310 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



totally at a loss how to account for so singular a circumstance. 

 Mr. Spence expressed a wish that the metaphysical history of 

 insects might be more attended to than had at present been 

 the case ; he thought much instruction would result from it. 



The Secretary read a paper by Mr. Saunders, on some 

 Indian Insects, among which some nocturnal Cicindelcs were 

 particularly remarkable. 



The Secretary read a notice, by Mr. B. Standish, of the 

 discovery of the larva of Cucullia Thapsiphaga on the 

 golden-rod in Darent-wood, in a south-west aspect; he found 

 one specimen on the 8th, and a second on the 23d, of Sep- 

 tember. They came out of the chrysalis in the following 

 June, and proved to be male and female. An exquisite 

 drawing of the larva, by a nephew of Mr. Standish, was 

 presented to the Society. 



The Secretary read an abstract of the Entomological 

 affairs of the Linnsean Society. A paper had been read by 

 Mr. Newman, giving an arrangement of the Annulate animals, 

 and of that particular portion of them known as insects, solely 

 by the metamorphosis. Mr. Newman referred the metamor- 

 phosis of insects to the change always going on in organized 

 beings, and considered that insects had truly but three stages 

 of existence : the egg, or foetal ; the larva, or adolescent ; and 

 the imago, or adult. 



The Secretary read the remainder of Mr. Hope's paper 

 on Amber Insects. 



Dr. Ure made some observations on the chemical proper- 

 ties of amber and anime : he had found (as we understood) 

 amber soluble on the surface only, but anime was perfectly 

 converted into gelatinous matter by alcohol and spirit of 

 caoutchouc. 



Col. Sykes made some observations, in reference to the 

 paper by Mr. Saunders, on the singular places selected by 

 insects for nidification ; he instanced one which had built its 

 nest in a flute. 



Eighth Sitting. — May 5. 



The Secretary read letters from Signor Passerini, of 

 Florence, and Dr. Hammerschmid, of Vienna. 



