Magnitudo et Statura Musca Chameleonis Lin. ANNOUNCED, October 1808, as recently added to the E. C. by R. Scales, who caught it near London.

19. livida. BLATTA, livida immaculata elytris ad angulum acutum striatis.

Fab. Ent. Syst. 2. 10. 23.

Affinis B. lapponica. Antennæ corpore longiores, fuscæ. Thorax, elytra striata, corpus pallidum immaculata. Fab. I. c.

ANNOUNCED, with the above, and recently presented to the E. C. by J. P. Neale, F. E. S.

OBS. At the same meeting, Noctua compta of Hübner, (N. variegatina Prod. Lep. Brit.) was presented to the E. C. (which had only foreign specimens of it) by I. Fenton, F. E. S. It was of his taking. Aud the rare Noctua citrina of Donovan, and Noctua Pinastri, were exhibited by S. T. Dawson, F. E. S. who lately caught

them.

20. gigantea. FORFICULA, pallida supra nigro variegata ano bidentato: forcipe porrecta uniden

tata.

Fab. Ent. Syst. 2. 1. 2.

EXHIBITED with the next article, November 1808, by G. B. Sowerby, as recently taken by the Rev. W. Bingley of Christchurch, Hampshire. Also announced by the President as recently

added to the E, C. along with the next article, by Mr. Bingley.

21. erythrocephala, FORFICULA, nigra capite caudaque ferrugineis, abdominis maculis pedibusque flavescentibus.

Fab. Ent. Syst. 2. 4. 12.

22. impressus. PSELAPHUS, ater, elytris abbreviatis rufis, thorace globoso puncto utrinque impresso, pedibus fuscis.

Panz. Ent. Germ. cum icone.

Long. Corp. 1 lin.

EXHIBITED, with the above, and since presented to the E. C. by G. B. Sowerby.

25. verrucævora. LOCUSTA, alis viridibus fusco maculatis, antennis longitudine corporis.

Fab. Ent. Syst. 2. 42. 33.

Gryllys verrucævorus. Lin. Faun. Suec. 870.

EXHIBITED along with a number of other Insects, Nov. 1808, caught in Hampshire by the Rev. W. Bingley, and communicated by him to the President, with a request that he would retain any which might be wanting to the Entomological Cabinet.

X. An Account of the Genus Coccinella.

By A. H. HAWORTH, P. E. S. &c.

Read November 1807.

WHATEVER in Entomological pursuits is sufficiently interesting to excite the attention of the public mind, however unimportant in itself; may still be not unworthy the examination of the Entomological Society. Wherefore an account of the large broods of Coccinellæ, "The Lady-Birds," which have recently so much surprised the fashionable visitors of Margate and its vicinity, may likewise be allowed to furnish some entertainment to this Society. But the writer of it has not the vanity to conceive that it will afford much new matter to them; or that it can be expected to afford it. Nevertheless it may prove acceptable, by exhibiting the subject more extensively than usual; and that it may be as much so to the Society as possible, the account here given of "The Lady-Birds" at Margate, or elsewhere, is closed by a scientific enumeration and description of such British species of true Coccinelle (exclusive of the Scymni of Herbst,) as the author has hitherto seen. They amount collectively to the number of thirtyeight species; and whether in the Larva, or winged state, are entirely aphidivorous; or devourers of the Aphides, or Lice of plants. So that not only "the Aphis, or Hop Fly," as the Newspapers have lately

S

termed it, may be suitably reduced in its destructive numbers, by the common Lady-Bird; but that the Aphides, or proper destroying flies, of other vegetables; shall in like manner, be suitably curtailed, in their redundancies; by Coccinelle of other, and more appropriate species. Suitably reduced let us repeat; because the Almighty has made nothing in vain, although not yet manifest to us: and he, therefore, permits not even the Aphides to perish beyond due measure their valuable services being wanted, probably to keep up various stimuli in the vegetable kingdom; and occasionally to assist in the reduction of its subjects: and in so doing, makers as they are of the honey dews of summer, to transform vegetable matter into liquid sugar, (their very excrement, as is proved by Curtis, being such) for the support of Hymenopterous, and Dipterous Insects; (but more especially mellivorous Bees) whose uses in various instances along with the Ichneumons, &c. are to reduce the too great exuberance of the Lepidopterous tribes; which in their turn cooperate with the Aphides in reducing plants, and furnish by their larvae, a food peculiarly and essentially necessary for our soft-billed Birds, without which their infant offspring could not at all be reared. But notwithstanding these processes of Nature are daily occurring before the eyes of man; he notices them not: or, seeing; feels himself incapable of appreciating the matchless, but intricate order of the Universe; the whole revolving as it were, in a beautifully harmonious, but almost imperceptible circle.

A further detail of these interesting circumstances,

the limited nature of this paper, will not properly allow; but more extensive explanations, concerning them, may be found in different parts of Lepidoptera Britannica.

1

"The Lady-Birds" which have of late no little perplexed the visitors of Margate are chiefly, the common Coccinella 7-punctata, and C. 2-punctata; but especially the former: and their numbers may reasonably be accounted for, from the long and unusual continuance of dry weather we have lately ex'perienced and which has unquestionably, been favourable to their growth and propagation. To this may be added, that the same weather (deleterious enough to vegetable life) has equally increased their favourite food the Aphides.

These circumstances concurring, have no doubt given birth to what Entomologists denominate "full broods." "Lady-Birds;" and a great many other species of Insects indigenous to Britain, as also the Hop Flies, have occurred in uncommon numbers; and several have this year been taken, which in ordinary seasons are rarely to be found. Moreover, in such a season, several broods, in addition to the usual vernal, and autumnal ones, would unquestionably intervene; as is the case with most Insects ; and notoriously 30 with Silk Worms: these valuable creatures in India passing regularly through many broods every season; while in Italy they effect much fewer; and in this climate, although nursed up in our houses as curiosities, with difficulty, surmount the vicissitudes of one.

But those, who with

some of the newspaper wri