96 PROCEEDINGS OF SOClEXtES. 



Read : " A Memoir on the British species of the genus Stenus," by Mr. G. 

 R. Waterhouse, and Mr. E. W. Janson. " Notes on the Economy of various 

 Insects," by Mr. J. Curtis. And " Descriptions of some species of Brazilian 

 Ants," by Mr. J. Smith ; with " Observations on their Economy," by Mr. H. 

 W. Bates. 



Mr. Braylet, referring to the habits of one of the species of Ants men- 

 tioned in his last paper, said, that the immense trains of Ants carrying the 

 mutilated bodies of various insects, might illustrate the accumulation of 

 insect remains, at times seen in the strata of the secondary geological foi*ma- 

 tion; for if these trains had been suddenly covered up, the stratum in which 

 they were imbedded would afterwards exhibit the same appearance as the 

 deposits to which he had alluded. 



Mr. Saunders said, many circumstances, local or accidental, at times 

 brought great numbers of insects together ; he particularly remembered, at 

 this moment, the vast quantity of the Beetle Qaleruca Tanaceti, seen a few 

 years since, on the Norfolk coast. 



%\t f tterist. 



The Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus.) — ^A few lines, signed H. E. S., are 

 inserted in your last number, commenting upon a note relative to the late 

 incubation of Columba palumbus, which I communicated to your pages a con- 

 siderable time ago. (Vide Nat., vol. iv., p. 43.) In reply to his inquiiy, I beg 

 leave state, that the eggs were not addled ! And that the date on which I 

 found them was, as nearly as I can remember, either the 21st or 28th of 

 September, 1853, — probably the former. — J. H. Davies, Thirsk, Feb. 5th, 1855. 



At page forty-eight of your present volume, a correspondent, W. C. H. of 

 Cambridge, asks how he is to remove grease from insects. Perhaps you will 

 be kind enough to publish the following extracts from Maunder's Treasury 

 of Natural History, p. 766 : " Grease. — ^When a thick bodied specimen, like 

 the Ghost Moth, becomes greasy, immerse it in spirits of turpentine, and 

 then stick it on a bed of calcined magnesia till dry, when the magnesia may 

 be blown off." Again, on page 767, right col. : "Caterpillars. — Should a speci- 

 men become greasy, apply a little spirits of turpentine; if that is not 

 effectual, scrape a iittle French chalk over it, expose the specimen to heat, 

 and allow the chalk to remain some days." — H. M. Mountcastle, Fallowfield, 

 Manchester. 



Mr. Twinn refers all who are unacquainted with Lastrea Collina to Moore's 

 Handbook of British Ferns, pages 123 to 129. The generic name of the 

 Hawkweeds is Hieracium. — Bimningham, Feb. 6th, 1855. 



