IX 



April 7, 1878, 



H. T. Stainton, F.R.S., Vice-President, in the chair. 



The minutes of the previous meeting were lead and approved. 

 Donations to the Library were announced, and thanks voted to the 

 respective donors. 



Election of Members. 

 The following gentlemen were ballotted for and elected Ordinary Mem- 

 bers:— George Carter Bignell, 7, Clarence Place, Stonehouse, Plymouth; 

 W. D. Cansdale, 4, Guithavon Terrace, Witham, Essex ; Frank Crisp, 

 LL.B., B.A., Sec.R.M.S., 5, Lansdowne Road, Netting Hill, W. ; and the 

 Rev. W. Fowler, M.A., F.L.S., Repton, Burton-on-Trent. M. Ed. Andre, 

 21, Boulevard Bretonniere, Beaune (Cote d'Or), B'rance, was ballotted for 

 and elected a Foreign Member. 



Exhibitions, dx. 



Mr. John T. Carrington exhibited a pale variety of Arctia caja, bred 

 by a gentleman at Croydon, who had been experimenting upon the 

 effects of the rays of light transmitted through glasses of various . 

 colours upon the species. The variety exhibited had been reared under 

 green glass, but there was no evidence to show tliat the variation was due 

 to the green rays. 



The Secretary read the following communication from Mr. G.A.J. 

 Rothney, of Calcutta : — 



" On Insects destroyed by Flowers. 

 " I notice in the report of your proceedings for April 2nd, 1879, a letter 

 from Mr. J. W. Slater, from which I copy the following extract : — ' Whilst 

 it is generally admitted that the gay coloration of flowers is mainly sub- 

 servient to the purpose of attracting bees and other winged insects, whose 

 visits play so important a part in the process of fertilization, it seems to me 

 that one important fact has scarcely received due attention. Certain gaily- 

 coloured, or or least conspicuous, flowers are avoided by bees, or, if visited, 

 have an injurious and even fatal effect upon the insects. Among these 

 are the dahlia, the passion-flower, the crown-imperial, and especially the 

 oleander. That the flowers of the dahlia have a narcotic action both upon 

 humble-bees and hive-bees was first pointed out by the Rev. L. Jenyns, in 

 his " Observations on Natural History " (p. 262). He mentions that bees 

 which visit these flowers are " soon seized with a sort of torpor, and often 

 die unless speedily removed," Ac' 



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