164 



and found about 24 of these insects in it, but though he himself 

 had searched for them in tLe place where Sir John told him the 

 water came from, he could not find one. It was next found by a 

 Mr. Ditches, of Stepney, and in 1881 at Stone, in Staffordshire. 

 He had no doubt that it did not belong to the genus Polynema, 

 but felt almost sure it would prove to be identical with Carafractus 

 ductus, Halliday's description of which he hoped shortly to get 

 from Dublin. If anyone succeeded in discovering the eggs it 

 would be a most important thing in connection with its life 

 history. 



The Chairman said this was certainly a very beautiful creature 

 under the microscope. He recollected Mr. Bostock's specimen 

 quite well. It was said to fly under water, but its movements 

 were really true swimming, the wings being used as tins in the 

 same way as those of a diving bird. It was an extremely interest- 

 ing creature, but he was under the impression that it might not be 

 so rare as had been thought. 



Mr. Enoch said that the movements of the wings in the water 

 were just the same as in flying ; it just moved them up and down, 

 but of course not so rapidly. 



The thanks of the meeting were voted to Mr. Burton for his 

 communication, and to Mr. Enoch for his remarks upon the 

 subject. 



Mr. J. E. Ingpen read a note " On the Scales of Ithomia" with 

 regard to the gradations found between hairs and scales, the 

 subject being illustrated by drawings on the board showing the 

 gradations which had been found, and by specimens exhibited 

 under the microscope. 



Mr. Nunney said that he had taken considerable interest in the 

 subject which had been brought before them by Mr. Ingpen. 

 Many distinct forms were usually to be found upon the wings of 

 the same insect, but he had not yet found any other than the one 

 mentioned, upon which the whole series were to be met with. 



The President inquired if the observations made gave any sup- 

 port to Mr. Wonfor's old idea that the battledore scales were 

 indicative of sex ? Receiving a reply in the negative, he pro- 

 ceeded to remark that when a person saw, for instance, an egg and 

 an oak tree, there could be no mistake made as to the difference 

 between them, but when they came near to the borders of the 

 animal and vegetable kingdoms, it was not always an easy matter 



