9698 Entomological Society. 



his hybernation being, according to circumstances, either in the mud at the bottono of 

 a pond or some cool and moist retreat upon land. With the increased temperature of 

 spring comes the shortest but most active period of his life — the spawning season, 

 which he passes in the water. After this he leaves the tepid waters of the pond to 

 squat like a bright-eyed troglodyte in the crumbling hollow of some flowery copse. 

 Now it is evident from this that the spawning season is the most probable, if not the 

 only time, at which such an attachment could t;ike place: in winter the shells are 

 closed and the toads inactive, while in summer the two are widely separated, in conse- 

 quence of the toad having changed its aquatic for terrestrial habits. About the time 

 of my observation the Cyclas begins to climb the aquatic plants, in the axils of which 

 it will frequently run with its valves open and its syphons exserted. If, now, some 

 lively toad in swimming through the plants should chance to thrust one of its hind 

 toes between the open valves of the shells, the sensitive inhabitant would instantly 

 shrink, at the same time closing its valves upon the intrusive member, upon which it 

 will maintain its hold, so long as the toad continues active. When we try to conceive 

 what part this connection can play in the economy of the two animals, we see that the 

 Cyclas thus acquires a more rapid and extended locomotion than it possesses of itself, 

 which perhaps may be a means of its distribution. To the toad one would think the 

 connection must be an unmitigated nuisance. — John Peers; Warrington, June 7, 

 lb65. 



King Fish in St. Austell Bay. — A specimen of the opah or king fish of Yarrell, 

 the lampris of Couch, was caught in St. Austell Bay last week. I saw it on exhibition 

 here. It was about four feet long and proportionately deep. — Thomas Cornish ; Pen- 

 zance, June 20, 1865. 



Proceedings of Societies. 

 Entomological Society. 

 July 3, 1865. — F. P. Pascoe, Esq., President, in the chair. 



Donations to the Library. 



The following donations were announced, and thanks voted to the donors: — 

 •Exotic Butterflies,' by W. C. Hewitson, Part 55; presented by W.W.Saunders, 

 Esq. 'Illustrations of Diurnal Lepidoptera,' Part 2, LycaeuidiC, by W. C. Hewitson; 

 by the Author. 'The Natural History of the Tineina,' Vol. ix. (Gelechia), by H. T. 

 Stainton ; by the Author. ' A Catalogue of the Lepidoptera of Devon and Cornwall,' 

 Part 2, by J.J.Reading; by the Author. 'Resumen de las Actas de la Real 

 Academia de Ciencias de Madrid,' 1862—63 ; by the Academy. ' Proceedings of the 

 Literary and Philosophical Society of Liverpool,' 1863—64; by the Society. 'The 

 Zoologist' for July; by the Editor. 'The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine' for 

 July; by the Editors, 



Election of Members. 

 Messrs. R. Borthwick, A. D. Carey, W. Cole, H. D'Orville, W. S. M. D'Urban, 

 A. E. Eaton, J. E. Fletcher, A. G. Latham, John Linnell, jun., G. F. Mathew, 



