The Zoologist/3rd series, vol 1 (1877)/Issue 9/Proceedings of Scientific Societies
PROCEEDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES.
Entomological Society of London.
August 1, 1877.— J.W. Dunning, Esq., M.A., F.L.S., Vice-President, in the chair.
Mr. Stevens exhibited specimens of Teretrius picipes (Fab.), one of the Histeridæ, which he bad taken on the same fence, at Norwood, on which he had previously taken Tillus unifasciatus. He also remarked on the appearance in his neighbourliood of a second brood of Colias Edusa, several specimens having been observed by him, all of which were males.
Mr. Smith exhibited, on behalf of Dr. Bennett, of Sydney, who was present at the meeting, a fine pair of the beautiful and rare beetle Eupholus Bennettii (Gestro), from Yule Island, New Guinea. It had been described under that name in the 'Annali di Museo Civico di Geneva,' viii. 1876.
The Secretary exhibited a specimen of an insect which had been forwarded to him by Mr. Bewicke Blackburn, who stated that a large field of mangolds belonging to the Knight of Kerry, in the Island of Valentia, had been totally destroyed by it. The specimen was examined by several of the members, who agreed that it was the larva of a Coleopterous insect, but in consequence of its imperfect condition it could not be determined.
Mr. Douglas, who was unable to be present at the meeting, had forwarded to Mr. Jenner Weir a letter he had received from Mr. R.A. Ogilvie, enclosing specimens of an insect found in great quantities in a jar of pickles (piccalilly). They confined their attacks to the pieces of cauliflower in the jar, which they appeared to relish, notwithstanding the vinegar, mustard, pepper, &c., in the pickles. The specimens had been submitted to Professor Westwood, who replied that "the flies were the common Drosophila cellaris, with their curious two-horned pupæ; and they frequent cellars and cupboards, delighting in stale beer, wine, &c." He supposed that "the cauliflowers were more to their taste than the other things in the jar, being more succulent and flabby." In answer to a question put by Mr. Ogilvie, he said that the eggs were laid in the pickle-jar, and not in the vegetables before they were pickled.
Mr. Douglas also forwarded a letter he had received from Mr. A.H. Swinton, of Guildford, enclosing a specimen of Myrmica ruginodis, which, on being placed under a wine-glass, stationed itself at the rim, head downwards, and rapidly vibrating the abdomen, continued "an intense noise," resembling the spiracular piping of the Dipteron, Syrilla pipiens.
Mr. Enock remarked, with reference to a spider which had been exhibited by Sir Sidney Saunders at a previous meeting as Atypus Sulzeri, that he had taken the specimen himself at Hampstead, and that he had since referred it to the Rev. O. Pickard-Cambridge, who stated that the insect was certainly not A. Sulzeri, but that he considered it to be A. Beckii (Cambridge), which would probably be found to be the same as A. piceus (Thorell), though he was not certain, as the only female which he had of that species was too much damaged to admit of any satisfactory comparison. The type of A. Beckii was an adult male given to him by the late Richard Beck, who was uncertain of the locality, though Mr. Cambridge appeared to think it probable that he had got it from Hampstead, as he often collected there. The example sent to him by Mr. Enock was different from the Isle of Wight species, of which he had several female specimens, but no males, though he believed them to be A. Sulzeri. He would be very glad if collectors in the Hampstead locality would look out for the males in the autumn and winter, as if he could obtain that sex it would enable him to put the question, as to species, at rest.
Mr. Enock exhibited a bottle containing a great number of larvae of Cossus ligniperda, which he had found in a portion of a small willow. He had taken fifty-six larvae out of a piece of wood four feet long.
Mr. Dunning again directed the attention of members to the exhibition by Mr. Jenner Weir, at the last meeting, of a female specimen of Cicada montana, which was reported to have been distinctly heard to stridulate, notwithstanding that the insect was a female, and also that the species was one of which even the males were not previously known to stridulate. Mr. Weir stated that since the last meeting he had again been to the New Forest, and had seen, in the possession of Mr. James Gulliver, of liamnor, near Brockenhurst, two specimens of Cicada montana, and he was assured by Mr. Gulliver that the stridulation of the insect was well known to him, and that he was guided by the sound so made in effecting the capture. Mr. Champion said that he himself had captured the insect, and had distinctly heard a loud buzzing noise, but whether the sound was caused by the males or females he could not say. Mr. Dunning considered that further evidence was wanting to prove stridulation in the females.
A paper was read by Mr. W.F. Kirby, entitled "Notes on the new or rare Sphingidæ in the Museum of the Royal Dublin Society; with remarks on Mr. Butler's recent Revision of the Family."
Papers were also communicated, by Mr. J.S. Baly, on "Descriptions of new Genera and Species of Cryptocephalidæ," and by the Rev. H Gorham—"Descriptions of new Species of Cleridæ."