29 



PE OCEEDING S. 



August 14th, 1874. — Conversational Meeting. 



The following objects were exhibited : — 



Animalcules from rain-water by Mr. Ingpen. 



Vegetable organisms from the water in St. James's Park , , 



New Miniature Portable Lamp Mr. Moginie. 



Section of Sori of Puccinia M alvacearum Mr. Sigsworth, 



Sheath of Chrysalis Acherontia Atrojpos Mr. G. Williams. 



Mantle of Terebratula ,, 



Attendance— Members, 31 ; visitors, 2. 



August 28th, 1874.— Dr. Matthews, F.E.M.S., President, 



in the Chair. 



The minutes of the'preceding meeting were read and confirmed. 

 The following donations were announced : — 



" The Monthly Microscopical Journal" ... from the Publisher. 



" Science Gossip" ... ,, 



"The 2nd Annual Report of the Zoological) 



Society of Philadelphia" > from the Society. 



" The American Naturalist," July and August in Exchange. 



< c 



Proceedings of the Eoyal Society," Nos. "> from ^ god _ 

 153 and 154 5 



The thanks of the Club were voted to the donors. 



The following gentlemen were balloted for and duly elected members of the 

 Club :— Mr. E-W. Barnett, Mr. W. B. Haynes, and Mr. James Love. 



The Secretary stated that Mr. Curties had handed him a further letter from 

 Mr. Staniforth Green, of Colombo, and read the following extracts from it 

 bearing upon the subject of " Insect mounting in Hot Climates," and supple- 

 menting the account previously given of the methods employed : — " As I have 

 received such encouragement I am going on mounting insects in their natural 

 state. * * * I do not care to look at a ' pressed' preparation now. The 

 insect, in its natural shape, is a beautiful object. You see its plump thorax in 

 which you can clearly trace the insertion of the wings. I do not now dry 

 insects in the sun, nor were many of those that you presented to the Quekett 

 Club so treated. I find spirits of wine the best drier. * * * My opinion is 

 that insects can be mounted in England successfully under the process I adopt." 

 The usual plan was as follows : — 



"1st. I drop the insects alive into gin. 2nd. When they are dead I take 

 them out of the gin, and try to put them into position, but my endeavours are 

 not always successful, as some insects will crumple up their legs in a most un- 

 compromising way. 3rd. I drop them in strong spirits of wine, where I leave 

 them for a week or two, until I think all the watery matter has been extracted 



