Traicsactiortti. 5 



Charles I., found at Greystone, by Mr W. Rae, Queen's Place ; a 

 Land-rail (crex pratensis) by Mr J. T. Scott. 



Exhibits. — ^The mummified remains of a cat and rat — the cat 

 having its teeth firmly fixed in the neck of the rat — found in that 

 posture after the fire at the London Stock Excliange, were 

 exhibited by Mr Graham. Miss Burnet exhibited a number of 

 Indian curiosities, including a brass tray, ear-rings, a necklet 

 and necklace made of coral, two serpents' skins, tiie nest of the 

 tailor bird, and a humming bird. 



Communications. 

 I. The ^Sociological Value of Entomology. By D. Shakp, M.B. 



Dr Sharpe read an interesting paper on the above subject, in 

 which he stated that the estimated number of insects on the globe 

 was nearly 2,000,000 diSerent specie.s, and that it would take the 

 work of a life-time to investigate the life histoiy, the distribution 

 on the face of the earth, and the relation to others of a single species. 

 He pointed out tiie great importance of entomology in being able 

 to discriminate friends from foes, as well as the benefits to be 

 derived by it from an educational and recreative point of view. 

 Referring to the wonderful variety in the size and structure of 

 insects, he exhibited a beetle (Ptiliuvi excavatum), forty of which 

 would be required to make a heap the size of an ordinary toilet 

 pin's head ; and yet it consisted of an external skeleton, com- 

 posed of 150 or 200 articulated pieces corresponding to bones, 

 and within the skeleton there was a vast number of muscles, a 

 complicated nervous system, and complex circulatory, respiratory, 

 •fee, apparatus, analogous to the internal organs in the larger 

 animals. 



II, The Museums of Brussels. By Mr J. Gibson Stauke, V.-P. 



In this paper, Mr Starke described the princijjal museums of 

 Brussels, and enumerated the natural history and antiquarian 

 specimens interesting to the members who might visit that city. 



1th December, 1883. 

 Dr Gilchrist, President, in the Chair. Thirty-seven 

 members present. 

 New Members. — Messrs A. Innes, Inland Revenue ; W. Baird, 



