106 



caged for their song (so-called), but bred for purposes of commerce.. 

 It is quite an ancient trade in Japan, and at one time was 

 of sufficient importance to warrant a Trade Guild and even 

 in Europe a minature industry exists to supply the cages 

 required. These cages differ with nationality — split-bamboo, 

 wicker and wire-work, and even paper being used. In every 

 instance it is only the male insects that " sing," and while the 

 mechanism for sound production is practically the same in the 

 various species, the shape and position varies considerably. This 

 is found in the crickets at the base of the wing covers, grasshoppers 

 merely rub the edge of the wing cover with the inner part of the 

 hind thigh, while the South African Piieumora rubs the side of its 

 abdomen, which, if I may use the word in its musical sense, has 

 become all " belly." The volume of sound produced is marvellous, 

 from a resemblance to the sighing of the wind in the tree tops to a 

 noise like a steam whistle, that may be heard when travelling in a 

 fast railway train, A Japanese species allied to our Grjillns 

 campestris is known as the "King of Hell" cricket, simply I 

 presume from the infernal noise it makes. The cicadas, belonging 

 to the Homoptera, are the greatest sound producers, and hardly a 

 traveller in warmer climes, but has described their music or 

 discordance. The Australian " black-fellow " says " they are the 

 abode of evil spirits:" the old Greeks numbered them amongst the 

 blest. 



Mr. H. W. Andrews exhibited a number of specimens of the 

 " Witches Broom " fungus-gall Ascomijces sp. on Willow, together 

 with types of various species (63) of Diptera taken in the months 

 of March and April chiefly at sallow blossom. 



Mr. G. H. Coxhead exhibited a number of specimens of Plant 

 Galls dried, together with some very beautiful water-colour drawings 

 of the same. Under the microscope he showed the gall on Rannn- 

 cidiift jicaria caused by the gall-fly Uromycex ficarur, indicated by 

 elongated distortions on the stem. 



Mr. W. West (Ashtead) exhibited under the microscope four 

 species of Collembola, viz., Achi>rntei< i^nirpiirasceiis, A. arinatus, 

 Orchesella villosa and Toiiwcenifi pliiwbeus. 



Mr. A. W. Dennis showed a series of photographs of flowers and 

 fruits, including those of most common trees. 



Mr. Stanley Edwards exhibited large and conspicuous species of 

 Pliastitidd, Mantidtc, Locastid<r, Grj/llid(r and Hymenoptera from 

 British North Borneo, together with examples of Actinacantha arcuata, 



