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aberrant instinct, or misplaced confidence, by buUding within the tube of a rain- 

 guage in the garden of our President. This happened two or three weeks ago, 

 and, of course, the first storm would have swamped the insect habitation, at the 

 same time probably interfering with the meteorological record of our friend. 

 Dr. M'Cullough. He, however, spied out the busy intruder, and, lest a worse 

 fate should befall it, captured the insect which has now the honour of appearing 

 before you, and very scientifically demolished the structure, exhuming sixty-nine 

 larvae of the Simaethis Fabriciana. Of the other species of the solitary wasps, 

 one, Crabro patellatus, scoops her cells in the earth and stores them with 

 spiders ; another, Crabro cephalutes, stores diptera ; Crabro leucostoma, small 

 diplera ; Pcmphredo lugubris collects Aphides. These latter are not earth- 

 workers, b\it excavate holes in rotten wood and fill them with their prey. Thus 

 does each, according to the instincts implanted in her by the great creative power, 

 provide for the care of those of her race who may come after her, helping, at 

 the same time, in her small way to exhibit an interesting example of that 

 varying beauty of contrivance which ever pervades the works of Nature. 



The paper created much interest and was much applauded on its conclusion j 

 but time was now up, and a general move was made for the railway station. 

 The Woolhope Club saw off their visitors for the day, and thus concluded a very 

 interesting and satisfactory meeting. 



