264 



clay and camels' dung, which they mix up into a kind of mortar, very like that used 

 by swallows to construct their nests ; in these they deposit their eggs, and thus it forms 

 a crust or shell to the larva within ; they then roll these balls when sufficiently dried, 

 over the sand, in a truly remarkable manner. The male is provided with two projec- 

 tions in the form of horns on the head, and uses them as a lever to raise and push the 

 ball forward from behind ; while the female, mounting before, keeps it revolving on- 

 wards by drawing down with her fore feet. Sometimes three or four will get about 

 one ball, either for the sake of work, or to get it over any impediment. Others again 

 propel them with their hind legs, and will sometimes assume the most grotesque atti- 

 tudes, literally standing on their heads, and pushing at them with their hind feet. So 

 far as I am able to judge, they keep rolling their balls about over the sand for the 

 whole day, and do not merely place them in holes like other Coleopterous insects. I 

 have watched them at evening, and as soon as the sun had set they invariably desert- 

 ed their charge aud returned to their holes, and what is more remarkable, if the day 

 became suddenly cloudy off they waddled and left the ball, till a gleam of returning 

 sunshine again called them to work with renewed vigour. It appears to me, from the 

 manner they rolled these balls, they intended that the sun should act equally on all 

 sides of them, and thus secure the heat in the process of incubation. It may, how- 

 ever, be but for the purpose of drying the surface. — Wildes 'Travels in Egypt.' 



144. Entomological Society of London ; January 3rd, 1842. W. W. Saunders, 

 Esq., F.L.S., President, in the Chair. Amongst the donations was a portion of the 

 wood of an oak tree from Windsor Forest, perforated in a singular manner by the lar- 

 vae of Gnorimus variabilis; also four cases of insects collected in the island of Chusan 

 and the adjacent parts, by Dr. Cantor, Corresponding Member of this Society. The 

 President gave notice of the alterations in the Council intended to be proposed to be 

 made at the anniversary meeting on the 24th of January. The following memoirs 

 were read: — 1. On Aporocera, a new genus of Chrysomelidae from New Holland; by 

 W. W. Saunders, F.L.S. 2. Some account of the habits of a Fossorial Hymenopter- 

 ous Insect from Port Lincoln, Australia ; by J. O. Westwood, F.L.S. Mr. Newport 

 also read a series of extracts from some letters he had received from a friend near 

 Sandwich, who had succeeded, after an experiment of eleven months' duration, in pro- 

 ducing living specimens of Acarus Crossii from a mineral solution acted on by voltaic 

 currents, in the same manner as Mr. Crosse had similar specimens. The details of 

 the experiments were given. Mr. J. E. Gray, who was present as a visitor, stated 

 that Mr. Children had made experiments precisely similar to those of Mr. Crosse, and 

 which he had continued for several months, without having obtained a single speci- 

 men.— J. O. W. 



JOHN VAN VOOKST, \^\ i^HP^':^^/ PATERNOSTER ROW. 



