]^ij,^ (Xovember, 18Gj. 



bank at Colchester, and this year, from 18,000 eggs, he had obtained 5,000 cocoons. 

 They had been loft without any protection whatever, save that of a boy to scare 

 the birds, and were not particularly subject to parasites, except iu some instances 

 from the attacks of a species of Tachina. He had not yet made any attempts to 

 wind the silk, but was of opinion that if this could be successfully efiFected, the 

 culture of the Ailanthus silk-worm would become a lucrative occupation in this 

 country. 



These remarks caused a long and interesting discussion, in the course of which 

 Professor Westwood said that the produce of silk, from Bombyx Mori in Tuscany, 

 had been reduced by disease to one-tenth of what it was some years since. 



With reference to the remarks made by Professor Westwood, at the last 

 meeting, on the relative tenacity of the wood of the Ailanthus, oak, and elm, 

 claiming a much greater degree for the former, Mr. Saunders mentioned that, 

 according to his experience, the wood was of the most worthless description, 

 breaking Uke a carrot, with none of the elasticity requisite in a wood that could be 

 used for the same purposes as oak or elm, and remarked that tenacity was of no 

 service where elasticity was absent. 



Mr. Bond exhibited larvae of various species of Sphingidce, beautifully preserved 

 by Mr. Baker, of Cambridge. 



Mr. Walker communicated some notes on a species of Chalcidoe from Australia, 

 which he described under the name of Mynnecopsis nigricans. 



Mr. Scudder (of Boston, U.S.) exhibited a gigantic fossil species of Epheme^-idoB 

 from the Devonian rocks of New Brunswick ; he remarked that several fossil 

 insects have been found in this stratum, chiefly pertaining to the Nev/ropte^-a, 

 and some of them were peculiar as having a neuration which was in a manner 

 intermediate between that of the Neuroptera pi'oper, and the Pseicdo-Neuroptera of 

 Erichson 



Mr. Scudder also explained what had been done in America by Mr. Truvelot 

 towards the cultivation of the silk-producing Bomhyx Polyphemus. 



Mr. S. S. Saunders exhibited many specimens of Strepsiptera in all their 

 stages ; they apparently pertained to Hylecthrus. 



The Rev. Hamlet Clark called attention to some remai-ks of the Times corres- 

 pondent, " S. G. O.," asking whether, as influences were at work causing the 

 extensive destruction of cattle by the "rinderpest," and of human beings by 

 cholera, these had extended to other animal life, especially to insects. Several 

 members mentioned that, excepting wasps, insect life appeared to be particularly 

 abundant this year, and that they had not noticed any want of vitality or 

 development in these creatures. Dr. Wallace, however, mentioned that having 

 caused a quantity of diseased potato-haulm to be heaped up under some of his 

 Ailanthus trees, the silk-worms on these trees became sickly and died ; an occurrence 

 which Mr. Sharp considered would be likely to take place at any time under similar 

 circumstances. 



The scarcity of wasps was again a subject of remark, though several members 

 stated that in some localities they were moderately numerous. Dr. Wallace had 

 not seen one at Colchester. 



Mr. C. A. Wilson, of Adelaide, communicated a continuation of his notes on 

 South Australian Buprestidcc. 



Mr. McLachlan read a paper on " New, or little known, genera and species of 

 Trichoptera from Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and the Malayan Archipelago." 



Part 2 of Vol. 5 of the 3rd series of the Society's Transactions was on the 

 table. 



