|'AVr«<^ ,^ -'-'^ ^^ THE ENTOMOLOGIST'S I". MONTHLY MAGAZINE: CONDUCTED BY C. G. BAREETT, F.E.S. W. W. FOWLER, M.A., F.L.S. G. C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. R. McLACHLAN, F.R.S. J. W. DOUGLAS, F.E.S. E. SAUNDERS, F.L.S. LORD WALSINGHAM, M.A., LL.D., F.R.S., &e. SECOND SERIES-VOL. VII. [VOL. XXXII.] The Entomologist who broadens the horizon of his observations becomes better able to grasp and comprehend the great problems presented to him." C. H. Fernald. LONDON: GURNEY & JACKSOJS (Mr. Van Voorst's Successors), 1, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1896. LONBOX NAPIEE, PBINTEE, SEYMOUR STREET, EUSTON SQUARE, N.W. MDCCCXCVI. 1 K^€cT5 I 260 Hajmoiiia Cuitisi 178 Ilaplocuenuis nigricornis 160, 260 Harpalus obscurus 281 Hetorostetbus pictus 161 Hister nierdarius 90 Honialiuni bievicoriic, graciliconie 281 Hoinalota currax, silvicola, &c 108 Ilydroporus 9-lineatus, obsoletus 110 Iscbnomera sanguinicoUis 161 Langelandia anoplitbalma 259 Latbrobium angustatum 259 Liosoma ovatulum, var. collaris Ill Lyctus bruuneus 259 Mautura Mattbevvsi 159 Mauua tVigida 195 Medon apicalis 112 Megatoma undata 90 Meloe rugosus 259 Metsecus paradoxus 155 Molytes coroiiatus, gerniaiuis 159 MordellistiMia abdouiinalis, bruiiuea 90 Mycetoporus nanus .. 166 Myllii'na bie\icornis, ebjngata 108 Nebrialivida 180 Olopbruin fuscuni Ill Otiorrbyncbus bbmdus Ill Oxytelus Fairmairei, 281 ; insecatus 259 Pab)rus austrinus (sp. n.), Cbampion, 30; delicatulus, 28 ; depressus, 27 ; eu- phorbias, exilis, ficicola, minor, 29 ; Katzeburgi, subdepressus 28 Paronialus Luberti, tuberosus (sp. n.), Lewis 270 Parnus auricubitus 90 Pelophila borealis 156, 157, 158 Philonthus scutatus Ill Phloeotrya Stephens! 90 Plagitbmysus, 238; P. iJequalis (sp. ii.), Sharp, 273 ; ajstivus (sp. n.), Sharp, 272 ; aracbnipes, (sp. ii.), Sharp, 274; bilin(>atus(sp.ii.),Sbarp,243; Bishopi, (sp n.),Sharp, 242 ; Bbickbuvui, 271 ; concolor (sp. n.), Sharp, 241 ; crista- tus, 274; cuneatus (sp. n.), Sharp, 242; Darwinianus (sp. n.). Sharp, 271 ; Finschi, 242 ; fuuebris (sp. n.), Sharp, 273 ; biuaiensis (sp. n.), Sharp, 244; Nevvelli (sp. u), Sliarp, 240; Perkinsi (sp. n.). Sharp, 244 ; pulveru- lentus, 242 ; solitarius (sp. n.), Sharp, 241 ; speculifer (sp. n.). Sharp, 272 ; sulphureswns (sp. u.), Sharp, 271 ; varians (sp. n.), Sharp, 245 ; vicinus (sp. n.), Sharp, 243; vitticollis (sp. 11.), Sharp 240 PAGE Platycis minutus 230 Po^onus luvidipennis 140 Polydrosus chvysomela 196 Prionocyplion seniconiis 230 Procas arrnillatus 112 Psammobius csesus -il Pselaphus dresdensis 156 Psylliodes cyanopteva 179 Quedius clirysurus, 260; nigrocffivuleus, 50; i-iparius, 80, 108, 140; xantho- pus 108 Rhagoiiycha unicolor 214 Khiuocyllus latirostris 260 Rhizophagus perforatus ... 108 Silvaims surinameiisis and allies 268 Steniocoelis Vaucheri (sp. n.), Lewis 62 Sty lops nielittse 139 Tachiiius elongatulus 90 Telephorus paludosus _ 214 Trachy phlceus laticoUis 108 Tribolium ferrugiueum... 82 Velleius dilatatus 154 Xyletiuus ater 160 DIPTERA. Acanthiptera inauis 233 Acidia cognata 18 Acroceia lougirostvis 17 Atylotus fulvus 233 Raculia elongata 18, 256, 279 Beris clavipes 18 Callicera ajnea 233 Camarota 257 Cliilosia liavimana, scutellata 18 Clirysoiiotus bipuiictatus 18 Chry.sopilus auratus 18 Chiysotoxura arcuatuin, 52 ; bicinctum, festivuiu, octoniaculatuin 18 Cobboldia elepbaiitis 212 Conops ceriifovniis, quadrimaculatus 18 Ciionhina asilica, 51 ; beiberina 18 Dicranomyia ornata, stigmatica 87 Didea alneti, 52 ; fasciata 18,233 Dioctiia flavipes, linearis 233 Echinomyia gvossa 52 Einpis lutea, tiigiamma 18 Epiphragma picta 233 Erioptera pentagoiialis 87 Eristalis intiicarius, 18; tenax 257 Helle longiiostris 17 Helophilus transfugvis 52 Laphria marginata 18, 233 Leptis lineola 18 Liniosina sacra 181 Lissa loxocerina 18, 233 Melanostoma hyalinatum 18 Merodon equestris 18 Myopa fasciata 233 Nephrocerus flavicornis 233 Orthoneura iiobilis 18 Palloptera uinbellatarum 18 Pericoma advena, 211; ambigua, 209; blandula, 74 ; canescens, 72 ; conipta, 65 ; censors, 207 ; Dalii, 203 ; decip- iens, 210; exquisita, fallax, 73; fusca, 65; labeculosa, 207 ; morula, 65,206; neglecta, 65, 71 ; notabilis, 204 ; ocel- laris, 202 ; pulchra, 75 ; soleata, 208; trifasciata 74 Physocephala nigra 162, 182 Pogonota hircus 87 Rhamphomyia variabilis 18 Sargus infuscatus 18 Spiloinyia speciosa 18, 181 Stevenia maculata 18, 233 Syrphus decorus, 51 ; flavif rons, 257 ; grossulariae, 52 ; guttatus, 52, 233, 247,219; nitens, 52; tricinctus .. 18, 51, 52, 279 Tephritis parietina 18 Toxoneura muliebris 18 Xantliogramina citrifasciatum 18 Xylota nemorum, 52, 233 ; sylvarum 18 Xysta (Phasia) cana 212 HEMIPTERA. Aleurodes loiiicerEe 31 Aleurodidue, List of Writers on 234 Aonidia fusca 33,84 Aspidotus articulatus, 133 ; artocarpi (sp. n.), Green, 200; hederaj, 279; maculata (sp. n.), Newstead, 133; Moorei (sp. n.), Green, 199; perni- ciosus, 33, 84: secretus 84 Asterolecanium bambusse 41 Calocoris fulvoniaculatus 61 CercopidsB 104 Chionaspisaspidastr8e,60,223; brasiliensis 223 Cicadetta montana 216 Coccidfe, S , articulation in antennal joints, 224; distribution of 235 Cylindrococcus casuarinae 226 Diaspinse, Abdominal glands in 85 Heiniptera in nests of Aculeate Hymen- optera 155 Icerya fegyptiaca, 60; Ewarti (sp. n.), Ne wstead 132 Issidae 106 Lecanium bituberculatum, 58 ; genevense, 182; minimum 225 Lecanopsis brevicoinis (sp. n.), Newstead... 59 Microvelia pygmaea 137 Neaetlius semivitreus (sp. u.), Fowler 107 Oliarus lepoiiims 213 Pai-latoria distinctissima (sp.n).,Newstead, 133; Pergandi 41 Ripersia fraxini, *Didea fasciata (1), Syrphus tricinctus*Xantliogramma citrofasciatum {\),Baccha elongata (8) , Eristalis intricarius, Merodon equestris (7), *Criorrhina berberina (2), Xylota sylvarum, *SpiIomyia speciosa (1), Chrysotoxum octomaculatum (2), C.festivum (1), and C. bicinctum, Conops quadrifasciatus, C. cerilfonnis, *Stevenia maculata (1), *Lissa loxocerina, Acidia cognata, Tephritis parietina, Palloptera umbellatarum, and Toxoneura muliehris, besides sundry DolichopodidcB, TaehinidcB, AntAomyidee, &c., not yet identified. As regards other insects, Hynienoptera came next in point of numbers, followed by Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, &c. — F. C. Adams, Fern Cottage, Lyndhurst : November, 1895. Xanthia ocellaris in Surrey. — I captured two specimens of this insect in the neighbourhood of Richmond, Surrey, in September last. The first was taken on the 15th, and has various dark markings at the centre and base of the fore-wings, which, in the second specimen, are replaced by merely a dark shade ; this latter was found on the 21st, is generally lighter in colour, and has the white markings more promi- nent.—Wilfred A. Cope, 30, Crescent Koad, Bromley, Kent: JSov. 22ud, 1895. 19 Sterrha sacraria, L., in the Isle of Purheck. — On Saturday, September 7th, whilst out partridge shooting with my brother, at 3.45 p.m., in a barley stubble about half a mile from this house, I happened to disturb a small yellow moth, which, after a short flight, settled down. Imagine my delight when on cautiously creeping up I saw at a glance that it was Sterrha sacraria ! My first attempt to box it only stirred it to fresh activity, but after a few more evolutions it again settled, and clasping an upright stalk folded its wings much in the manner of Cilix spinula. This time success crowned my efforts, and the prize was mine ! It is a fine but not highly coloured male specimen, and its fringes are so perfect that one is inclined to think that it must have been bred near the spot, in which case I expect it is the offspring of a moth that came over from the Continent in the early summer. The spot was well worked in the hope of meeting with others of the same brood, but no more were seen. It would have been more satisfactory if the captive had been a female ready to oviposit, but one must not expect too much, and the insect has been so rarely taken of late years in Britain that it is quite refreshing to be able to record its occurrence. The only example of S. sacraria previously captured in Dorset was secured by Mr. C. R. Dale at Holwell on August 31st, 1867. — Eustace R. Bankes, The Rectory, Corfe Castle : November 20th, 1895. Grapta c-album and Nonagria lutosa at Brighton. — On September 25th last I found a specimen of Grapta c-album on the playground wall at the College here ; the wings were somewhat chipped, and it had evidently been out some time. Mr. Vine tells me that he saw one at Shoreham, five or six miles off, three years ago, and Mr. Fletcher tells me that he has heard of one occurring at Worthing, six miles beyond Shoreham, this year. On October 24th I found a specimen of Nonagria lutosa at rest on a tree in the Pavilion grounds here, a good six miles from the nearest reed beds, which are at Shoreham. — -A. F. Griffiths, Brighton : December 4>th, 1895. The larva of Mamestra sordida (ancep.s). — I can corroborate, from my own experience, the stated resemblance of the larva to that of Apamea basHinea, although unfortunately I cannot supply a description taken from nature. I picked up a larva, then small, on grass on the Culver Downs, Isle of Wight, while looking for Luperina testacea, &c., on July 23rd, 1893, and so unhesitatingly took it to be A. basilinea, which I had taken in the same manner the previous year, that I took no special notice of it at all, but in due course it produced a specimen of M. sordida. — Louis B. Pbout, 12, Greenwood Road, Dalston, N.E. : December bth, 1895. Radena peregrina, Tr., as a British insect. — My friend Mr. Meyrick's new " Handbook" does not, as a rule, err on the side of omitting species having often the most slender claims to be considered " British ;" it was therefore with surprise that I found no mention of H. peregrina therein. In the " Entomologist's Annual " for 1859, p. 147, Mr. Stainton wrote, " In September, 1857, Mr. Bond took a speci- men at Freshwater in the Isle of Wight ; the insect is a native of Southern Europe and attached to low coasts.'' This example was figured in Newman's " Britisii B 2 20 ■ i.!anu;iiy. Moths." In the " Zoologist " for 1859, p. 6734, there is a note signed by myself lo this effect : — " I have much pleasure in recording the capture of a second specimen of the above insect : I took it on the 23rd ulto. (August) at sugar, within a few yards of the place where Mr. Bond captured his specimen last year (should have been 1857) ; it is a female and in beautiful condition." This specimen was exhibited by me at the Meeting of the Ent. So3. Lond., Sept. 5th, 1859, and is noticed in the " Ent. Annual " for 1860, p 140; it is still in my possession. I think there have been subsequent records : these I have not traced out, considering the foregoing to be sufficient. The specific name would imply migratory habits. My example is in such a condition that it might have been bred on the spot, and I have no reason to suppose it was not ; I think this was also the case with Mr. Bond's specimen ; and from its nature it is an insect that would soon show traces of weathering. — R. McLachlan, Lewisham, London : December 14:th, 1895. Forficida anrivtdaria, var. forcipata, Steph., in the Channel Islands. — On the west coast of Guernsey lies the small islet of Lihou. It is connected with Guernsey by a rough causeway, said to have been constructed by the monks (the ruins of whose monastery is still to be seen) to enable them to cross from one island to another during low tides. This causeway is about 700 yards long, and is covered during at least half of every tide. The islet is of rectangular shape, and is about 600 yards long, by 150 wide. It contains one inhabited house, with a few small patches of cultivated ground. The remainder is very sandy soil, covered with grass and short herbage, and abounding in wild rabbits. Near the shore under stones I found numerous specimens of a large earwig ; I submitted examples of these to Mr. Saunders, who considered them to be Forjicula auricularia, var. forcipata, Steph. I find, however, that Stephens, who gives an excellent figure of this variety in his " Illustrations," states that it is found in high trees at Coombe Wood, and also in the New Forest. I have found the same variety on another but much smaller islet, not far from Lihou, called Chapelle Dom Hue, which is about 400 yards from Guernsey, and also only accessible at low tides. I have searched the coast of Guernsey opposite these islets, but have found only ordinary specimens of F. auricularia. The large and curious spider, Atypus Sulzeri, Latr., is also very common on both these islets, many of their tubes going down to a great depth in the sandy soil. — W. A. Luff, Guernsey: October 26th, 1895. Periplaneta ausfralasice at Kew.~Sonie two years ago I came into possession of a specimen of a Periplaneta taken by the Hev. Windsor Hambrough several years ago in one of the plant houses at Kew. Having then only just turned my attention towards our Orthoptera, I looked upon it as a variety of /'. americana, and having duly labelled it, placed it amongst my series of that insect, where it remained un- noticed. Some few weeks ago on pointing out its peculiarities to Mr. W. J. Lucas, he told me that he had recently taken an identical specimen, also in a plant house at Kew. This led me to look to Mr. Eland Shaw's excellent description of the species in his Monograph of our British Orthoptera in the Ent. Mo. Mag., from which I found out what my specimen was, and I have since verified it by comparison with the British Museum series. From the interval that elapsed between the dates i.stm. 21 of the capture of these two specimens, I think that we may infer that the species is now as well naturalized at Kew as its congener americana is at the Zoological Gardens. — C. A. Beiggs, 55, Lincoln's Inn Fields : November 2Sth, 1895. [During the last two or three years P. australasicB has been submitted to me from hothouses in various parts of the country ; it appears to be thoroughly estab- lished with us.— R. McLachlan]. The Cambridge Natural History, Vol. v. Insects, Part i : by David Sharp, M.A., M.B., F.R.S. Pp. 83—584, 8vo. Macmillan & Co,, London and New York. 1895. So far as the general subject of Entomology is concerned, the latter part of the 19th century will probably for long remain remarkable on account of the numerous works on it in the English language that then appeared. It is no disparagement to any of them to say that not one aims at superseding Westwood's " Introduction," which, after more than fifty years, remains unique in its method of treatment, and is likely to remain so. It has long been known that Dr. Sharp was engaged on the Insecta for the " Cambridge Natural History ;" the first part has now appeared, and on the whole it more than fully sustains our anticipations. The illustrations (all in the text) are very numerous and judiciously selected, and what is more to the point the majority of them are absolutely original, those that are not so being mainly restricted to matters of internal anatomy. The labour involved in the preparation of the letter-press can only be rightly understood by those who have had occasion, possibly on a smaller scale, to do similar work, and we venture to think that the knowledge acquired by the author during the process will go far to supplement the thanks that will be accorded him by his readers. To systematically go through a work of this nature for the purpose of picking holes would be invidious ; we leave that task to those to whom it may be more congenial ; there is only one point, not a matter of detail, to which we propose to take exception. The following is the classification or sequence of Orders adopted : — Aptera (= Collemhola and Thysanura), Orthoptera, Neuroptera (nearly in the Linnean sense), Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Thysanoptera, and Hemiptera. We are not aware if this precise sequence has been previously suggested by any other author or authors, and it seems to be more or less a reversion to or adaptation of the Linnean and Fabrician systems, the broad divisions of " perfect " or "imperfect " metamorphosis so long adopted by most modern scientific writers being disregarded. This we consider a reti'ograde step, not far removed from a reversion to the Linnean system in a modern work on Botany, and it may be due to our obtuseness, but we confess ourselves unable to grasp the terms " very little," "slight," "great," "very great," &c., uoed to express degrees of meta- morphosis. Dr. Sharp seems to think we yet know too little for the grounding of any system, but we venture to believe we know enouijh to render the mixing up of the two grand divisions of metamorphosis unnatural. This Part i consists of a minut-ely detailed introductory portion of nearly 100 99 (Jaiiuury. pages ; and then, according to the system adopted, come the Aptera, Orthoptera, Neuroptera, and part of the Hymenoptera. And we regard this first part with the greatest satisfaction, because it is too often the practice in works of this kind for the author to unduly enlarge upon the Order or Orders he may have specially studied to the detriment or practical wiping out of the rest. The Orders just mentioned are treated on at such length as to leave doubts in our mind as to how those that remain are to be got into a second volume, to which the author is limited. As an example, we need only allude to the Family Termitidae, which occupy nearly 35 pages, forming probably the most complete concise account of these wondrous creatures that now exists, largely drawn up from the recent researches of Grassi, and of Dr. Haviland, the latter the more valuable because they remain otherwise unpublished. We could multiply similar instances ; in fact there is scarcely any salient feature that is not alluded to, and the text in each case is almost always emphasized by a suitable illustration. We venture to think the work will be found indispensable to all who seek to extend their general knowledge beyond the narrowing influence of exclusive attention to certain Orders or Groups, and that it will take a high position in " The Cambridge Natural History " series. The first 80 pages of the Vol. do not concern true insects, but are occupied by what amounts to a monograph of that singular genus Peripatus, by Adam Sedgwick, M.A., F.R.S., and an account of the Myriapods, by F. G. Sinclair, M.A. — R. McL. Societies. The South London Entomological and Natural IIistoet Society November \Uh, 1895.— T. W. Hall, Esq., F.E.S., President, in the Chair. Mr. Grifiith, of Bristol, was elected a Member. Mr. Briggs exhibited a living specimen of the Madeira Cockroach, Panchlora maderce, taken in Covent Garden market. Mr. Edwards, specimens of the rare Morphos, M. cacica and M. Neoptolemus, from Peru. Mr. R. Adkin, a series of Emmelesia tceniata, St., from Co. Kerry, lighter than the English form, and a specimen of Arctia Caja, L., from Louth, with very intense black-brown markings. Mr. H. W. Williams, a bred series of Oporabia dilutaria, Bork., including two very dark uniform specimens and one with a light marginal area. Mr. McArthur, living larvae and a recently emerged imago of Triphana comes, Hb., var. Curtisii, Newm., from Orkney, and said that all the captured ones were of that form. Mr. Turner, a specimen of Phorodesma smaragdaria, Fb., unique in being bred on Sept. 26th, and several varieties of Vanessa urticcB, L., one of which had the central spots reduced to minute dots. Mr. Mansbridge, a series of Scoparia basistrigalis, Knaggs, taken at sugar in Epping Forest. Mr. Sturt, a living larva of Sphinx convolvuli, L., from Cornwall, with drawings of the others he had had. It was noted that one specimen was of the rare striped form of the larva. A discussion took place as to the necessity of forcing the pupee of the larger hawk-moths. Mr. South, a short bred series of Acronycta menyanthidis, View., from Macclesfield, and stated that the larvae much preferred sallow as food although a few fed on birch. Mr. Ashdown, a number of Lepidoptera, including a strange var. of Melanippe sociata, Bork., having mm.] 23 a light looped band from the costa, including the discoidal spot. Mr. Step communicated a list of British Stalk-eyed Crustacea, including the new species, with references to all old species described in Bell's Crustacea. November 28th, 1895.— The President in the Chair. Mr. Chipps, of Barnes, S.W., was elected a Member. Mr. R. Adkin exhibited a specimen of Mesogona acetosellcB, Fb., a species new to Britain. It was taken on October 26th, near Brighton. Mr. Adkin also exhibited a series of Coremia rnunitata, Hb., from Hoy, with series of the same species from Shetland and Paisley and of C. designata, Kufn., for comparison, and read notes on the variations exhibited. Messrs. Barrett, Tutt, and Carrington remarked on the habit of the species of flying during the daytime in elevated, exposed and Alpine regions. Mr. H. Moore, a long series of Ocneria dispar, L., bred from a Bordeaux female. They were all small, owing to the larvae having been fed on hawthorn, it was thought. Mr. Carrington, four xanthic specimens of Epinephele Janira, L., from Leigh, Essex, taken in the same field in 1890-91. Also he showed typical and lemon coloured forms of Hesperia lineola, L., from Shoeburyness. Mr. Clark, a number of large and well-executed Micro-photographs. Mr. Hy. J. Turner, a specimen of the moorland form o^ Noctua festivaj^h.jivora. CavWsle, Crambus pinellus,!^., from Box Hill, a very rosy specimen of Anticlea rubidata, Fb., bred from Chichester, and a pair of Coccyx cosmophorana, Tr., from Carlisle. A long discussion took place on the life-history of this latter species. Mr. McArthur had bred a number from the knobs produced by Retinia resinella a year after they had emerged, and said that he found the larvae in the frass of this species. It was not found at Rannoch, but had been recorded from several localities where R. resinella was not known to occur. Mr. Ashdown, a bred specimen of Acronycta aJni, L., from Richmond, and a specimen of Eumenes coarctata. Mr. Briggs, an Orthopteron, Periplaneta australasice , taken at Kew. December \2th, 1895. — The President in the Chair. Mr. Searancke, of Mitcheldean, Gloucester, was elected a Member. Mr. Barrett exhibited, on behalf of Mr. Brooks, of Rotherham, a long bred series of Boarmia repandata, L., including black forms and forms having the dark markings intensified but not extended ; a series of the grey form of Tephrosia biutidularia, Bork., both from Rotherham ; and a large number of specimens of Lepidoptera collected near Lake Tanganyika from November, 1892, to February, 1893, including two recently named species, viz., Pseudospiris paidiformis, Butl., and Sapeea Trimeni, Butl. It was noted that several species exhibited occurred in Natal. Mr. Carpenter, Tceniocampa munda, Esp., T. gothica, L., T. stabilis, View., T. incerta, Hufn., T. ptilverulenta, Esp., Pachnobia raJricoso, Fb., and red T. gracilis, Fb., taken at sallow bloom in his own garden at Streatham. Col. Partridge, a nearly pure white Cucullia absinthii, L., bred at Portland. Mr. Barrett, on behalf of Dr. Mason, a number of extreme varieties of Lepidoptera, including Agrotis segetum, Schiff., uniformly pale and destitute of markings, a unicolorous A. corticea, Hb., a dark suffused Acronycta alni, L., a unicolorous pale Noctua augur, Fb., extreme dark and light forms of A. lucernea, L., A. simu/ans, Hufn., A. agathina, Dup., and 24, [January, 18«6. Ptilophora plumigera, Esp., a pair of A. subgothica, Haw., and a very large Noctua suhronea, St. Mr. Adkiii, specimens oi Hydrcevia micacea, Esp., from West Meath, similar in depth of colour to H. petasitis, Dbl., and also a small Agrotis saucia, Hb., having purplish-grey primaries and black outlined stigmata. Mr. Tunaley, a var. of Ijijcana Corydon, Fb., with a wide black border, and another with the black border absent, both from Freshwater ; specimens of Asilus crahroniformis, L., with L. Icarus impaled on their lancets ; and a series of L. Corydon, Fb., remarkable for the tendency to angularity in the hind-wings, taken at Freshwater ; also specimens of L. bellargus, Rott., and L. Icarus, Rott., showing the same tendency, and contri- buted notes on the peculiarity. Mr. South, specimens of adipocere of the horse and moth, received from Dr. Knaggs, and read the results of the latter gentleman's experiments. Mr. Winkley, on behalf of Mr. Montgomery, a large number of bred Colias Edusa, Fb., and communicated a paper on the subject. — Ht. J. Ttjenee, Hon. Secretary. Entomological Sociuty of London : December 4th, 1895.— Prof. Raphael Meldola, F.R.S., President, in the Chair. Mr. S. H. Scudder, of Cambridge, Mass., U.S.A., was elected an Honorary Fellow to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Prof. C. V. Riley. Lieut.-Colonel C. T. Bingham, Indian Staff Corps, of 4, Waverley Place, St. John's Wood, N.W. ; Captain C. Or. Nurse, 13th Bombay Native Infantry, c/o Messrs. Cox and Co., Charing Cross, S.W. ; and Mr. E. F. Studd, M.A., B.C.L., of Oxton, Exeter ; were elected Fellows of the Society. The Secretary read a copy of a letter of condolence which he had written, by the direction of the Council, to the Entomological Society of France on the death of their President, Mons. E. L. Ragonot, and he also read the letter in reply from the Secretary of the Entomological Society of France. Mr. R. Adkin exhibited a specimen of Mesogona acetosellce, taken at Arlington, Sussex, in October, 1895. It was stated that this was the first recorded capture of this species in Britain. Mr. G. T. Porritt exhibited an example of Halesus guttatipennis, taken at Lye, Worcestershire, in November, 1889. It was believed to be the third British example. Mr. Porritt also exhibited a series of Mania typica, showing a curious malformation in all the specimens. He stated that about one-third of a large brood had emerged in exactly the same form, having the wings only half developed, but with the markings clearly defined. Mr. Tutt and Mr. McLachlan referred respectively to similar malformations in Agrotis tritici and Hadena chenopodii. Mr. Q-oss read a communication from Mr. Sidney Crompton, of Salamanca, Tenerife, announcing the capture there by Mr. Hammerton of two specimens of Diadema misippus, a species of butterfly not previously recorded from Tenerife. Mr. Crompton said the specimens were in such fine condition that they must have been introduced into Tenerife in the larval or pupal state and emerged there, Mr. Hampson, Prof. Meldola, and Mr. Osbert Salvin made some remarks on the distribution of the species. Mr. Champion read a paper, entitled, " On the Heteromerous Coleoptera of St. Vincent, Grenada, and the Grenadines." Mr. Kenneth J. Morton communicated a paper, entitled, " New or Little Known Palcearctic Perlidse." — H. Goss and W. W. FowLEK, Hon. Secretaries. February, 1S'.)6. i 25 ON A NEW SPECIES OF THE GENUS ARGYRESTHIA, Hb., FROM ENGLAND. Br EUSTACE B. BA.NKES, M.A., P.E.S. Argtresthia Atmoeiella, sp. nov. AntenncB fuscous, annulated with wliitish. Palpi, above and internally pale greyish-ochreous, beneath and externally much clouded with fuscous. Face pale ochreous. Head, and thickened base of antenna, orange-ochreous, the latter paler internally. Thorax and tegulcB concolorous with fore-wings. Fore-wings somewhat narrow, with rather straight costa and pointed apes, more especially in the females, which average larger than the males ; bronzy smoke-grey, very satiny ; in favourable lights the costa up to about three-quarters and one or two adjacent veins are seen to be obscurely streaked with bronzy-fuscous ; occasionally these streaks appear to form an obscure darker costal vitta, or else are hardly traceable ; cilia pale smoke-grey. Fxp. al., 11 — 13 mm. Hind-wings satiny slate-grey ; cilia very pale grey. Abdomen smoke-grey above, paler beneath ; anal tuft ochi-eous. Legs : anterior pair fuscous, somewhat paler at the joints ; posterior pair and spurs pale greyish- ochreous, tarsi with terminal joints fuscous. Tgpe : • variety of 2nd brood thereof. 18!>6.J 37 Westwood, 1845 (I omit extersaria and punclulata, on which no question arises), gives five species, viz., tetragonaria, crepuscularia, consonaria, strigularia, and ahietaria (this ahietaria must not be confounded with the species now known as ahietaria, and then known as Alois sericearia). In the last edition of Westwood (1860) is a synopsis comparing the names adopted in the work with those of Stephens. From this synopsis, and from the letter from Mr. Doubleday (Ento., vol. i, p. 162), we find that — A — crepuscularia of Westwood's work = crepuscularia, Stephens. B — consonaria „ ,, C — strigularia „ „ D — ahietaria „ „ = laricaria, Stephens. E — tetragonaria ,, „ = consonaria of our day. B, C and E we need not pursue, but of D (ahietaria) Westwood says, " wings grey and atomose," found in woods in March and April. Syn. : ahietaria, W. V., Treitschke, Haworth, Stephens, Wood, fig. 516. But of A {crepuscularia) he says, " wings almost white and atomose," found in woods in May, June and July. Syn.: cre/>M*(?M^arJa, Hiib., Haw., Treitschke, Ste- phens, Wood, fig. 517 ; hiundularia, Esp. ; similaria, Huf. So far all is clear, but Doubleday, in his 2nd edition of his Catalogue, gives — ■ 1. Crepuscularia, W. Y., = ahietaria. Haw., var., = laricaria, Dbl. Cat. 2. Biundularia, Esp. (? prcBc var.), = crepuscularia, Haw. (var. ver.), = crepuscularia var. Grn. Newman, every sheet and column of whose book passed through Doubleday's hands, of course followed his nomenclature. Staudinger doubtfully refers Haworth's ahietaria and Doubleday's laricaria to hiundularia, Bork. It would seem, therefore, that while there is no doubt that crepuscularia is the proper name for the paler later species, there is a little uncertainty whether our larcli-frequenting early yellower species should be called hiundularia, or whether the name ahietaria should not still prevail. This can only be settled by careful reference to the figures and descriptions in Esper, Borkhausen, Hiibner, and Hufnagle, whose works I do not possess. Esper I understand only recognises one species occurring in May and June. Doubleday's error was corrected in Mr. South's list, and it would be a great pity if it were accidentally revived again by so leading an authority as Mr. Barrett. — 55, Lincoln's Inn Fields: August 2nd, 1895. [By the kind forbearance of Mr. Briggs I have been allowed to hold over this paper for a time for further investigation of the earlier nomenclature. Unfortunately, circumstances have delayed this far beyond my intention, and even now it is only through the knowledge of entomological literature and kind help of my friend Mr. W. F. Kirby, and the valuable library at South Kensington, that it has been possible to arrive at any definite conclusion. The earliest existing description which appears to be of the smallest value is that by Borkhausen (1794) of biundularia. It is full and accurate, and evidently includes all the forms. He says that the ground colour is a tohitish-grej, sometimes more, and sometimes less, dusted with brown dots ; and going more closely into detail, he clearly describes the common whiter form which is found in June ; then qo iFebniary, adding, " varieties of this are innumerable, and they cannot all be described in words ; the ground-colour in many is very vehite, in still more whitish-grey, in others ashy-grey, and in many brownish-grey ; in the last two forms the markings are the least distinct ; the markings differ in colour — brown, blackish, rust-colour or reddish. This species is more variable than any other Geometra known to me." Esper's figures of biundularia,-v/h.ic;\\ he states to be synonymous with crepuscu- laria, W. V., are far less satisfactory. The male has the wing colouring and markings of the pale form pretty accurately, but its antennae are stout and strongly pectinated — the antennae in fact of Boarmia rhomboidaria — while in the present species the pectinations, though present, are merely rows of minute bristles, and the antennae are slender and weak. His female figure is one upon which no one I think would like to pronounce. In the text he says that the " ground-colour is very pale ashy-grey, sometimes darkened by thickly sprinkled blackisli atoms ; the fore-wings have three scolloped transverse lines at even distances, the first edged throughout with a yellowish-brown border, which is sometimes obsolete or very pale; in the middle band, especially in the female, is sometimes a blackish spot accompanied by two white dots, but these are often absent; sometimes the two last bands are con- nected together by an intermediate transverse stripe. The hind-wings also have three waved black bands, but they are much more slender, and the middle one only bordered with brownish or yellowish, sometimes in the form of a band. Under-side similar but more obscure, and dusted with blackish. Varying in depth of markings and in ground-colour to brown or yellowish. Larva varying much, according to tlie food plant- -brownish-green, brownish-grey, or partly greyish and partly pale green." De Geer's figure is very little dusted, so probably is intended for the pale form, but that is merely a matter of conjecture. He calls it "the dirty-white moth," and says that it is " dirty-white clouded with grey and with dark lines." De Villers furnished it with a name — hiundiilaria. Hiibner's figure 158 is our pale June form. He calls it crepuscularia. It is also the crepuscularia of the Vienna Catalogue, and biundularia is quoted as a synonym ; but then the authors say that crepuscularia