Societies amd Academies

Abstract

LONDON. Entomological Society, October 3.—The Right Hon. Lord Walsingham, F.R.S., Vice-president, in the chair.—Mr. W. F. H. Blandford exhibited specimens of a sand-flea, chigoe or nigua, received from Mr. Szigetváry, of the Imperial Maritime Customs, China, who had found them in the ears of sewer-rats trapped at Ningpo. Mr. Blandford stated that the species was allied to,but not identical with,the American species, Sarcopsylla penetrans, L., one of the most troublesome pests in Tropical America and the West Indies to man and various domestic and wild animals, the female burrowing into the skin, usually of the feet, but also of any other accessible region. He said that the distribution of the chigoe was recorded over Tropical America and the Antilles from 30° north to 30° south, and of late years it had established itself in Angola, Loango, and the Congo. Colonel Swinhoe, Mr. McLachlan, Lord Walsingham; Mr. Champion, Mr. J. J. Walker, Mr. Barrett, and others, took part in the discussion which ensued.—Mr. F. C. Adams exhibited a specimen of Mallota cristaloides, a species of Diptera new to Britain, taken by himself in the New Forest on July 20 last. He said that the species had been identified by Mr. Austen, of the British Museum, and that he had presented the specimen to the National Collection. Mr. Verrall made some remarks on the species and on the distribution of several allied species in the United Kingdom. Lord Walsingham, as a trustee of the British Museum, expressed his satisfaction at the presentation of the specimen to that institution. -Mr. Tutt exhibited specimens of a form of Zygana exulans, well scaled, and with the nervures and forelegs of a decidedly orange colour, collected during the last week in July by Dr. Chapman in the La Grave district of the Alps, at a considerable elevation; also specimens of the same species taken by Dr. Chapman near Cogne, and others from the Grison Valley, which were less well scaled. He also exhibited Scotch specimens for comparison, and stated that he was of opinion that the latter were probably as thickly scaled as the continental ones, but that, owing to the differences in the climate of Scotland and Switzerland, collectors had fewer opportunities of getting the Scotch specimens in good condition.—Mr. P. M. Bright exhibited a remarkable series of varieties of Arctia mtntkastri from N. Scotland, also series of Liparis monacha (including dark varieties) and??????? roboraria from the New Forest; Zygccna exulans, from Braemar; Noclua glareosa, from Mon-trose and the Shetlands; Agrotis fyrophila, from the Isle of Portland, and Pitcaple, N.B.; red varieties of Teniocampa gracilis; and a specimen of Sterrha sacraria, taken at light, at Mudeford, in October, 1893; also living larva; of Eulepia cribntm.-Mr. J. J. Walker exhibited a living specimen of a large species of Pulex, which he believed to be Hystricopsylla. ialpce, Curtis, taken at Hartlip, Kent. Mr. Verrall and the chairman made some remarks on this and allied specie?.-Mr. K. J. Morton communicated a paper, entitled "Palrearctic Nemource."-Lord Walsingham read a paper, entitled "A Catalogue of the Pterophorid^, Tortricidce, and TineiJie of the Madeira Islands, "ith Notes and Descriptions of New Species."In this paper sixty-six species of Lepidoptera belonging to these families were recorded as occurring in the Madeiras, of which thirty were noticed as peculiar to the Islands, twelve as common to the Madeiras and Canaries, of which two were not known as occurring elsewhere, and one extends its range only to North Africa. Over thirty species were added to the list, and one new genus, seven new species, and two new varieties were described. Mr. Jacoby and Mr. Bethune-Baker made some remarks on the species and their geographical distribution.- Mr. Blandford read a paper, entitled "A Supplementary Note on the Scolytid:e of Japan, with a list of Species."