14 



other insects he mentioned the death's-head hawk moth and the Con- 

 volvulus hawk moth. Of the former he had procured several cater- 

 pillars, but had not been able to rear any moths. He mentioned that 

 when he was unable to procure potato leaves, on which plant the 

 death's-head moth is usually found in this country, he had substituted 

 those of a plant of the same genus, the common nightshade or bitter- 

 sweet of the hedges {Solatium Dulcamara), and found that the moth 

 fed as freely on it as on the potato. Mr. Selby described a caterpillar 

 as large as that of the death's-head moth, but differing from it in co- 

 lour and in the shape of its markings, which he had also found on 

 the potato. This caterpillar he thought might be a variety of that of 

 the death's-head moth, but he had not been able to meet with any 

 account of that species in which such a variety was described, nor 

 was he aware of any other species to which it could be assigned — 

 Mr. Alder, of Newcastle, read an account of the peculiar character of 

 the animal of Kellia suborbicularis, a bivalve mollusk, not uncommon 

 on our shores, showing it to be a new type of form among the bi- 

 valves, differing from the others in having a large anterior tube. He 

 also exhibited a drawing, and read a description of the animal of 

 Lepton squamosum, an allied genus, likewise very peculiar in its cha- 

 racters. He took the opportunity of Dr. Johnston being present, to 

 draw his attention to a curious new British zoophyte, of very anoma- 

 lous characters, found by Mr. Cocks, at Falmouth, and examined by 

 Mr. Alder, in conjunction with that gentleman, during a recent visit 

 to Cornwall. A drawing of the animal was exhibited to the meeting, 

 and a verbal description given. Some account of its mode of deve- 

 lopment was also communicated. Dr. Johnston considered it quite 

 distinct from anything with which he was acquainted. Mr. Tate, of 

 Alnwick, exhibited several specimens of mountain-limestone fossils, 

 remarkable for their perfection and beauty. This gentleman possesses 

 one of the best collections of the fossils of this formation in the king- 

 dom. After the business-matters were concluded, and the rain had 

 ceased, which fell heavily during the middle of the day, some of the 

 party returned to the Castle, where they had spent a portion of the 

 morning, and where, by the courtesy of the noble owner, every faci- 

 lity was given for the examination, both of its feudal remains and of 

 its modern decorations. There is a small museum containing objects 

 of antiquity as well as specimens in most of the departments of Na- 

 tural History ; amongst the latter are some very interesting fossil re- 

 mains. The most remarkable part of the collection, however, is that 

 containing the Egyptian antiquities, obtained by the noble Duke 



