34 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Thompson. From a pretty thorough examination of specimens ohtaiued at 

 the various islands of the Canaries and Madeira, it seems evident that the 

 Copepodian fauna varies in quantity rather than specifically. Excepting 

 several cases where locally one or two only of a species were found, and 

 which probably indicate rarity of that species, their equal distribution 

 amongst the islands seems general. Sixty-five species in all were obtained. 

 Of these six are new to science, and three probably of generic significance. 

 Of the total number twenty-three are known in British waters, and of these 

 fourteen belong to the family Harpacticidm. 



December 1, 1887. — Wm. Carruthers, F.R.S., President, in the chair. 



The following gentlemen were elected Fellows of the Society: — 

 Mr. K. H. Bennett (Sydney, New South Wales), Lord Egerton of Tatton, 

 Mr. W. Francis, the Rev. F. W. Galpin, Mr. W. G. M'Millan, Mr. A. J. 

 North (Melbourne, Victoria), Mr. J. D. Ogilby (Sydney, New South Wales), 

 Mr. A. S. C. Stuart (Madras), Mr. G. Swainson, Mr. I. C. Thompson, and 

 Mr. C. Topp (Melbourne, Victoria). 



There was exhibited, for Mr. 0. Fraser, of the India Museum, Calcutta, 

 a specimen of what was supposed to be a weather-worn seed of a palm. In 

 a letter read at the meeting from Mr. Fraser the object iu question was 

 stated to have been picked up on the Madras coast, but could not be satis- 

 factorily determined by the Indian authorities. The specimen having been 

 examined by Dr. J. Anderson (late of Calcutta) and Mr. Dendy, of the 

 British Museum, they inclined to regard it as possibly the consolidated roe 

 of a fish, while Prof. C. Stewart surmised that the substance was vegetable 

 in structure ; the matter therefore remained sub judice pending microscopic 

 and chemical investigation. 



Sir John Lubbock read a paper, in continuation of his previous memoirs, 

 on " The Habits of Ants, Bees, and Wasps." He said that it was generally 

 stated that our English slave-making ant, Formica sanguined, far from 

 being entirely dependent on their slaves, as was the case with Polyergus 

 rufescens, the slave-making ant par excellence, was really able to live alone, 

 and that the slaves were only, so to say, a luxury. Some of his observations 

 appeared to throw doubt on this. Iu one of his nests the ants were 

 prevented from making any fresh capture of slaves. Under these circum- 

 stances the number of slaves gradually diminished, and at length the last 

 died. At that time there were some fifty of the mistresses still remaining. 

 These, however, rapidly died off, until at the end of June, 1886, there were 

 only six remaining. He then placed near the door of the nest some pupee 

 of Formica fusca, the slave ant. These were at once carried in, and soon 

 came to maturity. The mortality among the mistresses at once ceased, 

 and from that day to this only two more have died. This seems to show 

 that the slaves perform some indispensable function iu the nest, though 



