22 Proceedings. 



believes that twice that number may yet be added. The 

 Mesembryanthema flower in all seasons of the year. They 

 are mostly natives of S. Africa ; a few are found in S. 

 Europe, N. Africa, China, Chih, Peru, and the South Sea 

 Islands. They all delight in sunshine, and require its 

 stimulating influence to enable them to expand their flowers. 

 He described a great many species. 



Mr. Henry Boyle, M.A., of Clapham, read some notes and 

 made remarks upon them, entitled ' Some Experiences in 

 Natural History.' These related chiefly to entomological 

 facts that had come under his observation at various times. 

 In reference to the Emperor Moth he related that some years 

 ago, when he used to rear insects of this species, he used to 

 hang out the female moths in some rose-trees near the house, 

 and after an interval of about half an hour the males were 

 almost always attracted to the spot, although the nearest 

 locality where they were ordinarily met with was a common 

 at a distance of half a mile. He referred to the Oak Egger 

 and to the poisonous nature of the small hairs used in the 

 construction of its cocoon, and told how he had once in- 

 advertently put a cocoon of this species to his lips, which 

 became greatly swollen in consequence of the iri-itation 

 produced by these minute hairs. He also mentioned that he 

 had some years ago taken the rare Gasteropaca from a 

 cocoon on a tuft of heather near Eugeley. Mr. Boyle also 

 referred at some length to the subject of mimicry, and 

 alluded to the resemblance that some of the Hawk Moth 

 caterpillars when at rest bear to roUed-up leaves, the stripes 

 on the sides of the body resembling the ribs of a leaf, and the 

 horn somewhat resembling a stalk. The Puss Moth cater- 

 pillar when at rest was an instance of this ; but when in any 

 way irritated its appearance was very different, and he 

 thought that the really hideous aspect of the insect under 

 such cu-cumstances might possibly serve as a means of pro- 

 tection to it, by tending to instil teiTor in its enemies. 

 Other insects specially referred to by Mr. Boyle were the 

 Unicorn Hawk Moth and the Fox Moth. He noted that the 

 caterpillar of the latter is differently marked at two different 



