1646 The Zoologist— April, 1869. 



winter to summer plumajje: tbe bluish gray markings beliind the eyes had not 

 entirely disappeared, although the head was nearly white. He had received a 

 specimen shot at Putney, and also one from Datchet, shot by Reeve, the fisher- 

 man (this bird was in immature plumage). Is it not remarkable that so many 

 specimens of tbe kittiwake, a purely ocean-feeding gull, should have strayed so far 

 inland as ihey appear to have done this year? — A. H. Smee ; March 12, 1869. 



PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



Entomological Society. 

 March 1, 1869. — H. W. Bates, E^q , President, in the chair. 



Donations to the Library. 

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

 'Proceedings of the Royal Society,' No. 108; presented by the Society. ' Bulletliuo 

 della Societa Entoinologica Italiaua,' Anno priino, Fascicoli I.; by the Society. 

 'Coleopterologische Hefte,' Part iv. ; by the Edilur, Baron E. von Harold. ' Bidrag 

 til Kundskal) om Christianiafjordens Fauna,' af Dr. Michael Sars; by (he Author. 

 'Tiie Zoologist,' for March; by the Editor. ' Tbe Entomologist's Monthly Maga- 

 zine,' for Maich ; by the Editors. 



Election oj Member. 



Charles Home, Esq., of 3, Bernard Villas, Upper Norwood, was ballotled for, and 



elected a Member. 



Exhibitions, ^-c. 



Mr. Bond exhibited specimens of Heliothis armiger from the Isle of Wight, Java 

 and Australia. Tbe insect bad been taken in Java by Dr. Horsfield; the Australian 

 specimens were captured by Dr. Madden. 



Mr. VV. C. Boyd exhibited dwarfs of Vanessa Urticaj, Smerinthus Populi, Saturnia 

 Carpini and Pygifira Bucephala, all bred in 1868, by Mr. Davis, of Waltham Cross, 

 and scarcely more than half the ordinary size of ihe species : this was attributed to 

 rapidity of development, owing to the heat of the summer. 



Dr. Wallace exhil)ited a number of Bombyx Yamamai and their cocoons: during 

 last season he bred about fifty of them at Colchester, and found them to vary con- 

 siderably in colour: the moth was iu the habit of performing summersaults and 

 manoeuvres, like those of Cilix or Limacodes when netted. Also Bombyx Pernyi, 

 another oak-feeding species from China, of which he had received tbrough the 

 Foreign Office a number of cocoons, from which the moths were hatching, and one 

 had laid about 270 eggs: he hoped to make some useful experiments with this 

 species, which like Bombyx Cynthia was double-brooded, but would probably be 

 found to require a dry climate and warm soil. Also English-bred specimens of tlie 

 American Saturnia Cecropia. Dr. Wallace made some remarks on the progress of 

 sericiculture in this country and the culonies: what was principally required was an 

 experiment on a large scale to test the commercial value of the product: with this 

 view a gentleman in Paris desired to purchase 500 lbs. of cocoons, for which he was 

 willing to give 25d. per tb. 



