22 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



more than the usual number. He found that such eggs were deficient in marking* 

 and shape. He also observed that the birds hatched from them were weakly and 

 splashed with white. In this case the bird appears perfectly healthy, and yet these 

 abnormal changes have taken place. He had also seen great and rapid changes of 

 colour in the legs and cere of falcons, which were dependent on the state of their 

 health. 



Dr. Frazer stated that he had observed as extraordinary changes in the hair of 

 the human being. During the year of the famine many of the half-starved crea- 

 tures who came up to Dublin from the west had regular piebald heads. In another 

 instance, in a man working in a brass foundry, he had seen a lock of greenish 

 hair occurring in the middle of a head of white hair. 



Mr. R. J. Montgomery, in connexion with the subject, exhibited a most inter- 

 esting specimen of an Albino razor-bill (AIca torda), perfectly milk white, even to 

 its nails and eyes. When taken it appeared Wind. He considered the specimen as 

 unique. It was from Clogher Head, county Louth. He also exhibited a curiously 

 marked Albino magpie (Pica melanoleuca), in which the glossy black of the flanka 

 and wings were replaced with dull brownish white, except the quills^ which remained 

 black. For this specimen he was indebted to G. Rotheram, Esq., of Crossdrum, 

 county Meath. Mr. Montgomery also made some interesting remarks relative to 

 the mode in which wild birds change their colours, especially in regard to what he 

 called " edj;e-moulting,'' in which the tips and edges of the feathers wear away, 

 and bring to view the lower part of the feather. This is sometimes effected by the 

 bird itself biting oflF the ends of the feathers, and is well seen in the stonechat 

 (Saxicola rubicola), and snowbunting ("Saxicola oenanthe). 



After due ballot, the Chairman declared the following duly elected ordinary 

 members : — William C. Stephens, Esq., Dublin ; Richard Ussher, Esq., Cappagh, 

 Cappoquin, county Waterford ; and R. W. Wilde, M.D., M.R.I.A. 



MAY 16, 1866. 



Charles P. Croker, Esq., M.D., M.R.I.A., in the Chair. 



The following donation was announced to the library : — The Proceedings of the 

 Geological Society of Dublin for the Session 1855-56, from the Society. 

 James Haughton, Esq., junior, read the following — 



REMARKS ON MOTHS WHICH CAUSE DESTRUCTION IN GRANARIES. 



On a former occasion I brought before the Society some observations made upon 

 the destruction of corn by different species of coleoptera, more mischief being done 

 by the weevil tribe than by any other ; and my attention being called to the subject, 

 I was led to think that much damage was done by other depredators as well as 

 those at that time mentioned. I accordingly kept the subject in view, and acci- 

 dentally discovered a large colony of larvae, which, as far as damage to corn is con- 

 cerned, I think I may with justice rank second to the weevils. During the spring of 

 1855, whilst passing through a corn loft, my attention was attracted by a quantity 

 of wheat mixed with dust lying on a window-sill, which presented a somewhat 

 unusual appearance, a good deal of it being eaten in a manner totally different from 

 the way the weevils hollow it out, every grain touched having the larger or germi- 

 nating end just taken off, and neatly rounded. On looking for the cause, I 

 found a great number of small larvae, busily at work consuming the wheat. 

 A few days afterwards, on paying them a second visit, I found them either 

 spinning their webs, or preparing to do so ; and, from the great number of these 

 webs placed so closely together, irregular masses of wheat and dust could be lifted 

 in layers of from one to three inches in thickness. I placed a small quantity in a 

 box, where it remained forgotten until the middle of June or beginning of July, 

 when, on opening it, I found that a large number of small moths (T. granella and 

 cloacella?) had made their appearance, and about this time great numbers of similar 

 moths swarmed about the stores and the outbuildings arotmd them. About a month 



