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LONDON. Entomological Society, July 6.—Dr. D. Sharp, President, in the chair.—Mr. McLachlan remarked that at the meeting of the Society in October 1886 he exhibited a quantity of the so-called “jumping seeds” from Mexico, containing larvæ of Carpocapsa saltitans, Westw. The seeds had long ceased to “jump,” which proved that the larvæ were either dead, had become quiescent, or had pupated; about a fortnight ago he opened one of the seeds, and found therein a living pupa. On the 4th inst. a moth (exhibited) was produced.—The President, on behalf of the Rev. H. S. Gorham, exhibited the following Coleoptera, lately taken in the New Forest: Anoplodera sex-guttata, Fab., wholly black variety; Grammoptera analis, Fab.; Colydium elongatum, Fab.; and a specimen of Tachinus elongatus, Gyll., with brownish-red elytra.—Mr. S. Stevens exhibited a specimen of Orsodacna humeralis, Latr. (lineola, Panz., var.), taken by him at Norwood; he also exhibited a specimen of the same beetle taken by him fifty years ago in Coombe Wood; during the interval he had never seen it alive. —Mr. G. T. Porritt exhibited, on behalf of Mr. N. F. Dobrée, of Beverley, a series of about thirty specimens of a Tæniocampa he had received from Hampshire, which had previously been referred to as a red form of T. gracilis. Mr. Dobrée was inclined to think they were not that species, but T. stabilis.—Mr. A. C. Horner exhibited the following species of Coleoptera from the neighbourhood of Tonbridge:—Compsochilus pulpalis, Esp. (5); Acrognathus mandibularis, Gyll. (4); Homalota atrata, Mann., H. vilis, Er., and H. difficilis, Bris.; Calodera rubens, Er.; and Oxytelus fulvipes, Er. He also exhibited a Rhizophagus from Sherwood Forest, which appeared to belong to a new species; and several specimens of Holopedina polypori, Först., also from Sherwood Forest, where he had found it in company with, and probably parasitic on, Cis vestitus.—Mr. Elisha exhibited two larvæ of Zelleria hepariella, Stn. Mr. Stainton remarked that as the greater part of the larvæ of Zelleria were attached to the Oleaceæ, it seemed strange that certain species had recently been found on Saxifrage.—Mr. Slater read a paper on the presence of tannin in certain insects, and its influence on their colours. He mentioned the facts that tannin was certainly present in the tissues of the leaf-wood-and bark-eating species, but not in the tissues of the carnivorous beetles, and that black colour on the elytra of certain beetles appeared to be produced by the action of iron on tannin. A discussion ensued, in which Prof. Meldola, Mr. Poulton, Dr. Sharp, and others took part.
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Socieities and Academies . Nature 36, 311–312 (1887). https://doi.org/10.1038/036311b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/036311b0