xlvi 



in appearance those of a convolvulus, rather large in size, and enclosing the 

 larvae, to the movements of which the jumping action is ascribed. When 

 placed in the palm of the hand or taken into a warm room they became 

 very lively and travelled considerable distances, hopping about ahnost like 

 cheese-maggots. In neither of the two seeds shown did the larva undergo 

 further development, but I have been favoured with some interesting 

 particulars by Mr Charles Breach, of Oxford Road, Chiswick, from whom 

 I received these curious specimens. 



" A parcel of them came over from Mexico in 1871, having been collected 

 by Indian children on the mainland east of the Gulf of California and near 

 the town of Alamos. When first received the paper-bag was opened over- 

 night and left on the table, but by the next morning the seeds had mostly 

 escaped and were found distributed about the floor of the room, A good 

 many were given to friends, but those which Mr. Breach reserved for him- 

 self were kept in a tin case, and when this was opened some months later a 

 number of small moths flew out, but it is to be regietted that none of these 

 were preserved. They are said to have been about five-eighths of an inch 

 long and dark grey in colour. Mr. Breach assumes that the eggs were 

 deposited in the seed-vessel of the flower and subsequently became enclosed, 

 the young larvae boring into the seeds as they ripened. The weight of the 

 seeds in their present condition is rather less than one grain and a half 

 each."' 



Mr. S. Stevens stated that he had possessed some of the "jumping seeds," 

 and had bred the moths from the enclosed larvae, which had turned out to 

 be a species of Tortrix, Carpocapsa saltitans (see also Trans. Ent. Soc, 

 2nd series, vol. v., p. 27). 



The Secretary exhibited a photograph of Prodryas Persej)lione, Scudder, 

 a fossil butterfly in a wonderfully perfect state of presei'vation, found in the 

 tertiary formations of Colorado. The photograph had been forwarded to 

 the Society by Mr. Scudder. 



Mr. F. Smith stated that having recently had occasion to refer to the 

 Linnean Collection in the apartments of the Linnean Society at Burlington 

 House, he much regretted to find that this invaluable collection, containing 

 a large number of the original type-specimens of that illustrious naturalist, 

 bad been allowed to fall into a state of complete neglect, and after con- 

 sulting with the Council he had thought it advisable to mention the fact to 

 the Members of the Entomological Society, in order that the Society, 

 through the Council, might take immediate steps to secure the future 

 preservation of the collection. The motion was then formally put to the 

 meeting and carried unanimoubly. 



