The Zoologist — October, 1866. 459 



doubt whatever that they carried the moths there to eat them ; " from which Mr. 

 Doubleciay is convinced that bats caused the deposit of wings in the cave at Ilkley ; 

 Mr. Birchall, haviiijr caught a mouse in the cave at Ilkley, was and is, for what I know 

 to the contrary, convinced thai mice caused the deposit there — evidence much on a par. 

 Would not the wings found under the trees at Ongar Park, and those found on water 

 under sallows, tend rather to prove that buts eat the moths and drop the wings where 

 they catch them than that they carry the moths into caves, grottos or buildings, to 

 eat them there? Having considered the above facts, more particularly the fact that 

 the deposit of wings at Looe was chiefly butterflies' wings, I must still think I have 

 good grounds for supposing my hypothesis is not altogether wrong; but if either Mr. 

 Doubleday or Mr. Newman can clearly prove that bats are in the habit of preying on 

 butterflies (where, I believe, will arise their great difiiculty), I shall then most readily 

 withdraw my hypothesis as being no longer tenable. I think the following fact may 

 throw some light on the subject. On the lOih of August last 1 found, by the roadside, 

 a spider's web, in which were a set of wings of the little white cabbage butterfly: the 

 wings were cut ofi" close to the body and perfect, precisely similar to those already 

 described by me in former communications ; the web was placed so that the wings 

 could not possibly have fallen into it. This I take to be further proof that spiders do 

 clip off the wings of butterflies and moths, as I have before suggested, and I believe, 

 from the form of a bat's mouth and the nature of their teeth, it would be impossible for 

 them to catch a moth and eat it without leaving on the wings some traces of their 

 work. — Stephen Clogg ; Looe, September 10, 1866. 



[Perhaps it will be well for me to say at once that I have no intention of continuing 

 the controversy: I have convinced myself, and must allow others to do the same. 

 Should my correspondents incline to prolong the discussion, may I ask them lo confine 

 themselves as much as possible to facts; they will outlive opinions. — Edward 

 Newman.'] 



PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



Entomologicai Society. 

 September 3, 1866. — Sir John Lubbock, Bart., President, in the chair. 



A special vote of thanks to the President was passed by acclamation, in acknow- 

 ledgment of the hospitable reception given to the Members of the Society at High 

 Elms, on the 11 th ult. 



Additions to the Library. 



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

 'Transactions of the Zoological Society of London,' Vol. v. Part 5; ' Proceedings of 

 the Zoological Society of London,' 1865; presented by the Society. 'Bulletins de 

 I'Acadeinie Royale des Sciences, des Lettres et des Beaux-Arts de Bruselles,' 2nd 

 series, Vols, xx., xxi.; by the Academy. ' Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History 

 of New York,' Vol. viii. Nos. 4 — 10; by the Lyceum. 'Proceedings of the Boston 

 Society of Natural History,' vol. x. ; by the Society. 'The Journal of Entomology,' 

 Vol. ii. No. 14 ; by the Proprietors. 'The Zoologist' for September; by the Editor. 

 'The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine' for September; by the Editors. 



