( xix ) 



would consider it of quite recent construction, and certainly as belonging to 

 the post-tertiary period. 



The Rev. H. S. Gorham enquired whether there was any explanation 

 of why one species of caddis-worm should almost invariably use one species 

 of shell in the construction of their cases. 



Mr. M'Lachlan replied that he could give no more probable explanation 

 than that the shells used were those of the species of mollusc most abundant 

 in the locality. 



Mr. J, J. Weir read the following note : — " On 1st March, 1869, I read 

 before this Society a paper on ' Insects and Insectivorous Birds'; the main 

 object of that communication was to show that brilliantly coloured and hairy 

 caterpillars were not eaten by birds. Mr. A. G. Butler, at the same meeting, 

 read a paper relating experiments of a similar character to mine, which 

 showed that lizards and frogs equally rejected as food these gaily coloured 

 or hairy caterpillars. In * Chambers's Journal' for this year (p. 519) there is 

 an interesting account of a pet trout ; this fish was very tame, and readily 

 took food from the hand. The object I have in drawing the Society's atten- 

 tion to the account of this fish is that — although it is stated that he devoured 

 various kinds of spiders and insects — it is remarked that ' with bright 

 coloured or hairy caterpillars he would have nothing to do.' " Mr. Weir also 

 incidentally remarked that he had recently seen an eel rise to the surface of 

 a stream at Lewes and deliberately pick off a caterpillar from the upper side 

 of a leaf of Nuj^har lutea. 



Miss E. A. Ormerod exhibited specimens of a species of Lina, apparently 

 L. cuprea, Fabr. ; they were received from Mr. G. R. Close, who stated that 

 the hazels and willows between Romsdal and Sundal (West Norway) were 

 ntirely stripped of their leaves by thousands of this insect. 



Miss Ormerod also communicated the results of some experiments 

 recently made upon the different effects of various rape-cakes on wireworms. 

 There are two kinds of rape-cake in common use amongst agriculturists in 

 this country, viz., Black-Sea rape-cake, which is made from rape-seed, and 

 Indian rape or Kurrachee cake, which is made from mustard-seed. The 

 wireworms refused to feed on the so-called "Indian" rape-cake until it 

 became somewhat putrescent ; they then fed on it for about a fortnight, 

 when they died. Other wireworms entered the common Black-Sea rape- 

 cake at once and throve on it for upwards of a month, and this food did not 

 appear to injuriously affect them. 



Mr. T. R. Billups exhibited numerous specimens oi Leptidia hrevipennis, 

 Muls., both set and living examples, remarking that it had occurred by 

 thousands in the Boro' Market during the last two months. They occurred 

 in baskets, most of which were two years old, received from Cherbourg, 

 containing vegetables; many of the baskets in which. the Leptidia swarmed 

 had been in Mr. Billups's possession for upwards of a twelvemontli. 



