( sey 
noticed was a larva in the over-ripe fruit.” Other figs of the second crop, 
subjected to the aforesaid process at Corfu and forwarded by post at that 
period, have proved equally devoid of any occupants. 
Hence it would appear that Olivier, after a long residence in the islands 
of the Greek Archipelago, was justified in denouncing this practice as a 
popular delusion, there being no corroborative evidence to attest that these 
insects ever penetrate into the cultivated figs, as alleged, and that they can 
thus be instrumental for the conveyance of pollen or the promotion of 
fructification in any way. 
Mr. M’Lachlan remarked that he had lately examined the Linnean 
Collection, in company with a German botanist interested in the fig insects, 
and had failed to find the types of Cynips Psenes. 
In reply Sir Sidney Saunders stated that the specimens of C. Ficus in 
the Linnean Cabinet, although unlabelled, correspond with Hasselquist’s 
description, in their rufous colouring; and that, besides those mentioned 
_ by Mr. M’Lachlan as enclosed in a wrapper, he had seen others (of which 
he took note in December, 1878) displayed on a paper (rather than card), 
being thus mounted like those of Cynips Cycomori, Hasselq., the latter 
authenticated as such by Linneus himself, and in juxtaposition therewith ; 
but that he had not an opportunity of examining whether both were 
furnished with subjacent mandibular appendages like the species whose 
generic identity with Gravenhorst’s Blastophaga had been long since 
ascertained by Prof. Westwood (Joc. cit.). Hasselquist describes the habits 
of his C. Ficus as identical with those of Gravenhorst’s species, but the 
structure of the former had not been sufficiently defined by him to deter- 
mine their generic association; although doubtless these specimens, coin- 
ciding as aforesaid with those recorded in the ‘ Iter,’ constitute the genuine 
types of Cynips Psenes of Linneeus. 
Mr. H. T. Stainton exhibited some curious cases said to be constructed 
by lepidopterous larvee, and read the followmg remarks communicated by 
Dr. F. Buchanan White :— 
“The peculiar structures herewith shown are the work of lepidopterous 
larvee which inhabit the closed tubes which form the conspicuous part of 
the structure. ‘These tubes, which each form a cul-de-sac, are attached to 
the dry excreta of dogs (alba gre@ca), and are found on the bare ground on 
the high land behind Aden. The tubes, I understand, are erect when in 
their natural position. The larve possibly feed on the particles of bone 
in the excreta. The present specimens were given to me by the finder, 
Dr. George Hay, Port-Surgeon at Aden, who I hope will yet discover the 
imago of the maker. A tube which I opened at the time Dr. Hay gave me 
them contained a living larva, but I failed to rear it.” 
Mr. Stainton said it was remarked in our ‘ Proceedings’ that “ no other 
insect [than Dolerus palustris, Klg.| was known to feed on Hquisetum” 
