PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIKS. lo9 



of flowering plants, while the fourth and last chapter describes the nutritive 

 and re-productive organs of flowerless plants, including the Ferns, Mosses, 

 and Sea-weeds. When it is stated that about three hundred and sixty 

 pages are divided among these four chapters, some idea of their extent may 

 be formed, but, unless seen and carefully read and examined, only a faint 

 idea of the amount of valuable information contained in them will be 

 obtained. Every page of the work is profusely illustrated by well-designed 

 and executed wood engravings, and one feature of this department strikes 

 us as particularly good, namely, that in every instance there is a full description 

 of the engraving in a note referring to its number. We particularly mention 

 this, as in many well-illustrated books much of the good that might be 

 derived by the young student is lost to him, from want of some such assistance 

 as is here given. 



In Dr. Balfour's Class Book of Botany the student will, for a few shillings, 

 obtain what in our days of pupilage was unattainable, and may commence the 

 examination of flowers with far more positive and intimate knowledge of their 

 structure, than he could hope to reach after many years of study and labour, 

 without this or some similar book. We cordially recommend the Class Book 

 to our readers, and can only regret that the crowded state of our pages 

 prevents our entering as much into detail as we could wish 5 we have, however, 

 no fear of any one who purchases this book on our recommendation being 

 disappointed in its contents. 



l^rntf^Mngs nf Intirtius. 



Entomological Society. — At an ordinary meeting of this Society, held the 3rd. of May, 1852, 

 at 17t, Old Bond-Street, J. 0. "Westwood, Esq., President, in the chair, it was announced that 

 the council had determined on offering a prize of £5 for the best "Essaj- on the duration of 

 life in the three different kinds of individuals of the hive-bee," a subject, not only interesting, 

 but practically useful to the bee-keeper. The essays to be sent to the Society's rooms on or 

 before the 31st. of December next, and addressed, in sealed envelopes, "To the President and 

 Council of the Entomological Society of London," with the word "Essay" in the corner. Real 

 names and addresses of the essayists to be given. 



The Secretary read an extract from the "Entomologische Zeitung," that Lithosia deprcssa 

 and L. helveola are only the different sexes of the same insect; also an extract from Mr. Robert 

 Fortune's "Journey to the Tea Countries of China," showing how the attacks of mosquitos may 

 be prevented by what is called mosquito tobacco, a kind of jostick, used commonly in Cliina 

 for that purpose. "Wherever that preparation is burnt, the mosquitos will not come, and imme- 

 diately seek other quarters on its being brought into their vicinity. Surely the inhabitants of 

 those countries where these little scourges abound, and especially travellers, owe much to Mr. 

 Fortune for making this invaluable remedy known. 



Refen'ing to what transpired at the previous meeting of this Societ}', relative to the ridding 

 of houses of the Common Black Beetle, (Blatta Oricntalis,) the President read a letter he had 

 received from a gentleman detailing the particulars of a plan he had found highly effective. It 

 consists merely in having a round hole cut in the kitchen hearth-stone, large enough to admit 

 of a basin being inserted so that its rim is on a level with the stone ; the basin is then baited 

 at night with bread-crumbs, beer, &c. ; the insects fall in and cannot effect their escape, and are 

 easily destroyed in the morning with boiling water, if required. During the day this simple 

 contrivance may be covered over with an iron plate similar to a coal-plate. 



