constantly

laid without the intervention of the male, as affirmed by Siebold and Reutti.

“T avail myself of this opportunity to remark that out of the eighty-two species

of Psychides enumerated by M. Bruand, only ten or eleven have yet been detected in

Britain. When we remember that of this latter number two§ are not known on the

Continent, I cannot but think that we have to find in this country some of the conti-

nental species, and probably some more not yet recognised abroad.”

Descriptions of Lucanide.

Mr. Westwood read a paper descriptive of many new species of Lucanida, illus-

trated with figures of the insects described.

New Part of the ‘ Transactions,’

Part 3 Vol. iii. of the ‘ Transactions,’ published in January, was laid on the table.

* System. Bearbeit., Bd. ii. figs. 108, 109.

+ ‘ Essai Monographique sur la tribu des Psychides,’ p. 73.

} ‘Annales de la Soc. Ent. de France,’ 1854, p. 336.

§ P. reticella, Newm., and P. inconspicuella, Stainton (M. Bruand assigns both

these names to Mr. Curtis).

March 5, 1855.

Joun Curtis, Esq., President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the

donors :—‘ Genera des Coléoptéres ou Exposé M ethodique et Critique de tous les Genres

proposés jusqu ici dans cet ordre d’Insectes, par M. Th. Lacordaire, Tome ii.; pre-

sented by the Author. ‘ Bericht uber die Wissenschaftlichen Leistungen im Gebiete

der Entomologie wahrend des Jahres, 1852, von Dr. Herm. Schaum; by the Author.

‘Geodephaga Britannica, by J. F. Dawson, L.L.B.; by the Author. ‘ List of the

Specimens of Dipterous Insects in the British Museum,’ part 6, supp. 2, by Francis

Walker; by the Author. ‘Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England,’

Vol. xv., part 2; by the Society. ‘ Proceedings of the Royal Society, Vol. vii., No. 8;

by the Society. ‘Journal of the Society of Aris’ for February; by the Society.

‘The Literary Gazette’ for February; by the Editor. ‘The Atheneum’ for

February; by the Editor. ‘The Zoologist’ for March; by the Editor. ‘ Magazin

des Thierreichs, Erster Band; by John Curtis, Esq. ‘Notes on four Galls

from the Crimea, by John Curtis, Esq., F.L.S. (from the Gardeners’ Chronicle) ; ‘ On

the Genus Myrmica, and other indigenous Ants, by John Curtis, Esq., F.L.S., and

‘Remarks relative to the Affinities and Analogies of Natural Objects, more particularly

of Hypocephalus, a Genus of Coleoptera, by Juhn Curtis, Esq., F.L.S. (both papers

from the Transactions of the Linnean Society) ; all by the Author. ‘ Insecta Saunder-

siana; Coleoptera, Curculionides, by H. Jekel; by W. W. Saunders, Esq.

Exhibitions.

Mr. Stevens exhibited a quantity of insects of all orders, including several fine new

species, being part of the collection made by Madame Pfeiffer, at Amboyna and

Ceram. Among the butterflies were the true Ornithoptera Priamus 9, O. Panthous

and O. Amphimedon, Cramer. The Lepidoptera came packed between sheets of

paper, and the other orders loose in layers between paper and cotton, not pinned ; and

all had travelled quite securely.

Mr. Edwin Shepherd exhibited a specimen of Arctia Caja, from the collection of

Mr. Allis, having the left upper wing marked with two nearly parallel streaks of the

same colour as the under wings, crossing the other colours of the wing from the base

to the posterior margin. He likewise exhibited, from the collection of Mr, John Scott, a

specimen of Triphena orbona, of which the upper wings were much shortened and

the colour was nearly black, the anterior margin being suffused with red. This

remarkable variety was taken in Scotland.

Mr. Edward Sheppard exhibited a silken bag of a slight, flossy texture, being one

of the kind imported from China as coverings to the ends of the hanks of silk in bales.

Dr. Gray said he was informed by Mr. Reeves that each of these bags was only a

single cocoon beaten out.

Prize Essay for 1855.

The President announced that the subject proposed for the Prize Essay of the

Society this year was the Coccus producing the lac-dye of commerce, towards which,

as announced last year, Dr. Royle had promised the assistance of all the information

on the subject possessed by the East India Company to any one who would undertake

the Essay.

Proposed Catalogue of British Coleoptera.

The Secretary stated that a proposition had been made to the Council that the

Society should print a concise Catalogue of British Coleoptera, to facilitate the

exchange of specimens among collectors, and thus lead to a rectification of the

synonymy. The Council, although aware that at present such a list must be imperfect,

were disposed to give the proposition a favourable consideration provided they were

assured of support, and they invited communications on this point from Coleopterists

generally.

Mr. Westwood thought, that by the united labours of our Members this desirable

work might be accomplished.

Dr. Gray said he had long tried to get a Catalogue of British Coleoptera made,

but in vain; he was still ready to print one, and to pay the author.

Habits of Eastern Butterflies.

Mr. Newman called the attention of the Meeting to a paper, by Mr. Wallace, ‘On the

Butterflies of Sarawak,’ which appeared in the March number of ‘ The Zoologist.’ The

passages to which he referred were as follows:—‘‘The handsome green and blue

spotted butterflies, Papilio Agamemnon, &c., fly with the greatest rapidity of any

Papilios: the eye can scarcely follow them; in fact they much resemble in habit the

humming Sphinxes, and hover over flowers, or more frequently over damp places on

the ground, with a constant vibration of the wings. * * * Papilio Iswara, and

another species allied to P. Helenus, but I think new, have an undulating flight, very

like that of the South American Morphos, or even sometimes &pproaching that of the

large Noctuidae, and they rest with the upper wings deflexed over the lower.” Mr.

Newman thought both these facts, the hovering like Sphinxes, and the resting with

deflexed wings, extremely interesting : it would be within the recollection of many en-

tomologists that Mr. Swainson and the late Mr. Edward Doubleday had urged the

latter character as a reason why Castnia should be united to the Sphingide : with this

new evidence before us, we may perhaps agree to the conclusion of these eminent

Lepidopterists, but we must demur to the reasoning, because if Castnia were a Sphinx

only on the ground that it possessed the character of resting with deflexed wings, then

Iswara were a Sphinx also. On mentioning this subject to Mr. Adam White, the ori-

ginal describer of Papilio Iswara, and a gentleman whose entomological knowledge

is all but universal, he obligingly showed Mr. Newman specimens of allied Papilios

preserved, in the matchless collection of the British Museum, with their wings in the

position described by Mr. Wallace.

South African Honey-bee.

Under this title Mr. Newman read the following memorandum: —

“T believe it is generally supposed that one particular species of bee is entitled ,

to the name of ‘honey-bee,’ because the only one that in this country produces

honey in sufficient quantity to be serviceable to man; but there are several others.

A friend, writing from the Cape, mentions a honey-bee which is even more pro-

ductive than ours; he describes it as very small, scarcely half the size of Apis

mellifica, and very fond of domiciliating in outhouses, and otherwise attaching

itself to the homesteads of man. I expect to receive specimens, and shall have

much pleasure in handing them to Mr. Smith for examination. Mr. Webster,

in his graphic narrative of the ‘Voyage of the Chanticleer, also writes thus on

visiting the farm-house of a Dutch boor:—‘The first thing that attracted my

attention was a swarm of bees that had attached themselves to the parlour-

window, occupying the space between the shutter and the glass. On inquiring about

them, I found that they had taken a liking to the situation for several years. * * *

After the fear of being stung by them was got over, I contemplated the labours of these

little creatures with much pleasure, and they frequently afterwards occupied my atten-

tion. They are much smaller than our bees, and appeared to be far less irritable, and

I was informed that they work during the whole year. They kept the house well sup-

plied with honey, the comb being taken away about eight times during the course of

the year, or about every six weeks. The hexagonal form of the cells did not seem to

be the result of pressure, and were all of the same form, both at the top and sides. In

the course of my observations of them, I frequently saw them removing a portion of

wax from one part of the comb to another. These proofs of the existence of so

profitable a honey-bee in the Cape Colony, appear to me very interesting. Mr.

Webster’s observation about the figure of the cells reminds me of an idea that I

carried out three years ago: I obtained a cake of bees’ wax and perforated it with cir-

cular holes as near as possible together, and afterwards, with a sharp penknife,

reduced the walls to the greatest tenuity they would bear without breaking; the result

was the formation of closely approximated hexagons, a good deal resembling those

made by the bees ; but of course much larger and much less regular: I believe the ex-

periment was suggested by a note written years ago by Mr. Waterhouse,* but it

seems to imply that the”hexagonal form is almost an inevitable result of two grand

objects of Nature,—economy of space, and economy of material,—and does not prove

the existence of that reflecting power which some have claimed for the bee.”

A new Enemy to the Honey-bee.

-Under this title Mr. Newman read the following note :—

“You will probably recollect my mentioning some months back, on the authority

of Mr. Lucas, a fact which I thought new, that of a fat toad squatting himself on the

alighting-board of a bee-hive, watching for the bees and swallowing them one after

another as they returned home at night after the labours of a long summer's day. The

statement was received with evident distrust: I particularly remember our friend Mr.

Hudson thought it impossible for a toad to climb to such a pusition, and a learned

apiarian, a namesake of my own, wrote a reply showing that such an assertion

was totally unworthy of serious consideration, and evidently comforted himself in

believing he had totally extinguished this supposed new light in bee history. How-

ever, there is another glimmer from the same lamp, and exhibited quite incidentally

and @ propos to another anecdote. My informant is Mr. Charles Muskett, of Norwich.

* Trans. Ent. Soc. III. Proceed. p. xii.-

‘It is, no doubt, well known, says Mr. Muskett, ‘that the common toad will sit

at the entrance of the hive and devour the bees one after another as they come within reach

of his tongue ; but a rather singular circumstance occurred a few days since in this

neighbourhood; it was witnessed by my brother, and I can vouch for the fact: during

the late severe weather, happening to be occupied in the garden, he heard a tapping

noise in the direction of the bee-house, and on directing his attention to the spot,

observed a woodpecker (Picus viridis) drop down on the block and devour the bees as

fast as they made their appearance. My brother had previously noticed that the bees

diminished in number, and could not account for it: on examining the hive he

found the mortar had been pecked away, so that more light was admitted.”

Mr. Westwood remarked that the fact that toads were enemies to bees was new

and interesting, and he would take this opportunity to mention, as a circumstance that

had come under his own observation, and one that he had uot seen published, that the

common sparrows ate honey-bees with avidity, but only at a certain period of the year,

namely, in July, when they had young ones to provide for and there was a lack

of their usual food.

On Greasiness in Insects.

Mr. Douglas read the following note :—

“In his Monograph of the Genus Depressaria, published in the 9th vol. of the

‘ Linnea Entomologica, Professor Zeller, in a note under D. ultimella, says he could

not distinguish the examples of that species received from Mr. Stainton, on account

of the greasy condition of their bodies; and he further remarks, that the greater pre-

valence of greasiness in English collections, compared with those of Germany, is due

to the use of camphor in English cabinets. I have heard this idea before, but esteemed

it only as the dictum of an individual; for we often find certain species get greasy

even before they are removed from the setting-boards, and this remark applies

especially to those Lepidoptera which, in their larva state, are internal feeders. In

the cabinet it is almost invariably internal feeders, both Lepidoptera and Coleoptera,

which first become greasy. Yet it is perhaps worth while to ask some of our chemical

friends to tell us whether there is any foundation for the opinion that the odour of

camphor has any influence in developing greasiness in preserved specimens of insects.

“The Germans, I am informed, use quicksilver to keep away mites, and it might be

asked, in addition to the question just proposed, whether its presence in the insect-

drawers has any influence in preventing the appearance of grease in the specimens.

As in Germany it is the practice to mount insects high up on the pins, there is no dif-

ficulty in the use of quicksilver, but with us it would be far different, for, as the wings

of our Lepidoptera touch the paper, the globules would roll over and destroy them,—

that is, if the method of placing it loose in the drawers, as used in Germany, were

adopted.

“In France they appear to use no preservative at all, if we may judge from the con-

dition in which specimens of Lepidoptera have been returned to this country; and we

know that the fine state of preservation of our collections has excited the admiration

of French Lepidopterists,

“ For the injury to insects by greasiness, camphine is an effectual remedy ; simple

immersion therein, however, is not sufficient to prevent the recurrence of greasiness ;

the specimens should remain in the spirit for several days.

“Tn old and neglected specimens the pins become quite corroded by verdigris: to

prevent the occurrence of this, a method is used in Germany, of which I was informed

by Mr. Dohrn: it consists in pushing the pin further through the insect than it is in-

tended to remain, covering the portion immediately below the insect with a solution

of gum arabic, and then drawing back the pin, which, by the coating it has received,

is preserved from the action of the grease. The same principle has recently been ap-

plied in this country, by electro-plating the pins; and it is likely to be of use for those

species in which the pin becomes corroded, and yet the grease does not much affect

the insect: but the expense of these pins will prevent their general adoption.”

Mr. Edward Sheppard said he had found the use of electro-plated pins check the

growth of verdigris in greasy insects.

Mr. Edwin Shepherd said he had tried pins doubly-gilt, and yet in some instances

he found they were acted on by the grease of the insects. He thought that when the

bodies of insects rested on the paper they were more liable to become greasy than when

the insect was elevated on the pin, as in the continental method.

Mr. Waterhouse said one great cause of greasiness was the placing insects in the

cabinet soon after they were captured.

The President said that in the continental cabinets, where quicksilver was used, it

was confined to grooves in the bottom of the drawers.

Captain Cox said that so long as he kept his insects in London none of them were

greasy, but having removed them into the country, near to a running stream, forty or

fifty of them have become greasy, and this effect he attributed to the moisture of the

atmosphere of the place.

Mr. Janson read the following two notes by Dr. H. Schaum, of Berlin :—

On Heterorrhina bicostata, Westwood.

“‘ Mr. Westwood has lately given, in the ‘ Transactions’ of this Society, New Series,

ili. p. 66, some details and a drawing of an African Heterorrhina, which he considers

to be the H. bicostata, published by me in the fifth volume of the ‘ Transactions,’ p.

65. He asserts that the unique specimen described by me, is in Captain Parry’s col-

lection, and that his drawing had been taken from that specimen.

“T beg to state that this assertion is not correct, but that my specimen was from the

cabinet of the late Mr. Melly (as indicated by me |. c. p.65), and is now in the posses-

sion of his son. I mention this, because a comparison of Mr. Westwood’s figure with

my description leads me to the opinion that the H. bicostata of Mr. Westwood is spe-

cifically distinct from the insect published by me.

“The following differences seem to exist between the two insects: in the typical spe-

cimen of Heterorrhina bicostata of Schaum the thorax is unusually small; the meso-

sternal part of the sternal process short; the four posterior tibie deeply sulcated inside ;

while in the specimen figured by Mr. Westwood the thorax is of the usual size,

the mesosternal process long, and the four posterior tibie without furrows on the

inside. Furthermore, the anterior tibie are simple in Mr. Melly’s specimen, while

they are armed beyond the middle with a broad, though obtuse, tooth, in Captain

Parry’s insect. On this last difference I lay, however, but little stress, as it may arise

from the two specimens belonging to different sexes. For, though Mr. Westwood

designates his specimen as a male, I am inclined to draw from his own words the con-

clusion that it isa female. The presence of a tooth on the outside of the anterior

tibie would itself be quite an anomalous character in a male of a green African

Heterorrhina, and the indication, that the abdomen has “‘a slight oblong-oval impres-

sion,” seems as little to support Mr. Westwood’s opinion, for in all other species the

abdomen of the male shows a broad and deep furrow along its middle.

“Tt might seem ludicrous for me to discuss the sex of an insect, which I have not

seen, and I would certainly have refrained from doing so, if I had not compared in the

Royal Museum, at Berlin, a specimen taken in Mosambique by Dr. Peters, which I

suppose to be the male of Mr. Westwood’s insect. It agrees well with the figure of

the latter, except that it is considerably smaller, that the anterior tibie are unarmed,

the tarsi longer, and the abdomen with a deep excavation in its middle. These are,

however, differences, which, in the genus Heterorrhina distinguish the males from the

fernales.

“Tf my supposition prove to be correct it will become necessary to bestow another

name on Heterorrhina bicostata of Westwood.

Remarks on Mr. Curtis's recent Descriptions and Figures of British Elateride.

“The descriptions and figures of some British Elateride, published by Mr. Curtis

in the ‘Transactions’ of this Society, New Series iii., p. 10, enable me to point out

under what names most of these species have been described by continental authors.

“Ectinus? gagates, Curt., is undoubtedly Ampedus lugens, of Redtenbacher and

Germar, as stated already by Mr. Janson in the ‘ Entomologist’s Annual’ for 1855,

p- 98.

“N. G.? punctolineatus, Curt., is perhaps Ampedus scrofa, Germ., though I have

never seen a specimen of the latter which attains the size given by Mr. Curtis, and in

which the smooth line down the centre of the thorax, mentioned by Mr. Curtis, is well

marked.

“ Elater nigrinus, Curt., seems better to agree with Ampedus obsidianus and brunni-

cornis, Germ. (which are varieties of the same species as recognised by Germar him-

self) than with the true Amp. nigrinus, Payk., Gyll.

“ Aplotarsus maritimus and Cardiophorus formosus, Cvrt., are unknown to me.

Should not the latter be regarded as a foreign insect accidentally introduced into

England ?

“ Aplotarsus? cothurnatus, Cwrt., is in all probability Ampedus subcarinatus, Germ.

“T take advantage of this opportunity to state that the Lathrobium carinatum, Bold.

figured in the ‘ Entomologist’s Annual,’ is angusticolle, Hr.”

Observations on British Elateride.

Mr. Janson also read some observations, by himself, on the British Elateride,

alluded to by Dr. Schaum.

M. Henri Jekel communicated, through Mr. Waterhouse, the following

Note on Omias sulcifrons.

“ A very interesting fact for the British Fauna should be the increase of a genus in

the family Curculionide (though adding no new species), if sufficient generic differences

were to be found.

“M. Jacquelin Du Val has shortly described and figured in his ‘Genera des

Coléopteres d Europe,’ page 13, plate 10, fig. 21 bis et 21 bis A, under the name of

Barypeithes rufipes, ax insect which is nothing but the Omias sulcifrons, Sch., t. vii.

pars 1, page 143, a species, as far as I am informed, only found, until the present time,

in England, but now also pertaining to French-Britain’s Fauna, the specimens in the

collection of M. Chevrolat having been caught in the neighbourhood of Brest; no un-

usual fact, for I have received from M. de Léséleuc, who resides in the Department du

Finestére, several species, which had been recorded as British only before his investiga-

tions. The national name of British is then not the only point of resemblance between

the two countries.

“The value of M. Jacquelin Du Val’s generic characters, as well as the place he

gives to this insect (which, in my opinion, should be connected with Omias), I propose

to discuss in my next note. I venture to say at present, that both the description and

the figure do not permit one to recognise the insect, and I have to add that Boheman’s

description in Schénherr (loc. cit.) is perfect.”

April 2, 1855. ’

Joun Curtis, Esq., President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the

donors :— Abhandlungen der Mathematisch-Physikalischen Classe der Koniglich

Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vol. xvii. Part 2; ‘ Bulletin der K6niglich

Akademie der Wissenschaften, Nos. 1—52, 1853; ‘ Ueber das Klima von Munchen,’

von Karl Kuhn; by the Academy. ‘The Literary Gazette’ for March; by the

Editor. ‘Journal of the Society of Arts’ for March; ‘Catalogue of the Seventh

Exhibition of Inventions ;’ both by the Society of Arts. ‘ Proceedings of the Royal

Society,’ Vol. vii. Nos. 9 and 10; by the Society. ‘The Zoologist’ for April; by the

Editor. ‘ Proceedings of the Berwickshire Naturalist’s Club,’ Vol. iii. No. 5; by the

Club. ‘The Entomologist’s Annual for 1855, 2nd Edition; by the Editor. Hewit-

son’s ‘Exotic Butterflies, Part 14; by W. W. Saunders, Esq. ‘ Entomologische

Zeitung, 1855, Nos. 1 and 2; by the Entomological Society of Stettin. Fifty-two

specimens of British Lepidoptera; by H. Doubleday, Esq.

Distribution of the Society's Duplicate Insects.

The Secretary announced that the Council had determined to distribute among the

Members the duplicate specimens in the Society’s collection of British Coleoptera,

Exotic Coleoptera and Exotic Diurnal Lepidoptera; and that, in order to give the

country Members an opportunity of selection, the distribution would not take place

until after the June meeting. The Council did not make any condition of exchange,

but they hoped the Members would, in return, contribute as far as they were able the

desiderata to the Society’s collection.

iS 8)

Proposed Catalogue of British Coleoptera.

The Secretary also said he was happy to announce that the offer of Dr. Gray for a

Synonymic Catalogue of British Coleoptera had been accepted by our Curator, Mr.

Janson, who would be glad to receive any information and assistance from his brother

Coleopterists in the work he had undertaken. The first part of the Catalogue would

be ready in about two months, and it was also Mr. Janson’s intention eventually to

print a Nomenclature of the Species, for interchange among collectors.

Exhibitions.

Mr. Foxcroft sent for exhibition specimens of several species of Lepidoptera, re-

cently reared by him from larve collected in Fifeshire; a pair of each species would

be given to each of his subscribers for Lepidoptera: also two specimens of Papilio

Machaon, with the skins of the chrysalides from which they came: both insects and

pupe, he said in a note, presented certain constant differences of marking divisible

into two kinds, of each of which he had reared males and females.

Mr. Bond exhibited a Phragmatobia Menthrasti, presenting an agglomeration of

the dark spots on the costa intv a continuous line, and also some other variations of

marking. This specimen was reared by Mr. Foxcroft.

Mr. Stevens exhibited, from the collection of Madame Pfeiffer, a pair of the rare

beetle Euchirus longimanus.

Greasiness of Insects.

Mr. Stainton exhibited two specimens of Nepticula Acetose, pinned last summer,

which already showed signs of verdigris on the pins.

Mr. Edward Sheppard exhibited four specimens of a Donacia, two of which were

mounted on gilt and two on ungilt pins. They were all pinned at the same time, four

mouths ago, and the gilt pins exhibited no trace of verdigris, but the ungilt pins were

surrounded with it.

Mr. Edwin Shepherd repeated his former remark, that after the lapse of a year or

more he had found pins doubly gilt were affected by the greasiness of some insects

equally with ungilt pins.

Description of a New Ornithoptera.

Mr. Stevens read a description, by Mr. Wallace, of a new butterfly taken by him

on the N. W. coast of Borneo, under the name of Ornithoptera Brookiana, of which

a drawing was exhibited.

Tropical Micro-Lepidoptera.

Mr. Stevens read an extract from a letter received from Mr. Wallace, in Borneo,

in which he stated that he had taken about 700 Micro-Lepidoptera, among which are

some extraordinary developments of palpi, Xc. He finds these small moths come in

abundance to a lamp, on dark, wet nights, and in the wet season he is sure he could

get thousands of them.

The President read the following note :—

On the Galls produced by Cynips Quercus-petioli.

“When, at the last Meeting of the Society, I presented my observations upon

various galls from the Crimea, lately published in the ‘ Gardener's Chronicle, I had

no opportunity of referring to the oak-galls which have been several times exhibited

to the Members under different names.

“ Tt is, however, most important that the name of the species should be determined ;

I therefore investigated the subject carefully, and am satisfied that I was correct in

the opinion I first gave. It may be remembered that when the galls, with the fly,

from Mr. Walcott, were laid before the Society by me, and also by Mr. Rich, I stated

they were identical with the Cynips Quercus-petioli of Linneus, but this opinion was

objected to by Mr. Newman, owing to the galls not being apparently produced from

the petioles.

“On referring to Linneus’s ‘ Fauna Suecica, p. 387, I find he writes of Cynips

Quercus-petioli, ‘ Habitat in Galla utrinque convexa inflata, petioli seu ramuli

Quercus,’ showing that the galls are not confined to one spot, and he refers to Roésel’s

Ins. App. t. 35, 36, which volume I had obtained of Mr. Janson at the last Meeting,

in order to exhibit the excellent plate of the galls there given, together with the

imago, which agrees well with the females bred by Mr. Walcott, at once identifying

the galls and insects which I exhifited last November with the Cynips Quercus-petioli

of Linneus, and likewise with Reaumur’s fig. 7, pl]. 41, vol. iii., which evidently repre-

sents the galls of the same species of Cynips.

“ T would also observe that the ‘ Galle en pomme,’ represented in the same plate

by Reaumur, and formed by the Cynips Quercus-terminalis, is so totally different

from the galls of the C. Quercus-petioli in the internal structure, as well as in their

position on the twigs of the oak, that they must be the productions of very different

species.

“ Since the above memoranda were written IL. see Mr. Westwood has given, in the

‘ Gardener’s Chronicle,’ an Essay on the British Ink-Galls, with figures of the oak-gall

and the Cynips from Devon; and I am glad to learn he intends to investigate still

further the galls of commerce. It is possible they may not be found so valuable, in a

commercial point of view, as they were formerly, owing to the galls being superseded

by metallic ingredients in the manufacture of ink; nevertheless they may still he ser-

viceable in furnishing a permanent dye.”

Mr. Westwood said he had very recently found his specimens of the Cynips, which

he had determined to be the C. Quercus-petioli so long ago that the ink with which

the name was written on the label had faded.

Duration of Life in the Honey-Bee.

Read, “ Observations on the Honey-Bee, in continuation of the Prize Essay of the

Entomological Society for 1852 ;” by J. G. Desborough, Esq.

Mr. Wollaston’s Collection of Madeira Insects.

Dr. Gray said it might be interesting to the Members to know that Mr. Wollaston

had transferred to the British Museum his collection of Madeira Insects.

May 7, 1855.

Joun Curtis, Esq., President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the

donors :—‘ Proceedings of the Royal Society, Vol. vii. No. 11; by the Society. The

‘Atheneum’ for March and April; by the Editor. The ‘ Literary Gazette’ for April ;

by the Editor. The ‘ Zoologist’ for May; by the Editor. ‘List of Specimens of

Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum,’ Part ii., Lepidoptera-

Heterocera ; by F. Walker, Esq. ‘A List of the British Species of Geodephaga in-

tended for marking Desiderata and Labelling Collections, taken from Mr. Dawson’s

Geodephaga Britannica,’ by G. Guyon; two copies, by the Author. ‘ Annales de la

Société Entomologique de France, 3me Série, Tome ii., 4me Trimestre; by the

Society. ‘Verhandlungen des Zoologisch-Botanischen Vereins in Wien, Band iii.

1853, Band iv. 1854; by the Society. ‘Entomologische Zeitung’ for March and

April, 1855 ; by the Entomological Society of Stettin. Trachodes hispidus, one speci-

men; by F. Plant, Esq., of Leicester. Trachodes hispidus, one specimen; Lina

«nea, two specimens; Callistus lunatus, two specimens; by F. Bates, Esq., of

Leicester.

Exhibitions.

Mr. Crewe exhibited two specimens of Notodonta cucullina bred from the eggs.

Mr. Stevens exhibited six specimens of Notodonta carmelita reared from the eggs ;

also five specimens of Aleucis pictaria, taken within the last week at Dartford Heath.

Mr. Foxcroft sent for exhibition three specimens of Endromis versicolor, taken by

him in the birch wood, Fincastle, Perthshire, on the 18th of April.

The Rev. W. H. Hawker exhibited a specimen of the very rare Cloantha perspi-

cillaris, taken in a spider’ web at Ashford, Hants; and two specimens of Argynnis

Lathonia, captured in that locality.

Mr. Stevens exhibited a Dicranocephala, taken in China by Mr. Fortune, which

was thought to be distinct from D. Wallichii.

Mr. Newman exhibited three species of the Australian genus Deretaphrus, de-

scribed in the Appendix to the ‘ Zoologist,’ p. 207, all of them remarkable for the

excavation in the prothorax, from which the genus received its name: he added that

an admirable description and summary of the characters of this curious genus, from

the pen of that accomplished Coleopterist, Mr. Wollaston, was prefixed to the

descriptions of the species.

Mr. Newman also exhibited two beautiful specimens of that rare Australian beetle,

the Diphyllocera gemellata of Westwood, admirably described and figured in our

‘Transactions,’ vol. i. p. 214, and tab. xxii. fig. 1. They have been most obligingly

placed in Mr. Newman’s hands by Mr. James Gibbon, together with an immense

number of rarities and novelties collected by himself at Moreton Bay.

Mr. Newman also exhibited the unique specimen of Dohrnia miranda, one of the

Australian Gidemeride, described by him at p. 133 of the Appendix to the ‘ Zoologist :’

he wished particularly to invite attention to the perfectly anomalous structure of the

antenne of this insect.

Remarkable variety of Cynthia Cardui.

Mr. Newman also exhibited a specimen of Cynthia Cardui, showing a remarkable

aberration from the normal colouring: it was taken on the 8th of September, 1851, at

St. Lawrence, in the Isle of Wight, by Mr. George Ingall, who most obligingly

placed it in Mr. Newman's hands, and enabled him to draw up the following brief

description, which appeared at the time at p. 3304 of the ‘ Zoologist, but the insect

never having been exhibited to the Society, Mr. Newman thought it might be

interesting :—

“ Upper side: fore wings.—In examples of Cynthia Cardui in its normal state,

the entire apical area is of a deep brown colour, approaching to black, and adorned

with certain white markings, the chief of which is a large oblong white blotch,

situated at about two-thirds of the costal margin, to which its upper extremity is

closely approximate; beyond this are four subrotund white spots disposed in an

irregular series, the first and fourth being considerably larger than those which are

intermediate, and again, beyond these, and still nearer the apex of the wing, is a

sinuous series of five slender white lunules: in the aberrant example the large white

mark, as well as the lunules, are entirely absent; the four subrotund spots are present,

but altered in form, and having indistinct and suffused limits: the lowest of the four

is increased to treble its normal dimensions, and united to an equally large and

similarly shaped white spot in the adjoining areolet, and again, in the next areolet,

i.e., the one stil] nearer the anal angle of the wing, is still another smaller round

white spot: in normal specimens the fulvous discoidal area is blotched with very dark

amorphous patches, in the aberrant example these are entirely absent, the discoidal

area being uninterruptedly fulvous : in the normal state the black border of the anal

portion of the external margin is of an intense dark brown, in the aberrant example

it is much paler, and increased to double its usual width. Upper side: hind wings.—

In normal examples of this species there is an interrupted band of dark brown

markings across the discoidal area; nearer the exterior margin is a series of five

round black spots, one in each of the open areolets, with the exception of that nearest

the anus; again, beyond this is a series of six elongate black lunules, one in each

open areolet: in the abnormal example, all these markings are absent but nearly on

the site of the five round black spots are five round pure white spots, of which that

nearest the anal angle has an indistinct brown ocellus. The black marginal markings

which, in the normal state, have been described as hastate, are in the aberrant ex-

ample suffused and considerably altered in appearance. Under side.—This partakes,

in a great degree, of all the remarkable aberrations noticeable on the upper side, but,

in addition, the entire under surface has a washed or suffused appearance, all the

distinctness or sharpness, so to speak, of the usual exquisitely beautiful marbled

markings being obliterated.”

Athous campyloides,

Mr. Newman also exhibited the three specimens of Athous campyloides taken by

that indefatigable collector, the late Mr. Robert Foster, on the blossoms of elder, at

Ramsgate, and described at p. 509 of the first volume of the ‘ Entomological

Magazine. Mr. Newman had lately submitted the specimens to the critical

examination of Mr. Janson, and he believed no one understood our British Elateridee

so thoroughly, and Mr. Janson pronounced the species to be perfectly distinct from

any other British Elater with which he was acquainted. The specimens are two

males and one female; they differ considerably in size and colour, but evidently

belong to the same species. Mr. Newman remarked that the time and locality were

very inviting to out-of-door entomologists, and he hoped to incite some of his

brethren of the net to a further search: the species, he observed, was probably Con-

tinental, as well as insular, but he knew of no other description than the one to which

he had alluded. He added that, since he had been in the room, Mr. Dawson had

shown him a specimen taken also at Ramsgate.

Death of Dr. De Haan.

The Secretary announced that the Council had been informed of the death of

Dr. De Haan, one of the Honorary Members of the Society, at the age of fifty-

four years.

Election of Members.

The following gentlemen were balloted for and elected Members of the Society :—

Henry Ansell, Esq., Tottenham; John Matthew Jones, Esq., Welshpool ; and Joseph

Baly, Esq., Kentish Town.

Saturnia Ricini.

Mr. Douglas called the attention of the Society to the note by Dr. Boisduval, in

the ‘ Annales’ of the Entomological Society of France, on the Indian Saturnia, which

feeds, in the larva state, on the castor-oil plant, the insect being quite distinct from

S. Cynthia, with which it has been confounded, and Dr. Boisduval proposes for it the

name of 8. Ricini, after its food-plant.

Descriptions of new European Lepidoptera, Formicidae, Diptera, Arachnida, &c.

Mr. Douglas also directed attention to the ‘Verhandlungen’ of the Zoologisch-

Botanischen Verein of Vienna, containing many entomological articles of great interest,

including the following :—‘ On the First State of some Phycidee ;’ by J. v. Hornig.

The natural history of the following species is given :—

Gymnancyla canella (a rare British species). The larve feed, in September and

October, on Salsola kali, eating the stems of the plant, and living under a whitish

leathery web, which never contains more than one larva.

Spermatophthora Hornigii, Zed. The larva feeds, in September and October, on

the seed-vessels of Atriplex angustifolia.

Homeeosoma binevella. The larva lives, in May and June, inside the flower-

heads of Carduus Acanthoides.

Cryptoblabes Rutilella, F.-v.-R. The larva, which is very local near Vienna, lives

in the autumn on alder bushes, changes to pupa at the beginning of October, and

appears in the perfect state the following May.

There are also ‘ Descriptions of two new Geometride,’ by Mann; viz., Psodos

alticolaria and Geometra Beryllaria. ‘ Dipterological Fragments ;’ by Dr. Schiner

and Dr. Egger. ‘Contributions towards a Knowledge of Ants, contdining descriptions

of several new species, by G. L. Mayr. ‘ Contributions towards the Monography of

the Genus of Spiders, Dysdera;’ by K. Doblika. A continuation of the ‘ Versuch, die

Europaischen Spanner ;’ by J. Lederer. ‘Notes on the Lepidoptera of Siberia;’ by

J. Lederer. ‘On the Myrmicide, and a New Genus thereof’ by G. L. Mayr.

The Common Broom (Genista scoparia), the food-plant of Anarsia Geniste.

Under this tile Mr. Newman communicated the following note :—

“The following memorandum, placed in my hands by Mr. William Machin, of

35, William Street, Globe Fields, Mile End, will give our members an idea when

and where to look for this scarce insect, the larva of which appears, from Mr. Stainton’s

‘Tineina, to have been bred only from Genista tinctoria:—‘ Having collected a

quantity of larve from the common broom in a number of localities, and placed them

altogether in a breeding-cage, I reared from them, on the 6th of July last, two

specimens of Anarsia Genistez ; thus proving not only the food-plant of the insect, but

also that it appears in the perfect state in the beginning of July.’”

New Entomological Works.

Mr. Stainton informed the Meeting that Professor Boheman had recently published

a Report on the Entomological Works and Papers of 1851 and 1852, which he

characterised as very complete and effective: its tile is ‘ Berattelse om framstegen i

Tnsekternas, Myriapodernas och Arachnidernas Natural Historia for 1851 och 1852:’

Stockholm, 1854.

Mr. Stainton also said that during his recent visit to Paris he had seen a very

useful work, published by Mons. Leon Fairmaire and Dr. Laboulbéne, entitled ‘ Faune

Entomologique Frangaise, and containing descriptions of all known French insects :

two parts of the Coleoptera are published, price five francs each.

Rectifications of Misstatements.

Mr. Westwood stated that he felt it necessary to make the two following rectifica-

tions of misstatements recently published in the Society’s ‘ Transactions :’"—

“T.. In p. 58, vol. iii. New Series, Mr. Curtis has stated, in a foot-note, that the

characters of Coniopteryx given by Mr. Westwood in the ‘ Introduction to the Modern

Classification of Insects’ (Gen. Syn. p. 48) are copied from his ‘ British Entomology.’

It will be necessary only to cumpare the characters given in these two works to see

that this statement is unfounded: Mr. Westwood’s original detailed description (accom-

panied by drawings of the anatomical details of the genus) was, moreover, read at the

Entomological Society five months before Mr. Curtis published his description, and

the insect was referred by Mr. Westwvod to its legitimate family, whereas by Mr. Curtis

it was incorrectly placed in the family Psucide ; whilst Mr. Stephens, who had, in fact,

first pointed it out as a genus, referred it to a different order.”

“IT. In page 134, vol. iii. New Series, Mr. Smith has described the Formicideous

genus Stenamma, which he assigns to Mr. Stephens as its author; that author, how-

ever, had no other share in its establishment than that of indicating its existence in his

Catalogue (p. 356), as follows: —

‘Genus 92: (666)

4838. + 1. Westwoodii mihi. In Mus. D. Westwood.

The fact simply being, that knowing that Mr. Westwood possessed a new British ant,

which the latter regarded as a distinct genus, he thought fit to notice its existence, iden-

tifying it with Mr. Westwood's insect by attaching his name to it specifically. The

name and characters of the genus were first given in the ‘ Introduction to Modern

Classification.’ Mr. Smith states, moreover, that there are no other differences

separating Stenamma from Myrmica than the three-jointed labial palpi (in Myrmica

they are four-jointed), the importance of which character Mr. Smith endeavours, perhaps

with reason, to disprove. But, in the ‘ Introduction’ (ii. p. 219, 226, and Gen. Syn.

p- 83), Mr. Westwood has described and figured the structuse of the mandibles and

maxillary palpi, which entirely disagree with those of Myrmica, proving the insect to

belong to the same section as Myrmecina and Polyergus.”

Mr. Stainton read the following note :—

The Occurrence of the Small Genera of Tineina in Tropical Countries established.

“The question has frequently been asked, whether the small genera of Micro-

Lepidoptera, Lithocolletis, Nepticula, &c., which are so plentifully represented in

these temperate regions, do not also occur in tropical climates. Those who had col-

lected abroad denied their occurrence there, because they had never seen them; but

this was a negative proof which merely established that they had not been observed,

not that they did not occur there; and to observe these small genera a special educa-

tion is absolutely necessary; the eye which has been trained to detect an Ornithoptera

on the wing at the distance ofa quarter of a mile, cannot at once, and without previous

practice, notice a Nepticula at the distance of a few feet.

“ T have for some time entertained the opinion that, if the exotic Micro-Lepidoptera

are to be collected, it must be by some entomologist who has learned first to collect

insects of that group at home, and who then carries his home-bred skill into distant

regions. I regretted that when Mr. Wallace and Mr. Layard were in this country

neither stopped here long enough to learn the habits of our Micro-Lepidoptera: among

the species of Micro-Lepidoptera collected in Ceylon by Mr. Layard were several belong-

ing to the family Elachistide. and I could scarcely doubt that a short training in

this country would have enabled him to have discovered many smaller species.

“In August last Mr. Atkinson (well known as the captor of Gastropacha Llicifolia)

forwarded me some mines and larve of Phyllocnistis saligna and P. suffusella, and at

the same time informed me he was about to start for Calcutta. T regretted to lose a

useful correspondent in this country; but it directly struck me that here was an op-

portunity of obtaining information of East Indian Micro-Lepidoptera, which might

prove of great importance to us, and I begged Mr. Atkinson to pay particular attention

to any indications he might fall in with of the existence of the smaller genera in

India. :

“On the 6th of April I had the pleasure of receiving a letter from Mr. Atkinson,

with the agreeable information that he had already detected the mines of three

different species of Lithocolletis, of one of which he had reared the perfect insect, and

of this species he bas forwarded me some mines in the upper side of the leaves of

Bauhinia racemosa, which I now exhibit; for this species, which, in the perfect state,

has some affinity with our L. trifasciella, Mr. Atkinson proposes the name of Litho-

culletis Baubinie.

“T think this important discovery will be useful in urging upon those who may

hereafter be likely to visit our colonies the necessity of completing their education in #

this branch of entomological science before they leave home, as I am satisfied that a

skilled Micro-Lepidopterist in unexplored regions would, with the greatest facility,

obtain novelties without end, and would also be able to observe the! habits and trans-

formations of the greater part of his discoveries, so that he would at once add to our

knowledge as well as to our collections.”

The President doubted if Micro-Lepidoptera would be found so plentiful in tropical

countries as Mr, Stainton anticipated ; for, even in the South of Europe, through which,

in company with Mr, Walker, he made a tour some years ago, although they collected

diligently, and sought especially for Micro-Lepidoptera in places similar to those in

which they were plentiful in England, yet, out of more than six thousand specimens of

insects they brought home, the number of small moths was very few. If Micro’s were

abundant in the tropics we should surely have had more of them sent to us.

Mr. Saunders said that when he was in India be gave very little attention to the

small Lepidoptera; but he saw the mines of their larve in leaves, and he remembered

that many small moths used to come to the lights at night.

Small Coleoptera in the Tropics.

Mr. Waterhouse said it used to be thought that tropical countries produced but

few Micro-Coleoptera; but this was an error, for Myr. Darwin had brought from South

America great quantities of minute beetles, collected chiefly just after the rainy

season, ‘

Mr. Westwood said Helfer had collected in India thirty species of Anthicus, besides

many other small beetles, now in the collection at Prague.

Mr. Baly said Mr, Fry had in his possession a drawer-full of minute Staphylinide

from Brazil.

Under this title Mr. Lubbock read a descriptive paper, accompanied by drawings

of the species.

A new Species of Agrotis.

Read the following description, by Mr. Henry Doubleday, of a new species of

Agrotis taken in Britain :—

“Acroris Asuwonrnt. Alis anticis cinereis, strigis tribus denticulatis atris,

macula quadratd nigra inter stigmata, posticis fuscis. (Exp. alar. 1 une.

5—8 lin.)

“Anterior wings cinereous, powdered with black® atoms, with three denticulated

strigw arising from black spots on the costa; one near the base, a second before, and

a third beyond the middle of the wing. Between the stigmata (which ave very in-

distinet) is a quadrate black spot, and another between the anterior stigma and the

second stviva; a fuseous cloud crosses the centre of the wing as in ‘Treniocampa

populeti, ‘I. instabilis, &c.; cilia fuscous, | Posterior wings fuscous in both sexes,

with the cilia paler; head whitish; thorax cinereous ; abdomen pale fuscous; an-

tenne fuscous, white towards the base.

“This pretty species, which appears to be quite unknown upon the Continent, was

discovered at Llangollen, North Wales, by My. Ashworth, in the summer of 1853,

and the specimen forwarded to me for inspection, Last summer many specimens

were tuken by Messrs. Cooke, Gregson, &e., as noticed in Mr, Stainton’s * Ento-

mologist’s Annual, where the insect is figured under the name of Spelotis Vallesiaca.

The figure, however, is by no means good, the anterior wings being much too broad,

“T forwarded a specimen of the male and a drawing of the female to my friend,

M. Guenee, and he says that he believes it to be quite new; T have therefore named

it after its discoverer; it is closely allied to A. lucernea, A. decora, Xe.’

Part iv. vol, iii. New Series, of the ‘Transactions, published in April, was on the

table.

The President announced that Mons. Alex. Yersin, of Morges, Canton de Vaud,

Suisse, is engaged on a Monograph of the Gryllide and Locustide, and solicits the

loan of British species.

June 4, 1855.—Joun Curnris, Esq., President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the

donors :—* Korrespondenz-Blatt des Zoologisch-mineralogischen Vereines in Regens-

burg,’ Achter Jahrgang, 1854; by the Society. * Proceedings of the Royal Society,’

Vol. vii. No. 12; by the Society. ‘The Zoologist’ for June; by the Editor, * Revue

et Magasin de Zoologie, 1855, Nos. 2,3 and 4; by the Editor, M. Guerin Méneville.

* Annales de la Societe Entomologique de France,’ 8me Serie, Tome ii. ler, 2me et 3me

Trimestres ; by the Society. ‘Journal of the Society of Arts’ for May; by the Society.

‘The Literary Gazette’ for May; by the Editor. ‘The Athenwum’ for May; by

the Editor. ‘Contributions to Fossil Entomology’ (from the ‘Quarterly Journal of

Proceedings of the Geological Society’); by the Author, J. O. Westwood, Esq. A

selection of Indian Insects from the Himalayan district, consisting of many fine and

rare species of several orders; by S. P. Pratt, Esq. Some small insects sent from

Ceylon by Mr. Thwaites ; by W. Spence, Esq.

Llection of Members.

Herr Dohrn, President of the Entomological Society of Stettin, and William

Atkinson, Esq., F.L.S., P.Z.8., PR.B.S., &e., were balloted for and elected Members

of the Society.

Revhibitions.

Mr. Stevens exhibited a splendid specimen of Ornithoptera Brookiana, the new

species recently captured in Borneo by Mr. Wallace, and of which the deseription

yas read at the April Meeting of this Society.

Mr. Foxeroft sent for exhibition a box of Coleoptera, recently taken in Perthshire,

including a single specimen of the very rare Dendrophagus erenatus, and a bred

specimen of Anarta cordigera, with a pupa and puparium: of the latter he says,

“They are found made up on the sunny side of stones or on the bark of birch trees;

but the perfect insect selects the side of the stone or tree away from the sun.”

The President exhibited the insects presented by Mr. Spence, and read the

following extract of Mr. Thwaites’ letter addressed to that gentleman :—

“One of the bottles contains the larve and images of a Carabideous beetle which

infests the nests of a little black ant, a few of which are in the bottle. The other

little bottle contains a lot of tiny species of insects of all kinds, amongst which is the

pupa of a little Papilio, sent me by a neighbour as ‘a most wonderful natural produc-

tion, and which, viewed through a lens, has a most extraordinary resemblance to a

monkey's head.”

The President also read the following note, addressed to him by Mons. Charles

Delarouzée, of Paris:—

“Tn removing an old butt, which had served many years to hold water, to water the

garden, it occurred to me that some insects might be found under it; and absolutely,

by examining the earth carefully to the depth of three feet, and in the decayed wood

of the butt, I took an individual of Euplectus sulcicollis, Redt., and many examples

of Anommatus 12-striatus and Langelandia anophthalma. I suppose that the Anom-

matus is a parasite of the Langelandia: probably, by searching in similar places,

you might ascertain the fact.”

The President observed that the insect described by Stephens as an Anommatus

was the Aglenus brunneus of Gyllenhal and Erichson. He believed that the Anom-

matus had not yet been discovered in England.

On Saturnia (Hyalophora) cecropia.

Under this title the following note, by W.S. M. D’Urban, Esq., of Newport, near

Exeter, was read, and the cocoons alluded to exhibited :—

“Having seen in the reports of the Proceedings of the Entomological Society,

during the last twelve months, many notices relating to the silk of Bombyx Cynthia,

and that several persons have discovered means whereby the glutinous substance

which fastens the threads together may be dissolved and the silk unwound, I am

inclined to think that several other Bombyces meet with undeserved neglect, and

especially the subject of these notes, which appears to be well adapted for introduc-

tion into England, since it is a native of a climate subject to severe alternations of

temperature; and the larva feeding only in July and August, it would not be at all

affected by the culd of this island, as most of the other foreign species of Bombycide

are. If we add to this that it produces an immense quantity of a very strong

material, and that its food-plants flourish well in England, we have all the requisites

to constitute a valuable silk-producing insect. During my residence in Canada

I had several opportunities uf observing its transformations; but I regret I did not

determine accurately, from my own observation, its food, as only one of its splendid

larva, and that a full-fed one, came into my possession: this larva™was picked up

crawling across a road at Sorel, Lower Canada, on the 19th of August, 1849, and was

confined in a small basket covered with gauze: after many fruitless attempts to effect

its escape it finally settled itself in the middle of the handle of the basket, and there

began spinning its cocoon (No. 1) the same evening, which, however, it did not com-

plete till the third or fourth day after, being engaged in spinning, with scarcely auy

intermission, during the whole of that time. Having been kept in a warm room

through the winter, it was evolved on the 7th of April, 1850, seven months and

nineteen days from the commencement of its cocoon. In its natural state, however,

it does not make its appearance till June, remaining, therefore, nearly ten months in

the pupa. The cocoon (of which the accompanying specimens are examples)

contains an immense quantity of silk, and is double—a wise precaution against the

severity of the Canadian winters: the outer case is of a very close and stiff texture;

but the inner or true cocoon is rather finer, and is covered on the outside with a

quantity of rough silk, whilst the side next the pupa is very smooth and polished.

Could it be made useful it would be a great boon, as it must be a durable material

indeed to resist the wind and rain of ten months, or of even two or three years, as I

have found these cocoons adhering as strongly as ever to the tree the following spring

after the escape of the moth.

“Even if the cocoons could not be unwound they might be carded and spun in

the same manner as they do those of Bombyx Cynthia, &c., in India. These cocoons

are common about Sorel and Montreal, and’ still more so about Toronto, in Upper

Canada, and are very easily found, as they are spun on the smaller branches of

various trees, and are very conspicuous when the leaves have fallen: they are most

abundant on maple, but I have found them also on apple, fir, &c., and on palings

and dead stalks of weeds. It appears to feed on a variety of plants, and amongst

others I have reason to think on the choke-cherry (Prunus serotina), of which several

plants, reared from seed sent from Canada, are now flourishing in the garden here,

and could be grown to any extent required. I have seen it stated that it feeds on the

wild American plum (Prunus pennsylvanica), and that it has been occasionally reared

on apple-leaves. ‘There would, therefore, be no trouble in finding food for it in this

country; and I do not think there would be much difficulty in introducing it, as the

cocoons could be gathered in any number in Canada aud the United States, and sent

home by steamer, packed in air-tight boxes, as sea air, from my own experience,

seems to be fatal to them. It would be hardly possible to send the eggs across the

Atlantic, as only two months intervene between the appearance of the moth and

the larva going into cocoon, it is manifest the eggs must be hatched soon after they

are laid: these eggs are large and oval in shape, and pure white. If the moths,

when bred in England, could be got to pair, there would then be no further obstacle

in obtaining a supply of silk by the end of the following August after their arrival.

“This and the other magnificent species of Saturnia inhabiting North America

present a strange appearance, when darting past in the dusk of a summen’s evening,

and are extremely difficult to capture, unless they happen to be found at rest during the

day. Mr. Gosse does not appear to have been acquainted with this fine moth, for,

although he mentions several other species of Saturnia in his ‘Canadian Naturalist,’

he does not notice it.

“In conclusion, should the subject be thought worthy of the consideration of this

Society, I shall be happy to obtain cocoons from Canada, and forward some to any

entomologist wishing to make the experiment.”

References to numbers attached to the cocoons were read.

Office of the Wing-rays of Insects.

Read, a paper by Mr. Newman, intituled ‘A Memorandum on the Wing-rays

of Insects, in which the author maintains, in opposition to the published views

of Herold, Kirby & Spence, Oken, Westwood, and other distinguished entomologists,

that the wing-rays are the supports of the membranous portion of the wing, and

in all respects the analogues, although not the homologues, of the wing-bones of

the bat, and that the passage of air, blood and nerves through their channels is

simply a provision of Nature for their maintenance in a healthy and efficient

condition. He supported this view by a reference to experiments and observations

on living insects, and also by the anatomical researches of Chabrier and Bower-

bank, which he had himself verified.

July 2, 1855.—Joun Curtis, Esq., President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the

donors :—‘ Proceedings of the Royal Society,’ Vol. vii., No. 13; by the Society. ‘ The

Literary Gazette’ for June; by the Editor. ‘The Journal of the Society of Arts’ for

June; by the Society. ‘ The Zoologist’ for July ; by the Editor. ‘ Revue et Magasin

de Zoologie, 1855, No. 5; by the Editor, M. Guérin Méneville. ‘ Monograph on the

British Species of Phalangide or Harvest-men’; by R. H. Meade, F.R.C.S.; by the

Author. ‘Saussure’s Monographie des Guépes Sociales’, Cahir, No.7; by the Author.

A specimen of the mole cricket (Gryllotalpa vulgaris); by Mr. J. P. Edwards, of Lynd-

hurst, Hants.

Election of Members.

John Walter Lea, Esq., of Ramsgate, and Alexander Fry, Esq., of Montague

Square, were balloted for, and elected members of the Society.

Exhibitions.

Mr. Meade returned and exhibited the collection of British Arachnida, preserved in

glass tnbes, formerly presented by him tu the Society, and which had recently been for-

warded to him for the purpose of replenishing the spirit in the tubes: he had also

considerably increased the number of species in the collection, which now numbers

ninety-four true spiders and thirteen Phalangide. Mr. Meade stated that he now

employed as a substitute for spirit, a saline solution composed of equal weights

of water and sulphate of magnesia, with the addition of a small quantity of alcohol

and sulphuric acid; this does not injure the colours of spiders, as spirit almost

invariably does.

Mr. Foxcroft sent for exhibition a small box of Lepidoptera, recently taken in

Perthshire ; it also contained the silken galleries formed in ants’ nests by the larve of

Tinea ochraceella, Teng.

Mr. Stevens exhibited a splendid new longicorn beetle from Tana, New Hebrides,

for which Mr. Adam White proposed the name of Psalidocoptus scaber.

Mr. Westwood read a note from a correspondent, who had found the larve of

Meloe in immense numbers on potato-plants “hanging in clusters like swarms

of minute bees;” he also exhibited some of the larve which had been forwarded to

him.

Mr. Janson exhibited two specimens, one of which he presented to the Society’s

cabinet, of Hypulus quercinus, Payk., taken by him on the same stump of oak which

yielded the species last year at Colney Hatch.

Mr. Smith announced that Mr. Frederick Grant had recently discovered colonies

of Tapinoma erratica at Wimbledon and Weybridge; he also exhibited the female of

this species from the latter place, being the only British specimen of that sex hitherto

captured. a

Mr. Edward Sheppard exhibited three specimens of Drypta emarginata, found

by Mr. Arthur Adams under a tuft of grass near Portsmouth, but about two miles

inland.

Mr. Stainton exhibited a number of very accurate drawings of the transformations

of Micro-Lepidoptera, made by Herr Grabow, of Berlin, among which the most

interesting was that of Asychna eratella, which feeds in a pod-like excrescence which

it appears to form on the shoots of Polygonum aviculare, in autumn.

Mr. Hunter exhibited a female Stauropus Fagi, recently taken at Black Park, and

also the young larve about thirty-six hours old, produced from eggs laid by this

specimen.

Anommatus and Langelandia.

The President stated, with reference to the communication made by him at the

last Meeting from Mons. Charles Delarouzée, that he had recently been informed by

that gentleman that the water-butt alluded to was sunk in the earth to the depth of

three feet, which would account for his having found the insects then mentioned three

feet below the surface; he added, that he had no doubt, by searching in similar situa-

tions in this country, we might discover both Anommatus and Langelandia.

Observations on the Habits of two species of Mygale.

Under the above title, Mr. Smith read the following notes, by Mr. H. W. Bates :—

“With regard to spiders, there is one observation I made, which Iam sure will be

of the highest interest to Science: it is with respect to the habit of the genus

Mygale to prey on birds. Now, I have detected them in this fact as far back

as 1849, but thought little of it at the time, as I had the idea that it was a well-known

and undisputed fact in Science. Lately, however, I read an account (I think,

in ‘ Langsdorff’s Expedition in the Interior of Brazil’), where the fact is considered to

rest on no foundation, and to be one more of the fables originated by Madame

Merian.

“ Now, I will relate to you what I saw in the month of June, 1849, in the neigh-

bourhood of Cameta; I was attracted by a curious movement of the large gray-brown

Mygale on the trunk of a vast tree: it was close beneath a deep crevice or chink in

the tree, across which this species weaves a dense web, open for its exit and entrance

100

atoneend. In the present instance the lower part of the web was broken, and two

pretty small finches were entangled in its folds ; the finch was about the size of the

common siskin of Europe, and I judged the two to be male and female; one of them

Was quite dead, but secured in the broken web; the other was under the body of the

spider, not quite dead, and was covered in parts with the filthy liquor or saliva exuded

by the monster. I was on my return from a day’s excursion by land at the time, with

my boxes full of valuable and delicate insects and six miles from my house, and

therefore could not have brought the specimens home, even if I had wished, which I

did not, as the spider was a very common species, easily to be procured nearer home.

The species I cannot name; I sent several fine specimens, stuffed, to London,

in 1851; itis wholly of a gray-brown colour and clothed with coarse pile. Doubtless,

you will immediately know the exact species to which I refer.

“Tf the Mygales did not prey upon vertebrated animals I do not see how

they could find sufficient subsistence.

“On the extensive sandy campos of Santarem, so bare in vegetation, there are

hnndreds of the broad slanting burrows of the large stout species (that fine one, dark

brown, with paler brown lines down the legs, of which I sent specimens in 1851). The

campos, I know, from close research, to be almost destitute of insects, but at the same

time swarm with small lizards, and some curious ground finches of the Emberiza

group (one of which has a song wonderfully resembling our yellow bunting of

England), besides which, vast numbers of the Caprimulgide and ground doves

lay their eggs on the bare ground. I believe this species of Mygale feeds on

these animals and their eggs at night. Just at the close of day when I have

been hurrying home, not liking to be benighted on the pathless waste, I have

surprised these monsters, who retreated within the mouths of their burrows on my

approach.”

Some conversation ensued on the supposed poisonous nature of spiders, and

the strength of the webs formed by various species, in which the President, Mr. West-

wood, Mr. Meade, Captain Cox, &c., took part.

Note on Otiorhynchus sulcatus.

Under this title Mr. Newman read the following paper :—

“In the later months of summer this weevil may frequently be seen crawling about

the wood-work of the fern-house, especially at night ; and who does not visit his fernery

by night? But occasionally you may also find the female clinging to the stipes or

frond-stalks, especially of Adiantum, Cystopteris and Asplenium, genera which send

up fronds in succession until the stalks look like a little forest: nestled among these,

and with its head upwards, it drops its small white globular eggs, which fall quite free,

and seem neither to attach themselves by any viscid covering nor to be attached

designedly by the parent to the frond-stalks or other substances which may happen to

be at hand. We must allow imagination to picture the hatching of the egg and the

descent of the tiny grub: T find the juvenile depredators a few days afterwards

ensconced in snug little cavities of the caudex scarcely large enough to admit the

head of the smallest pin: they are now minute, jelly-like, transparent legless maggots ;

I say jelly-like, because the word describes their appearance with great exactness; but

it must not be understood as implying the possession of the moist or mucous surface

101

distinctive of the larve of some Coleopterous and Hymenopterous insects: on the con-

trary, the surface of these little grubs might be described in the words of pleasant old

Gerarde, as clean and ‘ dry in the first degree:’ after feeding for a very few days the

colour of the grub becomes opaline and slightly opaque, the opaline tint being caused

by the quantity of food in the intestines; this food becomes more and more apparent,

as long as the grub continues to feed. The cavities in the caudex of the fern now

rapidly become larger, and the effect is very visible above ground. When the grub is

feeding most eagerly it is spring ; and, one after another, the Ionic volutes of the nas-

cent circinate fronds droop, wither and fall, plainly proclaiming the presence of the

sapper and miner at work below, the canker-worm at the seat of life. When its appe-

tite is at length satiated, the grub becomes quite opaque, and of a uniform cream-

colour; the food disappears from the intestinal canal, and the creature withdraws

about three-quarters of an inch from the scene of his labours. We use a light sandy

soil for the ferns, and the grub seems to find no difficulty in making his way through

this, and adapting it to his purposes; for he now forms a cirenlar cell, quite large

enough for himself and two friends, althouzh he never invites them; and he polishes

up the walls of this cell in the nicest and neatest manner; and, without using silk of

his own spinning, or any other material except the often-watered earth, he makes every

thing snug and comfortable, and settles himself in for a fortnight’s rest, during which

he practises total abstinence, as if to atone for his former voracity. I will describe the

grub in this state of abstinence and rest. Length, *4125 inch; greatest breadth, 7.e.

at one-third of the length between the head and the anal extremity,-151 inch: head tes-

taceous, horny, very shining, gibbous in front, rounded at top, truncate below at its

greatest diameter, having therefore the figure of a beehive: beneath the truncature

protrudes the labrum, which exhibits the anomalous or previously unobserved character

of a curious pectinated process at each angle,—two strong, incurved, testaceous man-

dibles, having a blunt tooth near their black tip, or, perhaps, more correctly cha-

racterised as being obtusely bifid at the apex,—two maxille, much smaller and less

conspicuous than the mandibles, but horny and glabrous; internally and apically the

maxille bear an obtuse lacinia, having a serrated, subspinous, internal margin ; exter-

nally they bear a biarticulate palpus, the basal joint of which is stout and nearly glo-

bose, the apical joint rather longer, cylindrical, and somewhat obtuse,— finally, a labium,

long and narrow, bearing at each external angle a biarticulate palpus, much resem-

bling those of the maxille. The body is composed of twelve segments, of which the

first seems to have only its sternal surface developed, and the twelfth is little more

than a tubercle; on the second on each side near the head is a circular spiracle, the

only one that I can find: there are no legs, but each segment has a series of papille

and a number of strong testaceous bristles ; aided by which, the grub has very con-

siderable powers of locomotion when placed on a somewhat uneven surface. At the

expiration of a fortnight the larval state has ceased and that of pupa has been assumed ;

this undergoes changes of colour very much like those of the larva; at first it is hya-

line, then slightly opaline, and finally cream-coloured, with very conspicuous black

eyes: the peculiarities of a necromorphous pupa are now so familiar to entomologists

that I need not dwell on them; every limb is free, and every joint of the antenne and

tarsi is discernible through the slender pellicle with which it is invested ; the elytra,

attached to the dorsal surface at the anterior margin of the mesonotum, at first

bend forwards, and passing between the middle and hind legs, repose on the latter,

which, in their turn, are neatly arranged in front, reposing on the sternum. An

102

unexplained phenomenon must be noticed here ; a considerable number of the pupz,

Say one in nine, present an atrophied or shrunken appearance, and these, not pos-

sessing sufficient vitality to carry them through the final change, die, turn black, and

eventually decay: coexistent with these atrophied pupe is the presence of a certain

myriapod, which I believe to be the young of Lithobius forcipatus ; but the connexion

between the myriapod and the weevil still remains to be unravelled. The pupa state,

like that of the larva after it leaves off eating, lasts about a fortnight, and it takes

another fortnight at least for the weevil to become hard and fitted for a more locomo-

tive life; so that six weeks are occupied from the formation of the tomb-like earthy

cell to the time for finally quitting it. The beetle, when first emancipated, is of a dull

white colour; it soon turns to a pale, testaceous brown, which gradually becomes

darker and darker, until the final deep hue and hardened surface are attained : it then

breaks the walls of its self-constructed prison and crawls solemnly and slowly about

the greenhouse, probably in quest of amorous adventures, to be followed by those

parental duties, which are a necessary consequence of that command which went

forth at the beginning to weevils as well as to man, ‘ Increase and multiply.’ It is

more than twenty years since I first traced the history of this insect, which is a most

dangerous enemy to the horticulturist: my observations were then directed to its

operations on Saxifraga sarmentosa, the crown of leaves and flowering stalks of which

I constantly found completely severed from the roots by this subterranean marauder,

but I think this is the first time it has been noticed in connexion with ferns.”

Insects injurious to Forest-trees.

Captain Cox remarked that Chrysoclista Linneella was swarming on the trunks of

lime-trees in Hyde Park, the bark of the trees in many places being almost destroyed

by the larve: he also alluded to the destruction now progressing of many fine elms

and other trees in the parks by the Scolytus, &c., and regretted that those in authority

would not adopt the very simple means to remedy the evil.

August 6, 1855.

Joun Curris, Esq., President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the

donors :—‘ The Literary Gazette’ for July; by the Editor. ‘The Athenwum’ for

July; by the Editor. ‘Journal of the Society of Arts’ for July; by the Society.

‘Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, Vol. xvi. Part 1; by the

Society. Hewitson’s ‘ Exotic Butterflies,’ Part 15; by W. W. Saunders, Esq. ‘ Die

Gallen. Versuch die durch Insecten an den Pflanzen Verursachten Answiichse nach

ibren Haupttypen und Wachsthumsverhiiltnissen naturgemass zu gruppiren,’ von

Georg Frauenfeld; by the Author. ‘ Revue et Magasin de Zoologie,’ 1855, No. 6;

by the Editor, M. Guérin-Méneville. « List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous In-

sects in the Collection of the British Museum, Part III. Lepidoptera Heterocera ;

by the Author, Francis Walker, Esq., F.L.S. A box of Indian insects; by Major

103

Hamilton. A specimen of Sirex gigas; by G. H. Drew, Esq. Bembidium Clarkii

(6) and Bembidium obliquum (8) from Northamptonshire; by the Rev. Hamlet

Clark.

Election of Members.

Mons. F, Pictet, Professor of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy in the Academy

of Geneva, was elected an Honorary Member in the room of Dr. De Haan, deceased ;

and Edward Henry Burnell, Esq., 32, Bedford Row, was elected an Ordinary Member

of the Society.

~ Exhibitions.

Dr. Power sent for exhibition some rare British Coleoptera, including Agrilus

chryseis, Anthraxius nitidula, Rhyncolus ater, Microrhagus pygmeus, all from the

New Forest, and Drypta emarginata (2), recently taken by himself near Portsmouth,

Mr. Bond exhibited some Lepidoptera recently taken by him in Cambridgeshire:

the more remarkable species were Pionea margaritalis, Nascia cilialis, Eupithecia

sparsaria, Anesychia funerella, Opadia funebraua, Argyrolepia Schreibersiana, and a

singular dark variety of Arctia villica.

Mr. Baly exhibited a specimen of Cryptocephalus nitens, taken from an ash tree

at Cobham, Kent. Mr. Stevens said he captured an example of this species yester-

day on a birch tree at Mickleham.

Mr. Doubleday sent for exhibition specimens of Caradrina blanda and C. alsines,

species quite distinct, but mixed in collections under the former name.

Mr. Weir exhibited a remarkable variety of Anthrocera Filipendule, with only five

spots on each of the upper wings, taken in copulé with an ordinary six-spotted speci-

men. He likewise exhibited Penthina sauciana bred from Vaccinium mpyrtillus,

Anarsia Geniste bred from Genista tinctoria, and other rarities.

Mr. Dutton exhibited some Lepidoptera recently captured in the Isle of Wight,

among which were fine specimens of Agrotis lunigera.

Mr. Douglas exhibited a specimen of Trochilium Chrysidiforme taken by Mr. J. A.

Brewer, of Reigate, while sweeping for Coleoptera, near Dover, on the 25th of June

Jast, and presented alive to Mr. Douglas. This species had hitherto only two British

representatives ; one, now in Mr. Edwin Shepherd’s collection, stated in Mr. Stephens’s

‘Illustrations’ to have been captured by Mr. Francillon; the other, in Mr. Curtis’s

collection, taken by Mr. Leplastrier near Dover.

Mr. Douglas also exhibited Asychna eratella from Darenth Wood, and Butalis

fusco-enea from Headley Lane: both species were taken last month.

Mr. Westwood exhibited a living scorpion brought from Mexico with plants for the

Horticultural Society. He also exhibited eggs and living larve of the flea of the dog,

and stated that Mr. Haliday had recently dissected some of the larve; and he

believed that Mr. Haliday’s researches will prove that the flea does not belong

to the order Diptera, but to the order Aphaniptera of Kirby. He added that

the eggs of the flea were not attached to the surface on which they were laid, as had

been stated; for upon moving the cloth or rug on which his dog was accustomed to

lie the eggs rolled off.

Mr. Westwood exhibited a specimen of Ludius ferrugineus which he had had alive

for a fortnight, and which was reared from an old ash tree by Mr. Boddy.

i04

Mr. Westwood also exhibited specimens of the Saturnia reared at Malta from ex-

amples recently introduced from India as 8. Cynthia; and he also exhibited specimens

of the true Saturnia Cynthia received from Major Jenkins, in India, with a ticket at-

tached stating that this was the species whose caterpillars produced the “ Eria ” silk.

The difference between these specimens and those from Malta was so trifling that he

thought Dr. Boisduval had scarcely sufficient grounds for making the Indio-Maltese

species distinct from 8. Cynthia, as he had recently done in the French ‘ Annales,

under the name of S. Ricini; and argued from the known modifications which

occur in the races of the common silk moth, as well as in the Saturnia Paphia (which

produces the Tusset Silk of India), as described by Helfer, and in fact from the

analogy of domesticated animals in general, that if the progeny of a single pair

of S. Cynthia were distributed over a wide geographical range, in three or four

generations, quite as much difference would be observed among the specimens as

between these so-called distinct species.

Mr. Stevens exhibited a splendid butterfly, a new species of Agrias recently sent

from Villa Nova by Mr. Bates.

Mr. Foxcroft sent for exhibition some Coleoptera and Lepidoptera recently taken

in Perthshire. Among the latter were two Polia occulta, apparently differing from

the general type of that species only in the darkness of their colour, but their larve

were said to be totally unlike. This statement was corroborated by a note from Mr.

Logan, of Edinburgh, read to the Meeting.

Abundance of Noctuide.

Mr. Douglas remarked that the number of Noctnidz this season appeared to be un-

usually large near London, and he should like to know if this abundance was general.

Mr. Stevens said that on the previous night, at Mickleham, he saw 800 or 900

Noctuide attracted to sugar.

Mr. Westwood said other sweets than sugar were exceedingly attractive to moths:

in his garden Noctuide abounded about a bed of beans which were infested with

Apbides, whose excrement, as was well known, formed a sweet deposit; and they also

swarmed around some gooseberry bushes, whose fruit, in consequence of the wet

weather, had burst.

The President said that in a large conservatory near Alton he had lately seen large

quantities of Noctnide, which, attracted by the scent of the flowers, had entered by the

open door and could not find their way out. He added, that Captain Chawner had

told him that occasionally, at the lighthouse at Lowestoft, the moths abounded so

much at night that the keeper had to sweep the lantern in order to clear them away.

The Society's ‘ Transactions?

Part 5, Vol. iii., N. s. of the ‘ Transactions’ was on the table.

The following was read at the April meeting :—

Description of a New Species of Ornithoptera.

“OrnirHorTeRra Brooxrana. Wallace.

“Expansion 6} inches. Wings very much elongated; black, with a horizontal

band of brilliant silky green. On the upper side this band is formed of seven spots

105

of a subtriangular form, the bases of the four outer being nearly confluent, and of the

three inner quite so, forming a straight line across the centre of the wing; the

attenuated apex of each spot very nearly reaches the outer margin at each nervule.

On the lower wings the green band occupies the centre half, and has its upper margin

tinged with purple. The lower wings are finely white-edged. There are some azure

atoms near the base of the upper wings. The collar is crimson, and the thorax and

abdomen (?) black. Beneath black, upper wings with the green spots opposite the

bases of those above, small and notched, the basal one with brilliant purple reflexions,

also a purple streak on the anterior margin at the base. Lower wings with a sub-

marginal row of diamond-shaped whitish spots divided by the nervures; base of wings

with two elongated patches of brilliant purple. Body obliquely banded with crimson ;

abdomen black.

“Hab. N.W. Coast of Borneo.

“This magnificent insect is a most interesting addition to the genus Ornithoptera.

The green-marked species have hitherto been fuund only in N. Australia, New Guinea

and the Moluccas, and all those yet known so much resemble each other in their

style of marking, that most of them have been considered as varieties of the original

Papilio Priamus of Linneus. Our new species is therefore remarkable on two

accounts; first, as offering a quite new style of colouring in the genus to which it

belongs; and, secondly, by extending the range of the green-marked Ornithoptere to

the N.W. extremity of Borneo. As it has not been met with by the Dutch naturalists,

who have explored much of the 8S. and 8.W. of the island, it is probably confined to

the N.W. coast. My specimen (kindly given me by Captain Brooke Brooke) came

from the Rejang river; but I have myself once seen it on the wing near Sarawak.

I have named it after Sir J. Brooke, whose benevolent government of the country in

which it was discovered every true Englishman must admire.

“ ALFRED R. WaLLAceE.”

September 3, 1855.

Joun Curtis, Esq., President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, aud thanks ordered to be given to the

donors:—‘ The Journal of the Society of Arts’ for August; by the Society. ‘The

Literary Gazette’ for August; by the Editor. ‘The Atheneum’ for August; by the

Editor. ‘Proceedings of the Royal Society, Vol. vii, No. 14; by the Society.

‘Revue et Magasin de Zoologie, 1855, Nos. 1 and 7; by the Editor, M. Guérin

Méneville. ‘Lettre addressée 4 M.Jacquelin du Val, par M. H. Jekel, sur le

Barypeithes rufipes (Extrait des Annales de la Soc. Ent. de France); by the Author.

‘List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British

Museum,’ by Francis Walker, F.L.S., Part iv., Lepidoptera Heterocera; by the

Author. ‘Entomologische Zeitung, May to August; by the Entomological Society

of Stettin. ‘Recueil d’Observations de Zoologie et d’Anatomie Comparée,’ par

Al. Humboldt et A. Bonpland, texte ; presented by the President. ‘ Nouveau Genre

106

de Carabiques, de la Tribu des Carabides ;’ ‘ Description de Seize Espéces de Longi-

corns du vieux Calabar, a la céte occidentale d’Afrique;’ ‘ Description de Vingt et

une Espéces Nouvelles de Coléopterés Longicorns;’ all by the Author, Mons. A.

Chevrolat. Twenty species of British Lepidoptera; by F. Bond, Esq.

Exhibitions.

Mr. Foxcroft sent from Perthshire some of his captures of Coleoptera, consisting

chiefly of Brachelytra.

Mr. Douglas exhibited Elachista Brunnichiella bred from larve mining leaves of

Clinopodium vulgare; Lithocolletis comparella, reared from a leaf of Lombardy

Poplar, from Mickleham; and a pair of Gelechia maculiferella, taken im cop. on a

window of his house at Lee.

Mr. Waring exhibited some remarkable varieties of Boarmia repandaria, Tephrosia

erepuscularia and Anticlea rubidata; all from the neighbourhood of Coomb Hurst,

Croydon.

Mr. Edwin Shepherd exhibited a specimen of Leucania musculosa (L. nervosa,

Haw.), captured near Brighton by Mr. J. N. Winter.

Mr. Westwood said that during a recent visit to Plymouth he had captured Aepus

marinus on the shore; and under some sea-weed he saw, but could not catch, a

minute Dipteron, which he had little doubt belonged to the genus Clunio.

Mr. Westwood called the attention of the meeting to three new works by Dr. Bur-

meister, which he had just received. The first, intituled ‘ Uebersicht der Brasilian-

ischen Mutillen, a monograph of the Mutillide, would include, besides the species

described by Dr. Klug in the ‘Nova Acta,’ all those discovered by Dr. Burmeister

himself in Brazil. The second,‘ Untersuchung iiber die Flugeltypen der Coleopteren,’

treated of the venation of the wings in Coleoptera, an Order hitherto very partially

investigated in this respect. The third, ‘ Kritische Bemerkungen wber M. 8. Merian’s

Metamorphoses Insectorum Surinamensuim,’ which would be enriched in its progress

by the author’s researches into the natural history of insects made during his residence

in Brazil.

The President said that during a recent tour on the Continent he had learned

that the third volume of Professor Lacordaire’s ‘Suites & Buffon’ was nearly ready;

also that M. Candéze had collected a large amount of material for his monograph on

the Elateridz, and still hoped to receive from English entomologists the assistance he

had asked, and that they were so well able to afford.

Mr. Haliday, at the request of the President, gave some account of the matters of

entomological interest that had come under his notice during the Continental tour he

had recently made in his company. That which had especially attracted his attention

was an adaptation of a microscope to a camera obscura by Herr Weinnertz, of

Crefeld, whereby the image of an object was thrown upwards on to a horizontal

surface of glass, and a drawing on tracing-paper was made with great facility.

For copying the venation of wings it was especially useful, and had been extensively

employed by Herr Weinnertz ; Mr. Haliday esteemed it a preferable and far more easy

method than the camera lucida.

107

October 1, 18595.

Joun Curtis, Esq., President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the

donors :—‘ Mémoires de l Academie Royale des Sciences, des Lettres et des Beaux-

Arts de Belgique, Tomes xxviii. and xxix.; ‘ Bulletins de l’Academie Royale des

Sciences, des Lettres et des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Tome xxi. Part 2, Tome xxii.

Part 1; ‘ Mémoires Couronnés et Mémoires des Savants étrangers, Tome vi. Part 2;

‘Notices Extraites de Annuaire de lObservatoire Royale de Bruxelles pour 1854,’

par le directeur, M. A. Quetelet; ‘Sur la Relation entre les Températures et la Durée

de la Végétation des Plantes, par M. A. Quetelet; ‘ Annuaire de l’Academie Royale

des Sciences, des Lettres et des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, 1855;’ ‘ Bibliographie

Académique ou Liste des Ouvrages Publieés par les Membres Correspondants et

Associés Residents;’ by the Academie Royale des Sciences, &c., de Belgique.

‘ Bulletin de la Societé Imperiale des Naturalistes de Moscou,’ Année 1853, Parts 3

and 4; Année 1854, Part 1; by the Sociéte [mpériale des Naturalistes de Moscou.

‘Bibliotheca Historico-Naturalis Physico-Chemica et Mathematica, von Ernst A.

Zuchold,’ Vienna, 4er. Jahrgang, 2 Heft, July bis December, 1854; by the Author.

‘Proceedings of the Liverpool Literary and Philosophical Society during the Forty-

fourth Session, 1854—55, No. ix.; by the Society. ‘The Journal of the Society of

Arts’ for September; by the Society. ‘The Literary Gazette’ for September; by the

Editor. ‘ Hewitson’s Exotic Butterflies, Part 16; by W. W. Saunders, Esq. ‘ The

Zoologist’ for September and October; by the Editor. ‘The Natural-History Review,’

No. 7; by the Editor.

Election of a Member.

James John Reading, Esq., Plymouth, was elected a Member of the Society.

Exhibitions.

Mr. F. Smith exhibited a fine collection of Coleoptera, made during September, at

Deal, including the following species :—

Gymnaétron Beccabunge = Phytonomus fasciculosus Choragus Sheppardi

Ceutorhynchus Resede Otiorhynchus rugifrons Helops pallidus

Acalles misellus Limobius mixtus Haltica Modeeri

», Roboris Lixus bicolor Harpalus cordatus

Sibinia primita Apion vernale Amara curta

Erirhinus scirrhosus » sedi.

Also the following Hymenoptera, taken at the same time and place :—

Pompilus rufipes Pompilus crassicornis Astata stigma

ie plumbea Ammophila lutarea.

108

Mr. Smith also exhibited a minute Dipterons insect, Elachipteron brevipennis,

caught by him at Deal on the back of an Hemipterous insect, Nabis subaptera, in the

act of inserting its ovipositor under the elytra.

The Rev. J. F. Dawson exhibited a fine series of both sexes of Harpalus cordatus,

Dufts., a species so rare in England that at the time his ‘ Geodephaga Britannica’

was published (1854), only a single specimen was known, All the specimens he now

exhibited were recently captured by himself at Deal.

Mr. Foxcroft sent from Perthshire for exhibition a box of Lepidoptera, of which

the best species were Depressaria ciniflonella and Poedisca ophthalmicana,

Mr. Bond exhibited a fine series of Heliophobus hispidus, recently captured by

himself in the Isle of Portland.

Dr. Power exhibited a specimen of Dinodes Maillei, Dej., taken among moss at

Gurnard Bay, Isle of Wight, by Mr. Arthur Adams. Mr. Dawson said that as this

species was a native of the Morea, and was not found in the countries intermediate

between there and England, it could hardly be considered indigenous to Britain: he

had frequently seen insects not natives of this country floating in the sea off the Isle

of Wight, which he suspected had been brought to the vicinity in ships, and it was

possible a similar mode of transit might have occurred in this instance. Mr. Edward

Sheppard said Mr. Adams had assured him that there was no mistake about this

specimen, for he had a perfect recollection of its capture.

Mr. Newman exhibited a specimen of Xylocopa violacea, accompanied by the

following memorandum :—‘‘ This bee was taken by Mr. Charles Wood at Dulwich

Common, the second week in June last: it had flown into a greenhouse, and

Mr. Wood, who is a professional gardener, was attracted not only by its extraordinary

appearance, but by its loud humming when on the wing. A bee, supposed to be of

this species, is described and figured in the ‘ Monographia Apum Anglia,’ vol. ii.

p- 310, and pl. xvii. fig. 9, under the name of Apis iricolor, but the specimen, now in

the cabinet of our Society, is evidently an American species, and must have been

introduced into Mr. Kirby’s cabinet by some mistake. Donovan’s ‘ British Insects,’

vol. xii. p. 25, and pl. 403, fig. 1, may also be consulted. I believe the present to be

the only really British-captured species of this beautiful bee, but it is very abundant

in some parts of France, and I have seen many specimens in the garden of the

Tuileries: the large importation of shrubs (especially orange trees) from the Con-

tinent for the Crystal Palace may perhaps account for its introduction. I should add

that Mr. Wood, finding the interest I took in the capture, has most obligingly

presented me with the specimen.”

Mr. Stainton exhibited leaves of Vicia Sepium containing larve and pupe of

Lithocolletis Bremiella, a new British species, from the neighbourhood of Bexley.

Only on Wednesday last he received some similar mined leaves from Frankfort, and,

thus instructed, he succeeded in finding these examples on Friday; on Sunday two

moths came out, and these were also exhibited.

The President exhibited a scorpion in spirit, presented to him by Mr. Henry Page

as the largest ever seen in Sierra Leone.

Destruction of Crops by Insects.

Mr. Westwood said that Mr. D. W. Mitchell, the Secretary of the Zoological

Society, had forwarded to him some withered turnip-leaves, as a sample of the plants

on ten acres of land, all similarly caused to perish by the attacks of insects: these

109

leaves were accompanied by many Syrphi; but these had not done the mischief, for,

as was well known, they fed upon Aphides, which no doubt were the real depredators.

Although the tubers would doubtless perish in consequence of the loss of the leaves,

yet they were not affected by gangrene, and so there was no analogy with the destruc-

tion of the tubers of the potato, attributed by Mr. Smee to the attacks upon the leaves

by the Aphis vastator.

Mr. Lubbock mentioned a similar destruction of turnip crop near Farnborough ;

and the President said he had heard of another instance near Cranford: be was also

sorry to add that Athalia Spinarum or “the black nigger” of the turnip was very

abundant this year in several districts.

Mr. Westwood also stated that there had been a vast amount of injury caused

this year by the larve of saw-flies to pear, cherry, gooseberry and other fruit-trees,

amounting in some instances to a total destruction: he thought it might be a

very useful subject of inquiry, if the prodigious multiplication of these insects

was due to any peculiarity of the season, especially as it appeared that, under

some such influence, certain flowers had failed, and others had flourished this year

better than usual.

Indian Lepidoptera.

Mr. Stainton read the following extract from a letter addressed to him from

Calcutta by W. S. Atkinson, Esq. :—

“What mistakes writers at home make about exotic species! In Swainson’s

‘Zoological Illustrations,’ second series, vol. iii. pl. 101, you will find the pupa of

Papilio Polydorus suspended from the tail: this he should have known must be

a mistake; I have had several, and of course, like the rest of the Papilios, its head

is uppermost, supported by the silken girth. There is a strange confusion about

P. Nomius, Boisd. (P. Niamus, Swans.) : Swainson has a very good figure of this

well-marked species (which I take here): he says, ‘It is a native of Southern Brazil,

and of such rarity that in two years we never met with more than one specimen;’

and Boisduval, vol. i. p. 252, says, ‘J’ai cru jusque’a ces derniers temps que les

individus que je poisséde venaient du Bengal, quoique Godart indique cette espéce

comme d’Amerique; mais il me parait demontré aujourdhui que j’avais commis une

erreur a habitat, puisque M. Swainson dit l’avoir prise lui-méme dans le Nord du

Brésil:’ Swainson must surely be mistaken ; for it is hardly likely that this insect is

an inhabitant of both the old and new continents. Again, Boisduval, on the

authority of Westermann, unites P. Pammon and P. Polytes as male and female:

this is certainly not the case. P. Pammon is one of the commonest butterflies here,

and I have had several females of the species; some of these, but not all, have red

lunules below the central white of the posterior wings, in that respect resembling

P. Polytes, but they are never without the band of white blotches on the anterior

wings. Blyth, the Curator of the Asiatic Society’s Museum here, entirely agrees

with me in this; but he assures me that he has seen these two and P. Polydorus

in copuld with one another, but that he has tried in vain to rear a brood from

them.”

Mr. Westwood remarked that General Hearsey had brought from India Papilio

Pammon and P. Polytes, which he had found united.

110

Elateride feeding on Aphides.

Mr. Douglas read, from the ‘ Entomologische Zeitung,’ the following note by

Pastor Kawall, of Courland :—

“T am able to confirm the fact that the Elaters do not confine themselves to

vegetable juices, but attack Aphides. As long ago as June 7, 1847, I saw Elater

tesselatus eat Aphides upon Viburnum opulus, and I observed it closely with a lens.

I also noticed Elater Ephippium and E. elongatus on Prunus padus similarly

occupied. At other times I have seen Elateride sucking (the juices of) plants.”

Coleoptera of Siam.

Mr. Edwin Shepherd read the following extract from a letter addressed to

Mr. Adam White by J. C. Bowring, Esq., Corr. M.E.S., at Hong Kong :—

* You may perhaps have heard that I accompanied my father on his mission to

Siam; I did so for change of air, which I sadly wanted. I cannot say that I got the

rest aud quiet I needed, as we were fully occupied during the whole of our stay at

Bangkok, and there was scarcely a night that we were not at it until half-past one or

two o'clock: as the thermometer nearly every day was up to 92° or 94°, this was some-

what trying to a semi-invalid, and I am sorry to say I do not find any benefit to have

accrued from my trip. Having been so busy you may imagine that T had not much

time to bestow on our favourite Entomology ; I brought away with me, however, some

500 Coleoptera, taken principally in doors, the insects having been attracted by the

lamps: this number, considering all things, is very respectable; but, excepting a few

longicorns and Rhynchophora, the species are of very minute size, the whole having

been brought away in a pill-box; they are now being mounted, and cut a decent

figure. I scarcely yet know how many species there are amongst them, but certainly

over a hundred, and any duplicates I have shall go to the British Museum. Most of

the insects which came in to the lights were small Bembidiide, Staphylinide and

Pselaphide : of these last I have some sixty specimens, comprising five or six species.

Bangkok, indeed, would seem to be the very metropolis of the Pselaphide kingdom,

as every morning numbers were found drowned in the cocoa-nut oil in the burners,

and I could have got many hundreds of these greasy gentry.

“The country seems to swarm with insects of all kinds, and any collector who

could spare a season for Siam would reap a glorious harvest. On our way from Siam

to Singapore we had to call at Pulo Aor to cut wood, having run out of fuel; and

while our men were at work in their way, I was so also in mine. It was such a

fatiguing matter to force a way through the jungle, the sides of the hill (the whole

island being a mountain rising precipitously from the sea) being so steep that I was

not very snecessful, and only obtained about forty Coleoptera, of one or two of which

I have duplicates, and these you shall have.

“In Hong Kong Coleoptera I cannot be expected to progress very fast; it isa

rare thing now for me to fall in with a novelty, but still I do so occasionally: the

other day I got my first specimen of the only beetle in poor Champion’s collection,

which I did not possess when he left China,—an Orthogonius; I don’t know whether

it has been described. My Chinese Coleoptera now number some 1300 species.

“ T fear we shall not get many novelties from Japan, under our new arrangements

with that country; the place, I imagine, will be as much closed against us as ever,

lil

and Admiral Stirling’s convention, instead of in any way rendering it accessible to us,

seems to me to have quite a different bearing. I had quite been looking forward to

the receipt of a host of curious forms from that extraordinary country, but 1 have

completely given up all such expectations.”

Mr. Newman communicated the two following notes :—

Note on Trochilium Chrysidiforme.

“In the report of the August meeting our Secretary has appended to the

interesting record of the capture of Trochilium Chrysidiforme an assertion that the

species had previously but two British representatives: if he will turn to page 3289

of the ‘Zoologist, he will find a record by Mr. Barron of the capture of a third

specimen near Haslar Hospital.”

Hats manufactured of the Silken Felt spun by Saturnia Spini.

“Tt will be recollected by several of our members that I had the pleasure of

mentioning, at a furmer meeting, the fact of the silk of Saturnia Spini being applied

to economical purposes at Vienna. I have lately learned from my friend Mr. Pretsch,

who was also my original informant, that the silken felt which I then described has

been most successfully applied to the manufacture of hats by Herr Flebus, of Vienna,

who has taken out an Austrian patent for this object. The hats are extremely

durable and perfectly waterproof, being rendered so by the glutinous nature of the

silk itself: they are held in great estimation by sportsmen and gentlemen much

exposed to the weather, but the cost has hitherto been too great to admit of any

extensive sale. Herr Flebus is, however, about to establish a factory in the district

of Erzgebirge, situate between Bohemia and Bavaria, induced by the abundance of

the food of the caterpillar and the cheapness of human labour.”

New Locality for Geodephaga.

Mr. Douglas said it might be worth while to inform Coleopterists that a week

since he took Tarus axillaris and Licinus depressus three miles beyond Croydon:

these species had not hitherto been found nearer to London than Reigate or

Boxhill.

November 5, 1855.

Joun Curtis, Esq., President, in the chair.

The Meeting was made Special, in pursuance of a Requisition addressed to the

Council, for the purpose of considering the By-Laws relating to Associates, and it was

decided that these By-Laws should be annulled.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the

donors: —‘ Smithsonian Contributions to Kuowledge,’ Vol. vii.; ‘ Eighth and Ninth

Annual Reports of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution ‘ Descrip-

tions of some New Marine Invertebrata from the Chinese and Japanese Seas,’ by

112

William Stimpson, Zoologist to the U.S. Surveying Expedition to the North Pacific,

Japan Seas, &c., Lieut. John Rogers, Commander; all presented by the Smithsonian

Institution. ‘Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History, conclusion of

Vol. iv., and sheets 1 to 11 inclusive of Vol. v.; by the Society. ‘ Proceedings of the

New Orleans Academy of Sciences,’ Vol.i., No.1; ‘ Constitution and By-Laws of the

New Orleans Academy of Sciences;’ by the Society. ‘Patent Office Report—Agri-

culture ;’ by the United States Patent Office. ‘Ninth Annual Report of the Board of

Agriculture of the State of Ohio;’ by the Ohio State Board of Agriculture. ‘The

Natural History of the Tineina, Vol. i.; by the Editor, H. T. Stainton, Esq. ‘ Pro-

ceedings of the Royal Society,’ Vol. vii. No. 15; by the Society. ‘The Zoologist’ for

November; by the Editor. ‘ Revue et Magasin de Zoologie, 1855, Nos. 8 and 9; by

the Editor, M. F. E. Guérin-Méneville. ‘The Journal of the Society of Arts’ for

October; by the Society. ‘The Atheneum’ for October; by the Editor. ‘The

Literary Gazette’ for October; by the Editor. ‘Entomolugische Zeitung’ for

September and October; by the Entomological Society of Stettin.

Exhibitions.

Mr. Stajnton exhibited, on behalf of Mr. Winter, a specimen of Phlogophora

empyrea, a Noctua new to Britain, recently taken by him at sugar near Brighton ; also

some extraordinary varieties of Agrotis segetum and A. exclamationis. Mr. Winter

also sent for exhibition a fine female specimen of Ennomos Alniaria, taken on a lamp

at Brighton: the only other authentic British specimen of this species hitherto known

was taken on the North Foreland Lighthouse several years since, and is now in

Mr. Shepherd’s collection.

Mr. Stainton exhibited, on behalf of Mr. Henry Cooke, a specimen of Polyommatus

Agestis, which closely approached the Scotch specimens known as P. Artaxerxes, the

pupils to the ocelli on the under side being obsolete.

Mr. Samuel Stevens exhibited a new British Tortrix, recently taken at Hayling

Island, near Havant; also specimens of Goniodoma auroguttella, F.-v.. R., taken by

him in August last, in the Isle of Wight ; and a specimen of Dictyopteryx uliginosana,

Bent., from Ely, Cambridgeshire: the only two specimens of this last species hitherto

known were taken near Yaxley many years since, and are now in Mr. Shepherd’s

collection.

Mr. Westwood exhibited a specimen of the rare Quedius dilatatus, found in a hive

of the honey-bee, and also the net-work cocoons of Hypera rumicis; both com-

municated by Professor Henslow. The President remarked that M. Gory had

informed him that he once took a number of the Quedius in Fontainebleau Forest,

in the neighbourhood of a hornet’s nest. Mr. Stevens said that a specimen had

recently been taken by Mr. Turner in the New Forest, in the decaying carcase of a

heifer. Mr. Waterhouse observed that M. Chevrolat had informed him that he found

this species at night on trees infested with the larva of Cossus; and Captain Parry

once found a specimen in his own garden under the loose bark of a tree so infested.

Mr. Foxcroft brought for exhibition a large collection of Lepidoptera and

Coleoptera, taken by him during the past season in Scotland.

Mr. Syme exhibited specimens of the rare Spherites glabratus, taken by him from

fungi at Kincardine.

Mr. Stevens stated that, on his recent visit to Paris, he found a preparation of

naphtha very successfully applied to removing grease from insects: he had, since his

113

return home, found that a similar article was manufactured at Liverpool, and sold

under the name of “Copland’s Rectified Borneote of Petroline ;” this he had found

equally as useful as the French preparation for extracting grease, and exhibited a

number of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera which he had so cleaned: the highly volatile

nature of these preparations is said to give them an advantage over camphine for this

purpose, in not requiring the specimens to be subsequently placed in magnesia or

other absorbent powder.

Dr. Power exhibited specimens of Notiophilus rufipes, which species he had

recently taken at Shirley, near Croydon, also near Gravesend, and at Cowley, near

Uxbridge: he also exhibited an opaque female of Hydroporus picipes; in this species

both sexes are usually glabrous.

The Rev. Hamlet Clark exhibited a new British species of Hydroporus, recently

detected by him in the collection of Mr. Waterhouse.

Mr. Stevens exhibited a box of Coleoptera recently received from Mr. Wallace, at

Borneo, containing many new and fine species, especially amongst the Longicorns.

Mr. Newman read the following notes, exhibiting the insects to which reference is

made :—

Silk-spinning Acarus of the Furze, &c.

*““T beg to exhibit a mass of silk spun by a minute Acarus, and obligingly handed

me, together with multitudes of the little specimens, by Dr. Milner Barry, of Tunbridge

Wells, who writes as follows:—‘ When strolling across Rusthall Common this after-

noon I noticed some red powder lying in thick cobwebs entangled in the furze: I took

up some of the powder, and found it was living and moving, and consisted of myriads

of vivacious red insects resembling Acari.’ When the mass reached my hands it was

of the size and shape of a sparrow’s egg, the Acari running over it in all directions,

and each adding to the bulk by leaving behind him a continuous thread of the finest

conceivable silk. J subsequently sent the mass to Mr. Meade, the Arachnologist, who

has carefully examined it, and kindly sent me the following information :—‘ The

minute animals inhabiting the curious cocoon you sent me are Acari, belonging to the

genus Tetranychus of Dufour, the type of which is the little red spider so injurious to

plants in hot-houses and rooms, the Acarus telarius of Linneus: most of the species

live in society, on plants, and possess the power of forming webs: Koch says, when

speaking of an allied species, Tetranychus socius, ‘ It appears in certain years in such

numbers that it covers the trunks and the branches of the lime-trees which it frequents,

with such a thick web that they look as if clothed with glazed satin.’ I cannot tind

any description of the species sent by you, although it is closely allied to the common

Tetranychus telarius, and I never before saw or found anything like the curious nest

which it inhabits.’ Since the receipt of Mr. Meade’s note I have paid some little

attention to the Tetranychus telarius, and find that the net-work of infinitely minute

silken threads is admirably adapted to its singularly formed feet, and these are equally

well adapted to the office of holding on while it perforates the cuticle of the leaf with

its rostrum: its hold is so secure that no amount of washing by means of a garden-

engine seems to have the effect of removing it: as I have no doubt whatever that these

little creatures are exclusively vegetable-feeders, the web cannot serve, as in spiders,

the purpose of securing prey, and it is, moreover, never accompanied by the glutinous

particles which render the web of spiders so adhesive: as a matter of course, if the

114

Acari can resist the action of a water-engine they have little to fear from the effects of

° ”

rain.

An Australian Bombyx escaping from its Cocoon in England.

“T beg to exhibit a male specimen of the Entometa obliqua of Walker, an

Australian moth, allied apparently to Zeuzera, GEceticus and Psyche: the insect

has recently emerged from a sack-formed cocoon, and had it escaped and been

captured on the wing it would doubtless have found a place in our catalogues.

Mr. Oxley, to whom I am indebted for the loan of the specimen, exhibited the

cocoon, amongst others, at one of our meetings last year, and adds the following

information :— Although I am unable to state at what date the cocoon in question

was collected, yet I may observe that the last cocoons of any kind that I collected in

Australia were obtained in March, 1854, a month equalling the September of this

country. The long period of fifteen months that this moth must have passed in the

pupa state I attribute to the rigours of a passage round Cape Horn and to the

intense cold of the last English winter.’ In reference to this note, I may remark the

pupa state in Eriogaster, and many allied genera, is of very inconstant and uncertain

duration, and that the same irregularity may possibly take place in certain Australian

Bombyces.”

Abundance of Noctuidae, se.

Extracts were read from letters to the President from Mr. T. Allis, of York, on

the abundance of Noctue generally in the North of England during the past

summer; and from Mr. J. Hogg, of Stockton-on-Tees, also remarking the abundance

of Noctue, and the comparative rarity this autumn of the common wasp (Vespa

vulgaris).

Gall-fly of the Ouk.

The President communicated the following note on Cynips :—

“ When Mr. Haliday visited Glanville’s Wootton last month, he collected some

galls from the oaks, which he put into a bag, and on the 22nd ult. he writes to me

from Dublin to say that ‘On examining the bag some days since I found several

dozens of the Cynips out, but not one Callimome. It seems marvellous how the fly

can escape through so small an orifice as it leaves, and I should like to see one

emerge. I cannot identify it with any Linnean or Fabrician species, but it is the

C. lignicola* of Hartig, and the only one of that group to which the insect of the

ink-gall belongs which occurs so far North as England or even Northern Germany.

This group, distinguished by the pubescence extended to the posterior segments of the

abdomen, includes the largest species of the genus, and those which cause the most

elegant and largest galls.’ This, I presume, is the Cynips I consider as the

C. Quercus-petioli of Linneus.”—J. Curtis.

* “Mr. Dale’s specimens have also hatched; yet, abundant as the gall now is, he

had not the species before.” —J. C,

115

December 3, 1855.

Joun Curtis, Esq., President, in the chair.

Donations.

The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the

donors: —‘ The Zoologist’ for December; by the Editor.. ‘ Entomologische

Zeitung’ for November; by the Entomological Society of Stettin. ‘Ueber die

Micropyle und den feinern Bau der Schalenbaut bei den Insekteneiern ;’ by the

Author, Prof. Rud. Leuckart, in Giessen. ‘On the Illumination of the Diatomacee,

when viewed under. the Microsccpe ;’ by the Author, Thomas Sansom, A.L.S., &c.

‘The Journal of the Society of Arts’ for November; by the Society. ‘The Literary

Gazette’ for November; by the Editor. ‘The Atheneum’ for November; by the

Editor.

Election of Members.

Octavius Pickard-Cambridge, Esq., Bloxworth House, near Blandford, Dorset,

was elected a Member of, and R. B. Were, Esq., 35, Osborne Terrace, Clapham Road,

and Horace Francis, Esq., 38, Upper Bedford Place, Russell Square, were elected

Subscribers to, the Society.

Exhibitions.

Mr. Edwin Shepherd exhibited a beautiful pair of Trochilium Scolieformis,

Borkhausen, taken with other specimens by Mr. Ashworth, at Bryn Hyfryd, near

‘Llangollen, in North Wales. This insect has just been described for the first time as

British in the December number of the ‘ Zoologist, p. 4928, by Mr. Newman.

Mr. Stevens exhibited a few drawings of the larve and pupe of some of the

Lepidoptera of Port Natal, made there by Mr. R. W. Plant; also perfect insects of

some of the species, whose early states were figured.

The President exhibited some drawings of insects made by himself, and made the

following communications respecting them :—

“Ist. A very pretty variety of Vanessa Urtice, given to me by F. Trenchard, Esq.

The specimen was taken by himself ‘near the entrance-gate in Bishop’s Wood,

Hampstead, July 21st, 1838,

“2nd. A drawing of a caterpillar which I made when at school, and first noticed

in the second edition of my ‘ British Entomology.’ It seems to be the larva of Sphinx

Celerio, yet it does not accord with any drawing or engraving I have seen: it is of an

obscure flesh-colour, with a large round black spot on each side of the first abdominal

segment, with four minute white dots on each, and the outer edges forming two straw-

coloured lunules; behind each, on the second segment, is a smaller oval yellowish-

white spot. The following memorandum was made at the time :—‘ Two: of these

caterpillars, from one of which this drawing was taken, were found in the arms of an

old garden-chair, in a garden near Bishop’s Bridge, Norwich: they began to spin up

amongst some leaves in a pot on the 8th of October, 1810: they fed on the Persian

willow (Epilobium angustifolium). In the other specimen there were five minute dots

116

on one side and but three on the other: the white spot in my drawing is a little too

large, and the tail of the other caterpillar was longer.’ They were in the possession of a

schoolfellow, Howard Sims, and changed to chrysalides amongst some leaves, from

which the moths never emerged, owing to the frequent disturbance of them.

“3rd. A drawing of Hygrotus bisuleatus, which I described in the ‘ Annals of

Natural History, and which is quite distinct from any of the European species that

have fallen under my notice. 3

“4th. A drawing of the Apion named after me, in 1817, by the Rev. W. Kirby.

I am very desirous of laying this sketch before the Society, in order to correct a mis-

statement which J should be sorry to see repeated. Being at that time on a visit at

Barham, I took a single specimen of an Apion, which Mr. Kirby decided to be un-

known to him, and of which he made a detailed Latin description for publication, and

I made the drawing: being in my youth at the time, Mr. Kirby paid me the compli-

ment to name an Apion after me; I could not but feel gratified, and although I

believe Mr. Kirby's description was never printed, Mr. Janson is quite mistaken in

supposing that I had named the Apion after myself, or that it was a discovery since

1839, as assumed in the ‘Entomologist’s Annual:’ the latter misstatement is cor-

rected by the above date, and I should be sorry to be considered capable of such a

contemptible act of egotism as to name an insect after myself. The truth is, that

Mr. Stephens having with queries described a mere variety of a common and very

distinct species as the Apion Curtisii, it became necessary to identify the type, which

I did by describing it in the ‘Annals of Natural History’ as the Apion Curtisii of

Kirby’s MSS. Whether Mr. Kirby’s description, with many others of which I have

copies, were handed over to Mr. Stephens with the MSS. of the Staphylinide, is

unknown to me.”

Mr. Stevens remarked that this Apion remained unique until he had the good

fortune to take the species at Little Hampton and near Arundel.

The President also communicated the following note :—

‘ . On the Genus Conops.

“ Little is known of the economy of this beautiful genus of flies, except that

C. flavipes has been bred from the body of an Osmia, which had nidified in bramble-

stems. Other species have also been stated to be parasitic on the Bombii, and Conops

auripes is supposed to lay its eggs on the body or between the abdominal segments of

Bombus hortensis. As there are eight or nine British species of Conops, some of

which are occasionally tolerably plentiful, it would be very desirable that Mr. Walcott,

Mr. Smith and other entomomologists who pay so much attention to bees, should bear

this subject in mind.

“‘ My principal object, however, is tv make known the localities of two rare species

of Conops which are merely recorded in Mr, Walkev’s first volume of the Diptera in

the ‘ Insecta Britannica’ as ‘ Rare’ and ‘ Very rare’ :—

* 1, C. macrocephala, Linn., described and figured in the ‘ British Entomology’ in

1831, was first captured in England by Mr. Dale, who took a single specimen on the

18th of August, 1824, on the flowers of Scabiosa succisa in a meadow at West Hurn,

Hants, and he has taken a second specimen, on the 23rd of June, 1846, on a path in

11%

Boscomb-chine, which he kindly added to my collection: T also possess another, taken

last summer near Rannoch, in Perthshire, by Mr. Foxcroft. They resort to Orchis

flowers; and all that I have seen are females.

“2. C. nigra, De Geer. This species has also been captured in Scotland, in

Sutherlandshire, in June. Where Mr. Desvignes’ specimen was taken Mr. Walker

does not state ; it is merely indicated as an English insect.”

Note on Quedius dilatatus.

Mr. Westwood said, with reference to the specimen of the beetle exhibited at.the

last meeting, that he had received a note from Mr. Johnson (from whom, and not from

Professor Henslow as reported, he had received the beetle), enclosing a note from

Mr. Wighton, of Cossey Hall, stating that, although he found the insect in a bee-hive,

it was in a nest of hornets built therein.

The following notes by Mr. Newman were read :—

The old Aurelians outdone.

“* At the November meeting Mr. Foxcroft exhibited some mutilated specimens of

Endromis versicolor—mutilated, I mean, by sundry tears and rents in their wings.

Every entomologist knows how these fellows wander all day long ‘on amorous

thoughts intent. Who has not watched them in the ‘ Kentish glory field’ at Birch,

flying high over the heather, or dashing themselves incontinently against the polished

stems of the birches? Now I know not whether our most sagacious friend had

literally ‘clipped the wings of Love, but, although ‘ Love is (proverbially) blind, he

certainly assured us that he followed these ‘blind guides, and profited by the

clipping, for it seems no amount of mutilation (of the wings) interferes with the

amorous instinct, and that these cripples continued to tumble about amongst the

heather and dwarf birch-trees, until they led him to female ‘glories, which he forth-

with impaled. Harris, Haworth and Hatchett, our guides and philosophers in

mothcraft, have bequeathed to us instructions how to employ maiden females as man-

traps to decoy the unwary and too-amorous males; but this is the first time the male

has turned traitor, and lent his services to disclose the virgin’s bower.”

Mr. Douglas remarked that once, at Wickham, Messrs. Farr, Fisher and him-

self took females of Lasiocampa Rubi by watching the spots where the males

congregated.

A Fact bearing on the Function of Antenne.

“Tt will be recollected that in an early Part of our ‘ Transactions’ (Trans. Ent. Soc.

ii. 229), there is a paper by the late Mr. Newport, ‘On the Use of the Antenne of

Insects, in which that eminent physiologist contends that they are auditory organs.

We all admit that the subject is surrounded with difficulties, and therefore it is not

very astonishing that the learned author failed to convince many of his readers,

myself among the number: it has lately attracted attention from another point of

view. In tetrapterous insects the antennw are invariably two, but in some of the

apterous they are four at least; in others they are altogether wanting, and it is an

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interesting fact, and possibly a bit of collateral evidence in favour of the feeler hypo-

thesis, that where this is the case the legs are eight instead of six, and the first pair

actually perform the part of feelers: when we watch the spider, whose sense of touch

is so obvious and so exquisite as to have excited admiration in all ages, we cannot

resist the conviction that, whatever other function may be entrusted to them, the

anterior legs are certainly organs of feeling. In the Crustacea we have to deal with

other facts and another structure: the legs are ten instead of eight or six, and none of

them are either homologically or analogically the substitutes for, vr representatives of,

antenne, since normal antenne are not only present, but are always twice, and some-

times three or four times, as many as in tetrapterous hexapods. Physiologists have

theorized very differently on the functions of these multiplied antenne. Milne-

Edwards considers the outer or longer pair as auditory organs; he is confessedly

influenced by the supposed auditory chamber situated at their base, and he leaves the

interior or shorter pair to be considered olfactory or feeling organs; but Mr. Spence

Bate, in a paper lately published in the ‘Annals’ (No. 91, dated July), attempts

exactly to reverse this theory, contending, at great length, that the long exterior

antenne are olfactory, the short interior ones auditory. Recent observations on the

living prawn (Palemon serratus) throw grave doubts equally over the generally received

view of Milne-Edwards and the more elaborately argued, but more hypothetical sug-

gestion of Mr. Spence Bate. The antennal system of the prawn, although familiar to

the Crustaceologist, is perhaps not equally so to the general entomologist, and therefore

a brief description may not be out of place: the antenne are eight in number; con-

ventional and technical usage — whether wisely or not who shall say ?-—reduces them

to four: all are alike in structure, filiform and multiarticulate; the exterior on each

side is the longest; the other three are of different length, are united at their base,

and are seated on the summit of a stout triarticulate footstalk. These three antenne are

invariably called ‘branches’ by the closet-naturalist; but the field-naturalist and the

physiologist must of necessity call them ‘antenne ;’ first, because not apprised of the con-

ventional usage respecting them, and, secondly, because, reasoning on the fact that the

branches of the antenne in true insects are never articulated, they do not expect to find

multiarticulate branches in the antenne of any animal. It may be very easy to argue

that the two longest of these many-jointed threads ought to be ears, and that the other

six ought to be noses, or vice versd, but seeing how precisely they agree in structure,—

seeing that the microscope fails to detect a difference,—and seeing, moreover, as we shall

see, that there is no perceptible discrepancy in the mode in which the living animal may

be said to handle these weapons of perception, it is very difficult to convince the matter-

of-fact mind of a naturalist that the argument is conclusive or the hypothesis established.

Thanks to Mr. Warington, the prawn is now as easily kept in confinement as the rabbit

or the guinea-pig, and we have every opportunity of observing how he behaves himself

both under congenial and adverse circumstances: under every condition the antenne

are constantly in action; always also acting in concert, as by a common impulse fora

common object. Mr. Warington, in his admirable account of the prawn, in a late

number of the ‘ Zoologist,’ says that he considers the sense of smell as residing most

strongly in the anteprne; and he relates, far better than I can, the wonderfully

beautiful manner in which the prawn appears to hunt its food by scent. The following

experiment I have often tried, and invariably with the same result :—Fix on the point

of the usual feeding-fork a small piece of meat; plunge it in the sea-water near

the prawn, but not near enough to touch or disturb him; then draw it through the

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water to the most distant part of the vessel, bring it to the surface, disengage it from

the fork, and let it fall gently to the bottom. In a very few seconds the prawn becomes

aware of the operation ; he knows that food is or has been in his vicinity; he stands

erect on his legs; he lashes the water with his antenna, and, rising from the make-

believe rock whereon he was previously resting, hovers in mid-water, still waving his

hair-like antenne until one of them has bisected the line of transit of his food: this

line ascertained he fellows it without hesitation ; ascends to the surface; plunges to

the bottom ; seizes the meat with his claws and conveys it to his mouth: during the

entire operation, seldom prolonged beyond a minute, the motion of all the antenne is

constant and indescribably beautiful; and it would require a far keener eye, a far

more vivid imagination than mine, to detect or to suppose an auditory faculty exercised

by some of them and an olfactory one by others. A second and even a third prawn

will sometimes follow the trail after the first has passed, and I have seen three at once

in active pursuit, like fox-hounds running with the scent breast-high. It is difficult

in such a case as this to escape the conviction that the antenne ascertain the course

to be taken: to see the creature would remove the doubts of the most sceptical on this

point; at first all the antenne are porrected, but when the trail is once struck, and the

pace of the hunter consequently improved, pair after pair bend back, with the rapidity

of the motion. It is equally difficult to imagine that the passage of the meat through

the water has left a sound: savour or odour are probable, sound certainly improbable.

Thus as, in the first instance, we are willing to believe that the antenne guide the

creature to its food, so, in the second place, we are willing to conclude that the senses

of touch and smell are those most likely to be called into action by a substance totally

incapable of producing sound.”

Mr. Westwood remarked, that whereas authors had given the number of antenne

in the prawn as four, Mr. Newman had doubled it, and to arrive at this conclusion he

must have taken the threefold branches of two of them as distinct organs.

Mr. Lubbock, in continuation, said that, on this hypothesis, the number of legs

should be quoted. as twerity instead of ten.