72 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



at the side of a field near Pressmenan, DicroramplM Petiverana was found in abundance, among 

 grass and Galium, along with the variety described by Curtis as a different insect, under the 

 name of Carpocapsa Stdliferana, which was nearly equally common with the typical variety. 



In walking along the shore between Grangemouth and Bo'ness, a few days after this, on a 

 sandy knoll surrounded by salt marsh, near the Dundivan Ironworks, several specimens of 

 Gehchia instabilcUa were found, discovered some years ago by Mr. Douglas, of London, in similar 

 situations in the county of Essex,— smce found at the mouth of the Thames, and in Ii-eland, 

 and now recorded for the first time as Scotch. Subsequently to this, the Committee had several 

 other excursions, — one to Torwood, where they had their usual accompaniment of plenty of rain, 

 but found Argyrcsthia Spiniella Zel. in profusion ia the same mountain-ash trees in which they 

 had found Conjuydla in July. Spiniella was first placed on the British lists in 1849, when it 

 was discovered by Mr. Stainton, in Torwood, and exliibited at a subsequent meeting of the 

 Entomological Society of Loudon. During the month of September, numbers of Flutella Dahlia, 

 and seven specimens of the curious insect, ZeUeria ffisciajieimcUa, were found among heath on the 

 Pentland Hills, the only locality in which it has yet been found, and a number of larvae of 

 Achvrontia Atropos (Death's Head Moth,) were found in vaiious parts of the country during the 

 autumn, so that it appeared to have been proportionately abundant in Scotland, as in England 

 last season, which was undoubtedly one of its abundant years ; and Mr. Logan wished to direct 

 the attention of all vv'ho have the prospect of rearing the perfect insect during the ensuing 

 season, to endeavour to arrive at some more definite conclusion than has yet been attained, 

 respecting the manner of production of the singular noise which so remarkably distmguishes 

 the insect. Mr. Logan was highly complimented by Dr. Lowe, Mr. Murray, W. S., and the 

 other entomologists present, for his able Report, and on the very beautiful manner in which 

 the specimens were preserved. 



III. The next paper was a notice of Silurian fossils, from Canada, by William Rhind, Esq. 

 The fossils were found chiefly in the basin of the River St. Lawrence, in the vicinity of Montreal 

 and Quebec. From the lower Silurian were exhibited very perfect specimens of Orthoccra 

 ludense and pyriforme, corresponding to similar species found in the British Silurian strata, as 

 figured by Murchison; also, Belkrophon bilobatus, several species of Tvrchratulce , Favositcs, 

 CyathopthyUum, and other radiata. Specimens of the upper Silurian limestones were also shewn, 

 and a portion of the limestone which forms the upper rock of Goat Island, Niagara Falls. These 

 vei-y interesting specimens, illustrative of the geology of the district of Lower Canada, were, 

 Mr. Rhind stated, collected and brought home by a former pupil, wlio thus contrived to fill up 

 the leisure of a military life, both profitably and agreeably, by following out the studies of 

 early youth. In describing the Umestones, Mr. Rhind also took occasion to state a circumstance 

 illustrative of the practical use of a knowledge of geology. In an extensive district in the north- 

 west of Pennsylvania, where the Old Red Sandstone entirely covers the surface, there was 

 experienced by the settlers a great want of limestone, the nearest supply of this article being 

 from Canada, whence there was a long and expensive land-carriage. It occurred to Mr. Rhind, 

 on looking in the geological maps of America, that in all probability the Niagara limestone 

 extended below the Old Red Sandstone into the district in question. He sent a sketch of the 

 probable position of the strata to a friend, as also small specimens of the limestone uiclosed in 

 a letter, with directions to make search in the deep ravines of the rivers, where the limestone 

 was likely to be seen cropping out from below the Red Sandstone. On such seai'ch being made, 

 abundance of limestone was found, and immediately applied to practical use. 



IV, Dr. John A. Smith exhibited a specimen of the common locust, found greedily devouring 

 a cabbage in a cottager's garden at Longformacus, Berwicksliire, in October, 1849, and mentioned 

 the occurrence of another at Lauder, the same year. Mr. Hugh Miller stated that locusts had 

 been several times found, at least as far north as Ross and Cromarty. About five-aud-twenty 

 years ago, and again only a few years since, there were a few indi^-iduals picked up in the fields 

 and gardens of the latter place ; and he was told by one of the older inhabitants, now deceased, 

 who had served under Abercromby in 1801, that, late in the last century, — some time about 

 the year 1790, — ^he succeeded in catching a large grasshopper-like insect on a house-top in the 

 eastern part of the town, the character of which he was not entomologist enough at the time 

 to det(;nnine, but whose family and spe<:ie8 he afterwards recognised in the ncighboiuliood of tlie 

 Nile, in a locust exceedingly common in Egypt. 



