18 



TO BANISH EFFECTUALLY FROM ANY PLACE BLACKBEETLES, COCKROACHES, OR 

 CRICKETS. 



Keep it dry. 

 Yes, that is all. It partakes of tbe simplicity of a groat truth. Stop carefully 

 the leakage from the boiler tap ; throw no slops into the purgatory ; and clean 

 the place by dry rubbing only, and the thirsty creatmes will all disappear. The 

 absence of moisture is fatal to them. 



Dr. Bull then read a paper on the St. George's Blushroom, Agarkns 

 gamhosus, the edible fungus they had so favourably tested at dinner time, and 

 he eshibited a sketch of it in colours. On the proposition of the President it was 

 decided to have the sketch Uthograiihed for the next volume of the transactions, 

 with the hope that the ladies will again be so kind as to coloui' them. This jiaper 

 will be published in full at some future time. 



THE JAPAN SILKWOEM— B05IBYX YAMA-MAI. 



The President next showed a number of caterpillars sent by Dr. Chapman, 

 "That in their green shops weave the smooth-haired silk," 

 the Bombyx Yama-Mcii, a large silkworm from Japan. It is an oak feeder, and 

 will eat our English species. Dr. AVallace, of Colchester, has reared it on our 

 oak leaves for sever.al seasons, but has not yet succeeded in naturalising it. Like 

 the mulberry silkworm, Bomhtjx Mori it passes the winter in a egg state. Bomhyx 

 Cynthia the aUanthus sUkworm (feeding on Ailanthus ylandulosa), an allied 

 species, which Dr. Wallace has introduced from Northern India, passes the 

 winter in the pupa state. The sUk of these species, is strong, but difficult to 

 wind on account of the peculiar form of the cocoon. The worms exhibited were 

 from eggs imported from Japan last winter by Dr. Wallace. They were in their 

 first, third, and foiu'th skins. The largest having cast its skin three times, and 

 being about to cast it a fourth time and assume its last skin, it was hatched on 

 April 17. All the larvte are a pellucid green colour, very much like that of the 

 leaves on which they feed. The smaller ones have three rows of tubercles on 

 either side studded with black hairs. Those in the thu-d skin have the two first 

 rows of tubercles yellow ; the lower row below the spkaclos, pale blue ; the hairs 

 fewer, long, and black ; head and spiracles, brown. The largest one, nearly 

 three inches long, presents hardly any but the anterior tubercles, and they are 

 smaller than before, two of them, however, shine like silver. It has a few 

 scattered black and yellow haiis, head green. The division between the segments 

 are deep, giving a tubulated .appearance, especially the anterior segments. A 

 yellow lateral line expands on this last sesiment, and includes a triangular olive 

 brown patch. The f ull-gi-own caterpillar is nearly five inches long, is smooth and 

 less haii-y, and its head is gieen. 



Here was read a most entertaining paper on 



