1606 The Zoologist— Makch, 1869. 



the cavity or cell ; the youug, however, soon left her, and went to the younger parts of 

 the plant, to commence depredations on their own account; a leaf would sometimes 

 be covered with them. Prof. Weslwood knew no other instance of an insect burying 

 itself in this manner. The other mode of attack was by sucking the roots or rootlets 

 underground, thereby causing decay and rottenness, and killing the vine; there was 

 not any gall or swelling formed, but he had found the young ones with their parent on 

 the roots. In the South of France whole vineyards had been destroyed ; and the pest 

 occurred in England, though whether or not introduced or imported with the vines he 

 could not say. The female alone was known, no males having been detected. He 

 should be glad to hear if any Member present was aware of any instance of the 

 same insect attacking a plant both above and below ground in two such dissimilar 

 ways. 



Mr. Frederick Smith was able to mention an instance. The common Cynips 

 aptera was well known to form clusters of galls on the fibrous roots of the oak; on one 

 occasion he had found, in Bishop's Wood, Uampstead, on the stem of an oak tree, 

 about a foot above the ground, a large lump which he could only compare to a number 

 of barnacles fastened to the bole; he cut the lump off, took it home, and to his surprise 

 bied therefrom between twenty and thirty specimens of Cynips aptera. 



Mr. Charles Home (who was present as a visitor) exhibited the stings of two 

 scorpions which were killed by rats at Benares, on the 19th July, 1865; one of the 

 stings shewed a large hole where it had been perforated by the tooth of the rat. The 

 scorpion and rat were placed under a glass cover, and for some time the scorpion 

 fenced about, tail over head, trying to get hold of the rat, but at a favourable moment 

 the rat dodged duwu and made a rush at the scorpion, bit the sting through the 

 middle, then placed its foot upon the scorpion, and begau to pnll off the legs at leisure. 

 In India it was the constant habit of rats to destroy scorpions, and he believed they 

 usually ate them ; but in the case above described, the scorpiou was not eaten by the 

 rat. 



Paper read. 



The following paper was read: — "Description of a New Species of Hestina," by 

 Mr. A. G. Butler. The species, Hestina Zella, from India, was described as being 

 an excellent mimic of Danais Juveula, and most nearly allied to H. Meua of Moore. 



February 15, 1869. — H. VV. Bates, Esq., President, in the chair. 



Election of Members. 



Arthur Wynne Foot, Esq., M.D., of 21, Lower Pembroke Street, Dublin, was 

 "elected an Annual Subscriber. 



Exhibitions, jrc. 

 Prof. Weslwood exhibited two parasites on bats from Ceylon, both Diptera, a 

 Strebla and a Nycteribia, prepared for the microscope in Canada balsam. They were 

 simply pressed between sheets of paper, an aperture having been made for the escape 

 of the fluid matter, and whilst still moist were laid on the glass, and the balsam, 

 heated over a spirit lamp and poured ou hot, filled up the interstices and made the 

 |)repdratiou trausparcut. 



