lO P ROC KK DINGS. 



Frequently it damages garden plants, such as crocus, fuchsia, 

 oleander, Dianthus, &c., &c. In the autumn it has been 

 known to infest the peach and nectarine. Altogether it is 

 known to feed on over sixty plants, not even passing 

 over Atropa belladonna. As for the origin of the Cheshire 

 and Lancashire swarms, my own observations lead me to 

 believe that the vast bulk came from the turnip and 

 mangold fields. At the same time the aphides were un- 

 doubtedly injurious to many garden plants ; and in my 

 own garden they were abundant on the sun flowers. 

 Not unfrequently, when aphides are excessively nume- 

 rous, the lady birds {Coccinelld), which feed on them, also 

 swarm ; but I did not notice any unusual quantity of these 

 useful creatures. A species of ApJiidiits (an ichneumon 

 which destroys aphides) was, however, exceedingly abun- 

 dant. 



A discussion ensued, during which it was suggested that 

 the phenomenon might have a causal relation with the 

 excessive rainfall of the year, or the early migration of the 

 birds. 



Mr. John Boyd also communicated a memoir by Mr. 

 P. Cameron on "A decade of new Hymenoptera." 



