16 Report, Sfc. 



the skin around the breathing orifice of the thorax. "On these 

 expanded membranes," Mr. Bates observes, " nature writes, as on 

 a tablet, the story of the modification of species, so truly do all 

 changes of the organization register themselves thereon." 



Mr. Westcott pointed out a passage in Aristotle, T^fpi Canov, which 

 is the earliest known instance of the use of the word V'^'X'? for 

 a butterfly. Allusion was also made to the antique gem in which 

 the vivification of the clay man of Prometheus is represented by 

 Minerva holding a butterfly over its head. 



Some scales of the common blue butterfly were shown under a 

 binocular microscope, and it was observed that each scale indefi- 

 nitely thin, as it appears to be, yet consists of no less than three 

 layers, of which the two outside are painted, and the central one is 

 plain. 



Thursday, February 'ist, 1866. 



The Fourth Meeting of the Society took place at the Rev. F. W. 

 Farrar's house. 



The following were the exhibitions : — 



Specimens of the Nectria Muscivora, growing on the Tortula unguiculata. 



An Emu's egg. On this it was remarked by R. B. Smith, Esq., that 

 it is the only egg which has an entirely rough sm-face, and that it is 

 the only dark green coloured egg. 



The Gryllotalpa Vulgaris (INIole Cricket). This insect is believed to be 

 one of those which is occasionally luminous, and under these cir- 

 cumstances it has probably been sometimes mistaken for a "Will o* 

 the Wisp." . . . . . . By the President. 



Specimens of Spar : — Sulphate of Lead ; Crystal of Quartz ; Copper Ore. 



By a. J. Etans. 



Specimens and sketches in illustration of the Volcanos in Auvergne. 



By the Rev. B. F. Westcott. 



A collection of Mosses . . . . . . By Rev. W. M, Hind. 



Digestive Organs of a House Cricket, under a microscope. 



By T. G. Roopek. 



