Oeological Society. 101 



have been difficult, if not impossible, for Dr. Wandolleck to 

 do in the case of the other still more aberrant species — I con- 

 sider that I am justified in being the first to introduce this 

 interesting series of forms to science, especially as I have 

 been engaged for a long time past in collecting material for a 

 monograph on the Phoridae. Since, however, the anatomical 

 investigation of the allied form was already commenced some 

 weeks ago by Dr. Wandolleck, I am in addition handing over 

 to him adequate material for a similar purpose. From him 

 therefore we shall have to expect in the near future further 

 interesting results dealing with this group of forms. 



In the present paper I would merely add a few observa- 

 tions on the ethology of the species discovered by me. I 

 found the insect in numbers in my wholesale captures 

 (" quanlitativen Fangen ") which I made in the Bismarck 

 Archipelago, and particularly in the forest, with a dead bird 

 as bait. For obtaining creatures of this kind I can therefore 

 recommend my method of capture, which I have describsd in 

 detail in the ' Berichten der Academic der Wissenschaften in 

 Berlin,' Jahrg. 1896, ii. p. 17. At first on examining it 

 with the naked eye I took the insect to be a Sminthurus 

 (Poduridse). With us representatives of this genus are 

 frequently found among captures made upon carrion, but in 

 the Bismarck Archipelago they appear to be absent. 1 allude 

 to the outward resemblance merely in order to facilitate their 

 possible discovery. Subsequently under the microscope I 

 actually considered the first specimen to be a Pliora wiiich 

 had lost its wings, so great is the resemblance to that genus. 

 I may add that 1 found a ie^f specimens besides other carrion- 

 insects upon the flower of Amorphophallus , an Aroideid, 

 which has an unpleasant carrion-like odour and grows almost 

 upon the ground. The insect is therefore decidedly a carrion- 

 feeder, like the rest of the Phoridee. 



PEOCEEDINGS OF LEAENED SOCIETIES. 



GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



June 23rd, 1897.— Dr. Henry Hicks, E.R.S., 

 President, in the Chair. 



The following communication was read : — 



' Pleistocene Plants from Casewick, Shacklewell, and Graj's.' 

 By Clement Reid, Esq., E.L.S., F.G.S. 



The plants from Casewick and Shacklewell were obtained hy 

 washing two lumps of clay in the collection of the late Sir Joseph 



