[ 90 ] 



lived in tlie water, and there, by eating decaying animal and 

 vegetable matter, kept om* streams pui'e. 



When the caterpillar or grub had stored up suflBcient fatty 

 matter, it prepared to enter the next stage of its existence as a 

 chrysalis. Some spun cocoons, others formed retiring rooms in the 

 barks of trees so deftly as to defy the scrutiny of an oi'diuary 

 eye ; others hung down head foremost, or lashed themselves by 

 silken threads to twigs and branches ; while some buried themselves 

 in the groimd, until the time arrived to buret their bonds and 

 appear as the perfect insect. 



Here, according to the absence or presence of wings, their 

 number and their nature, insects were classified. There was one 

 point which often startled, viz., that the great bulk of the insect world 

 did not in the perfect state, gi-ow. As regarded the perfect insect 

 there was much of intei-est, — the compound eye, the antenna, 

 organs of some sort, but of what natui-alists were not agi'eed, stings, 

 lancets, tongues, — each and all would take more time than was at 

 his disposal. Marvellous were their powers of finding out the food 

 for their young, and most marvellous was the attractive power 

 possessed by the females of some creatures of drawing up numbers 

 of the opposite sex from long distances. 



A third lecture from Mr. B. Lomax, on " Spectrum Analysis,*' 

 (illustrated by Browning's Electric Spectroscope) was to have been 

 given ; but, owing to a want of power in the battery which was to 

 have illuminated the electric lamp, Mr. Lomax had to abandon the 

 experimental part of his contribution to the entertainment, and 

 confine himself to a few remarks on the nature of the study. 



The rooms throughout were pleasingly embellished with a 

 variety of rare plants and shrubs, lent by Messrs. Balchin and Nell ; 

 and, daring the evening, light refreshments were dispensed by Mr. 

 Booth to the company at a counter in the Banqueting Room. 



March nth. 



ORDINARY MEETING. 



MR. C. F. DENNET ON "VEGETABLE FIBRES." 



It was so much the fashion for the theologian and man of 

 science to refer back to pre-historic times, men, and things, as a 



