294 Zoological Proceedings of Societies. 



Also to fill tlie vacancies in tlie Council: Cliarlcs Bell, Esq. 

 F.R.S. Ed.; John Bostock, M.D. F.R.S. Pres. Geol. Soc ; Sir 

 Stamford Raffles, F.R.S., Pres. Zool. Soc; Joseph Sabine, Esq. 

 F.R.S. & A.S. Sec. Ilort. Soc. ; and N. A. Vigors, Esq. M.A. 

 F.R.S., Sec. Zool. Soc. 



June 6. — A paper was read, On a nets genus of Insects named 

 Oikcticus; by the Rev. L. Guilding, B.A. F.L.S, 



A paper was also read, entitled, On Methods and Sijstems 

 in Natural History ; by J. E. Bicheno, E^q. Secretary L. S. 

 ill which the authour endeavoured to show the different uses 

 to which they should respectively be applied. The chief object 

 of the Artificial systeni, he insisted, was to analyse; that of 

 the Natural system, to synthesise. The business of the one 

 is to enable us to ascertain particulars ; and of the other, to 

 combine those particulars so as to assist the mind to reason 

 generally. Systematists in general, he contended, have con- 

 founded these two distinct objects, and have attempted to 

 employ their natural systems equally with a view to determine 

 species as to combine them, while their chief object should have 

 been to find resemblances and common characters. The state 

 of science seems to require that the work of combination should 

 be more studied ; and that instead of breaking down the pro- 

 ductions of nature into the smallest particulars, we should act 

 more philosophically if we endeavoured to discover the common 

 characters of her groups, and to unite species ; and thus furnish 

 the ordinary reader with materials of knowledge, relieve his me- 

 mory, and abridge his labour. This seems to be the more necessary 

 in the present day, w hen the number of described birds amounts 

 to 5000, of insects to 100,000, and of flowering plants to 50,000. 



June 20, — The following papers were read : 



Concise notice of a species of Vrsus from Nepaul,askin ofzchich 

 has been presented to the Linnean Society by II. T. Colcbrooke, 

 Esq. F.R. Sf L.S. Sfc.; by Thomas Horsfield, M.D. F.L. & G.S. 



Description of a nexo British Freshwater Helix ; by the Rev. 

 Revctt Sheppard, M.A. F.L.S. 



Of the term Oistros or Oestron of the ancients^ and of the real 

 insect intended by them in this expression ; by Bracy Clerk, F.L.S. 



