28 



5. From Mr. R. A. Jeffrey, Campbell-street.— Two large Mussels, 



from near New Wliarf. 



6. From Mr. K. Giblin. — A fish said to have been taken in Mr. 



"Walker's mill-nice. 



7. From J. Butlor, Esq., Dimodin, per J. W. Graves, Esq. — A thigh 



bone of the Moa {Diiioniis up.) 



8. From Rev. II. D. Atkinson.— Specimen of Ibacus, from Three Hut 



Foint. 



9. From the Hon. J. Maclanachan, Esq. — A Carolina Drake, and a 



Peacock. 

 10. From Captain Serckoff, H.I.M.'s corvette " Boj^arin." — A collection 



of Russian coins, viz : — Gold — 5 roubles (half imperial), Russian. 



Silver — 20 kopeks, Russian ; 15 ditto ; 10 ditto ; 5 ditto ; 25 penny, 



Finnish. Copper — 5 kopecks, Russian, old mint ; 3 ditto ; 2 ditto ; 



1 ditto; 5 ditto, new mint; 3 ditto; 2 ditto; 10 ditto, penny, 



Finnish ; 1 ditto. 

 In reference to presentation No. 5, Mr. M. Allport remarked that these 

 enormous mussels (which measure eight inches in length, and the same in 

 girth are of a different species to the small common kind. They are re- 

 markable for having a disk-like termination to the fibres of the byssus, 

 several of which fibres are seen to be attached to the external surface of 

 the shell. This species is found in mud in deep water, and specimens have 

 been obtained from Southport and Spring Bay, as well as in the harbour. 

 Dr. Agnew then referred to the subject of the red spider of the hop, 

 •which he had brought under the notice of the Fellows at the last monthly 

 meeting. As he then feared, he had not been able to procure from Sir R. 

 Officer any better specimens of the insect, owing no doubt to the lateness 

 of the season. On microscopic examination, however, of those sent they 

 were found to be identical with the Acanis tclarius, as figured in Mcin- 

 tosh's Book of the Garden, vol. 2, p. 77 ; although a later authority gave 

 it the name of Gamasus tclarius — an allied genus of the same great class, 

 Arachnida. It is oviparous, and many broods are hatched during the 

 season. The ova are probably for the most part deposited on the under 

 surface of the leaves, whence the young when hatched can extract nourish- 

 ment, but it is possible some may also be deposited in the bark of the hop 

 poles, or even in the ground (as suggested by Mr. M. Allport), where the 

 animals themselves are found in great numbers. The presence cf the pest 

 is attempted to be accounted for in two ways. Some think the hop itself 

 from exposure to high winds, from scant supply of water or manure, or 

 from other causes, first becomes sickly, and thus favours or provokes the 

 development of the spider. Others think the fault is not in the plant 

 in the first instance, but that under some peculiar and unknown influence, 

 whether atmospheric or telluric, or by consent of both, vast developments of 

 animal life take place at certain periods in a manner not yet accounted for. 

 We have all seen plagues of green beetles, aphides, and caterpillars, and 

 again we read of locusts, grasshoppers, etc., appearing in one year in over- 

 whelming numbers, and in the next being almost altogether absent ; and 

 as these visitations take place without any apparent disease having 

 previously existed in the plants destroyed by them, the inference was in 

 favour of the latter view, viz., the primary development of animal life, 

 and with this he (the speaker) was inclined to agree. In either case the 

 efi'ect would be the same ; the weak and sickly plants would first yield to 

 the attack of the enemy, whilst the strong and healthy would make a 

 struggle, in many cases a victorious one, for existence. By the assistance 

 of Mr. Roblin he had mounted specimens of the acari from the hop, from 

 some hot house plants, and from the apple tree. For the last, which was 

 accompanied with several ova, he was indebted to Mr. Stephens, who had 

 paid a good deal of attention to the subject. These were placed under the 



