PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 15 



lofts on which they abounded, I can say, that as regards myself, I have never been 

 bitten. They are very susceptible of cold ; and on the approach of winter, if the day 

 be chilly, I have seen them falling in great numbers off the walls, &c., on which 

 they may have crept. If it was not that the cold kills them, the mischief they 

 would do would be incalculable, as they multiply exceedingly fast, and are very 

 active during the continuance of the hot weather. Another fact in connection with 

 them is, the partiality they have for collecting in or on places where water has been 

 dropped. I have seen small spots covered with them to the depth of about half an 

 inch. This may, perhaps, be accounted for by their crawling on blindly, and so 

 becoming entangled in the wet. I do not, however, think this likely, as they must 

 have gone out of their usual course to get to the damp portion of the flooring. This 

 is a curious fact in opposition to their usual custom of selecting the driest and 

 warmest places they can find. By their borings in wheat they cause a large 

 quantity of dust to accumulate, which, mixed with the Nile mud, which is always 

 more or less through Egyptian wheat, makes, as I am credibly informed, an ex- 

 ceedingly fertilizing manure, almost equal in its forcing effects to guano. I regret 

 that my information as to species, &c., is too limited ; but, as I have not studied 

 them scientifically, I hope I shall be excused on that head. Their appearance 

 under a microscope, exposed to a moderate magnifying power, is exceedingly 

 beautiful, and agreeably disappointing to one who has only seen the:n with the 

 naked eye. They are covered with brilliant spots, bearing some reMimblance to 

 those on the elytra of the diamond beetle. I tried several modes of killing them, 

 and found hot water the speediest. Chloroform (which will destroy without injury 

 almost any insect) also kills them ; but if put into cold water, and left for a consider- 

 able period, when taken out and placed in a moderately -warm situation, they, in many 

 instances, recover, although to all appearance quite dead. With respect to chloro- 

 form, it may not be out of place to say that I have found it the most humane, and, 

 at the same time, the quickest, way of killing, without injury, butterflies, moths, 

 beetles, and, in fact, most insects; and even if it is dropped on the most delicate 

 insect, the evaporation is so rapid that it does not injure it in the slightest degree; 

 whilst a few drops, put into a box with the most refractory butterfly or moth, kills 

 it in a few seconds. 



The Chairman said, he heard with much pleasure Mr. Haughton's statements, 

 and they were such that characterized the proceedings of the Society, and which 

 rendered its transactions of practical utility. He wished that gentlemen similarly 

 circumstanced as Mr. Haughton would turn their attention to noting such observa- 

 tions, which might tend to result in much useful information. 



Dr. Kinahan said he could, from his own observation, corroborate Mr. 

 Haughton's statements as to the number and destructiveness of these insects. On 

 examination, he found there were evidently six coleopterous and one dipterous 

 species present among the corn. These he submitted to his friend, A. K. Ho-ran, 

 Esq , who kindly examined them, as well as the packages of insects taken from 

 the wheat in which latter, Mr. Hogan detected another species of coleopterous 

 insect. From Mr. Hogan's list it appeared that the most numerous species present 

 were Calandra oryzee and granaria, as well immature as full grown. These two 

 species made up the great bulk of the heaps. Next in point of numbers came 

 Corticaria ferruginea and Cor. pubescens, in about equal quantities. The other 

 species present were Stene ferruginea and Silvanus surinamensis this latter de- 

 tected by Mr. Hogan. Beside these there was a single species of a beetle as yet 

 unindentified. These, with a single specimen of Tenebrio molitor, make out no 

 less than eight species of granivorous beetles infesting the parcel of corn. 



Dr. Kinahan then gave his paper 



ON A DIGITATE VARIETY OF BOTRYCBUM LUNARIA, AND A NEW IRISH 

 LOCALITY FOR LOPHODIU3I SPINOSUM. 



As far as I can learn, this interesting form of the common moonwort 

 has been hitherto undescribed, differing so obviously as it does from the 

 forms described as rutaceum and matricarioides. Its chief interest is, I take 

 it, twofold first, as showing the relation between forms of vernation, which 

 appear distinct ; and, secondly, as throwing not a little light on the true 



