4 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



which had been sent by Mr Eobert Hill, resident there. The 

 collection, which was much admired for its variety, consisted of 

 butterflies, beetles, spiders, and dragonflies, and contained several 

 rare species, which were pointed out and described by the 

 chairman. 



Mr George Donaldson described the beautifidly-formed nest, 

 with its ingenious entrance, of the Tarantula or Trap-door SjDider, 

 which he had often seen in the State of Kentucky; and Dr 

 riemyng gave some interesting particulars regarding it and some 

 of the species which he had frequently observed in South Africa. 



The chairman exhibited a case of fine butterflies from Western 

 Africa. Several of the specimens were of rare species, among 

 which were Papilio hespenis, P. latreillianus, Charaxes ameliae, and 

 C. eupale — two of these Mr Chapman liad not seen before. 



Mr George Donaldson exhibited several objects of interest which 

 he had obtained during a residence in the United States of 

 America, and in visits to the Polynesian Islands. Among these 

 were — I. A series of specimens of the remarkable stony operculum 

 of the Rebton shell-fish, Twho petholatus, from the Samoa Islands. 

 II. The skin of a Turkey Snake, about four feet in length. This 

 snake, which is common in the central States, is quite harmless, 

 and receives its name from the habit of feeding on the eggs of 

 the Wild Turkey. The specimen exhibited was obtained in the 

 nest of a Turkey, where it had swallowed three of the four eggs 

 which the nest contained; the fourth was found at the bottom of 

 the nest, covered with saliva, and ready for swallowing, which it 

 no doubt would have been had the reptile not been disturbed 

 during its repast. III. A spine of the Sting-ray (Raia pastinacci), 

 the serrated booklets of which are very dangerous, a wound from 

 them often proving fatal. Mr Donaldson had himself experience 

 of the serious eff'ects they produce, having received from one of 

 them a slight wound on the hand. It had produced excessive 

 sickness, with severe spasms, which continued for some time. Mr 

 John Young stated that spines nearly identical with that now 

 shown were from time to time found in the Carboniferous strata 

 of the district, from which it would seem that fishes similar to the 

 Sting-ray had existed during that period, although the species had 

 not been determined. 



Mr Peter Cameron exhibited a number of insects from diff'erent 

 localities in Scotland, amongst which there were, of Tenthredinidae, 



