Societies and Academies

Abstract

LONDON.Entomological Society, October 7.—Dr. D. Sharp, F.R.S., Vice-President, in the chair.—The Chairman referred to the death, on September 14 last, of Mr. E. W. Janson, who had been a member of the Society since 1843, an who had formerly filled the offices of secretary and librarian respectively. —The Rev. Dr. Walker exhibited a long series of several species of Erebia, and of Argynnis pales, which he had recently captured near Roldal, in Norway.—Mr. W. L. Distant exhibited specimens of Danais chrysippus, with its two varietal forms, alcippus, Cram., and dorippus, Klug., all which he found together in the Pretoria district of the Transvaal. Mr. Jenner Weir and Colonel Swinhoe took part in the discussion which ensued as to these forms and their distribution.—The Rev. W. F. Johnson sent for exhibition specimens of Velia currens from stagnant water near Armagh; also a specimen of Nabis limbatus, killed whilst holding on to its prey, a very hard species of Ichneumon. Mr. Saunders thought that, from the nature of the Ichneumon, the only chance the Nabis had of reaching its internal juices would be through the anal opening, as recorded by Mr. E. A. Butler in a similar case, in the Entomologist's Monthly Magazine, October 1891.—Mr. F. P. Pascoe exhibited two British species of Diptera, unnamed. He said they had been submitted to Mr. R. H. Meade, but were unknown to him, and are probably new to the British list.—Mr. R. Adkin exhibited two specimens of a supposed new species of Tortrix (Tortrix donelana, Carpenter), bred from larvæ found on pine-trees at Tuam. Mr. C. G. Barrett said he examined the specimens with great care, but he did not consider that they belonged to a new species. He was unable to distinguish them from Tortrix uiburnana.—M. A. Wailly exhibited preserved larvæ, in various stages, of Citheronia regalis, which he had bred from ova received from Iowa, United States. He said that the natives called this larva the Hickory Horned Devil, and that the specimens exhibited were the first that had been bred in this country. M. Wailly further exhibited three female specimens of Antheræa yama-mai bred from cocoons received from Japan; also a nest of cocoons of Bombyx radama, received from the west coast of Madagascar. Prof. J. B. Smith, of the United States, and Colonel Swinhoe took part in a discussion on the habits of the Jarvæ of Citheronia regdlis, and as to the period at which they dropped their spines prior to pupating.—Dr. Sharp exhibited several specimens of a weevil, Ectopsis ferrugalis, the ends of the elytra of which bore a close resemblance to the section of a twig cut with a sharp knife. He said he had received the specimens from Mr. G. V. Hudson, of Wellington, New Zealand, who stated that they were found resting in large numbers on dead trunks and branches of Panax arborea in the forests.—Mr. G. C. Champion stated that the species of Forficulidæ, captured by Mr. J. J. Walker, R.N., in Tasmania, and exhibited by himself at the meeting of the Society in April last, was, he believed, referable to Anisolabis tasmanica, Bormans, described in the Comptes rendus of the Ent. Soc. Belgique, 1880.—The Rev. A. E. Eaton made some remarks on the synonymy of the Psychodidæ, and stated that, since August 1890, he had identified all of the British species in Mr. Verrall's list, except Sycorax silacea.—Mr. Gervase F. Mathew, R.N., communicated a paper entitled “The Effect of Change of Climate upon the emergence of certain species of Lepidoptera.” A discussion followed, in which Mr. Stainton, F.R.S., Mr. Barrett Dr, Sharp, F.R.S., and Mr. McLachlan, F.R.S., took part.