96 Transaciiovs of (he 



At the conclusion of the above Paper, W. Mogg, O.C.,was 

 proposed by C. C. Stevenson and seconded by H. Wills, 

 as a corresponding member, but in consequence of there not 

 being a sufficient number of members present the election 

 was postponed to the next meeting. 



Present, 58 members and visitors. 



MEETING, Nov. 25, 1870. 



The President in the Chair. 



The Minutes of the preceding Meeting having been read 

 and approved, Mr. Greene gave the last of his series of 

 Papers on ' Insect Life.' 



Remarking upon the means of defence possessed by 

 insects in general, he observed that they might be divided 

 into ' passive ' and ' active.' Among the former might be 

 enumerated the ' ferocious appearance ' of some insects, as the 

 stag beetle, earwig, and others; the power of simulating death, 

 as in the case of spiders; unpleasant odours, secretions, 

 fluids, &c. Among the passive means of defence belonging 

 to insects, that afforded by their wonderful ' tenacity of life ' 

 was, perhaps, the most remarkable. Mr. Greene mentioned 

 some extraordinary instances, several of which he had wit- 

 nessed himself. 'Being out once on a " pupa- digging " 

 expedition, I came to a large oak, from the trunk of which 

 was exuding a quantity of saccharine flnid. Swarms of 

 different kinds of insects were enjoying the feast. Among 

 them was a huge hornet, and it was truly amusing to see the 

 respectful way in which the various butterflies, bluebottles, 

 &c., withdrew at the approach of their formidable companion. 

 Emulating their caution, I drew warily near to the tree, and 

 made a " dive " at it with my digging trowel, and succeeded 

 in severing it at the juncture of the thorax and abdomen. 

 Both parts immediately fell to the ground, and I went away. 

 Returning in about half-an-hour, I found to my astonish- 

 ment that the upper or thoracic part had crawled up the 

 trunk of the tree, and was engaged as busily as ever in 

 imbibing the sweets, apparently in no degree incommoded 

 by the loss of his abdomen. . . . Last summer a large 

 dragon-fly entered the cricket tent on Durdham Downs, to 



