XI 



The following donation to the Library was announced : — 



From Rathmcll Wilson, Esq. 



Illustrations of Diurnal Lepidoptera. Part 2— Lycsenidse. By Wm. C. Hew- 

 itson. London, 1865. 4to. 



Exotic Butterflies. By Wm. C. Hewitson. Part 56. 4to. 



Essai d'une Faune Entomologique de L'Archipel Indo-Neerlandais, par S. C. 

 Snellen Van Vollenhoven. Seconde Monographic: Famille des Pierides. 4to. 



Iconographie et description de Chenilles et Lcpidopteres inedits, par P. Mil- 

 liere. Tome Deuxieme, Treizieine Livraison, Paris, 1865. Royal 8vo. 



Annales de la Societe Entomologique de Belgique. Tome Huitieme. Bru- 

 xelles, 1864, Svo. 



Tijdschrift voor Entomologie. Achtste Jaargang. 5 — 6 Aflevering, 1S65. 8v<». 



The following Paper was presented for publication in the Proceed- 

 ings :— 



"Descriptions of new species of Pselaphidge, by Ewil Breudel, 

 M. D." 



And was referred to a Committee. 



The following letter from Mr. Chas. Sartorius, of Mexico, addressed 

 to the Corresponding Secretary, was read : — 



Dear Sir: — From your letter of the 19th of October, I see that the circum- 

 stance of the springing seeds is known without the cause. From the name 

 which you give the Plant, that, produces these seeds, it would appear that the 

 same phenomena occurred with other plants. In this neighborhood it is a tree 

 belonging to the Euphorbiacea, which bears the vulgar name, ]ialo lechudo, i. 

 e. "milky tree," and which occurs commonly in the forests, but only at an ele- 

 vation of two thousand to three thousand feet above the surface of the sea. The 

 tree does not attain a great thickness, the trunk measuring 6 — 8 inches in di- 

 ameter, and a total height of 6-8 yards. Branches and stem are alike lactifer- 

 ous, the milky fluid affecting the skin corrosively. Three years since, I heard 

 of the dancing seeds, and received a few through a "Ranchero." Before it falls, 

 it appears as a tri-partite fruit, twelve to fifteen millimetres in diameter, which, 

 viewed from above, presents a sub-ovate, raised surface, with three stronger in- 

 cisive lines, alternate with three slighter. This divides into three hard convex 

 seeds, of which the inner surface is flattened. These seeds turn themselves in- 

 cessantly from one side to the other, most strongly when the sun shines upon 

 them. A careful microscopic examination failed to show any opening. Inside 

 of each seed was a white worm, which entirely filled the cavity, and which 

 shows itself to be a Lepidopterous insect, through its metamorphosis. I enclos- 

 ed a number of the seeds in a box, and found after a short time, the developed 

 pupa, from which later on a moth was produced. ["This is Carpocaspa saltitans, 

 Westwood — Grote."] The perfect insect opened at its exclusion, a small aper- 

 ture on the outer convex side of the seeds. In length it measured one mille- 

 metre, and was of a blackish-gray color. 



This tree does not bear fruit every year, but then in such quantities that the 

 fallen seeds, through the movements of the internal larvre, produce a sound 

 like rolling peas. In the present year I found no fruit. The moth seems t<> 

 deposit her egg on the ovary of the blossoms, and the caterpillar seems to hatch 

 after the formation of the seeds. The flowering time of this tree is in April and 

 May. I shall gather some of the blossoms, as well as specimens of the half and 



