102 



unexplained phenomenon must be noticed here ; a considerable number of the pupas, 

 say one in nine, present an atropliied or shrunken appearance, and these, not pos- 

 sessing sufficient vitality to carry them through the final change, die, turn black, and 

 eventually decay : coexistent with these atrophied pupae is the presence of a certain 

 myriapod, which I believe to be the young of Lithobins forcipatus ; but the connexion 

 between the myriapod and the weevil still remains to be unravelled. The pupa state, 

 like that of the larva after it leaves off eating, lasts about a fortnight, and it lakes 

 another fortnight at least for the weevil to become hard and fitted for a more locomo- 

 tive life ; so that six weeks are occupied from the formation of the tomb-like earthy 

 cell to the time for finally quitting it. The beetle, when first emancipated, is of a dull 

 white colour; it soon turns to a pale, testaceous brown, which gradually becomes 

 darker and darker, until the final deep hue and hardened surface are attained : it then 

 breaks the walls of its self-constructed prison and crawls solemnly and slowly about 

 the greenhouse, probably in quest of amorous adventures, to be followed by those 

 parental duties, which are a necessary consequence of that command which went 

 forth at the beginning to weevils as well as to man, ' Increase and multiply.' It is 

 more than twenty years since I first traced the history of this insect, which is a most 

 dangerous enemy to the horticulturist: my observations were then directed to its 

 operations on Saxifraga sarmentosa, the crown of leaves and flowering stalks of which 

 I constantly found completely severed from the roots by this subterranean marauder, 

 but I think this is the first time it has been noticed in connexion with ferns." 



Insects injurious to Forest-trees. 



Captain Cox remarked that Chrysoclista Linneella was swarming on the trunks of 

 lime-trees in Hyde Park, the bark of the trees in many places being almost destroyed 

 by the larva;: he also alluded to the destruction now progressing of many fine elms 

 and other trees in the parks by the Scolytus, !kc., and regretted that those in authority 

 would not adopt the very simple means to remedy the evil. 



August 6, 1855. 

 John Cuhtis, Esq., President, in the chair. 



Donations. 



The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the 

 donors :—' The Literary Gazette' for July; by the Editor. 'The Athena;um' for 

 July; by the Editor. 'Journal of the Society of Arts' for July; by the Society. 

 'Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England,' Vol. xvi. Part 1; by the 

 Society. Hewitson's ' Exotic Butterflies,' Part 15 ; by VV. VV. Saunders, Esq. ' Die 

 Gallen. Versnch die durch Insecten an den Pflanzen Verursachten Answiiclise nach 

 ihren Haupttypen und Wachsthumsverhaltnisscu naturgemass zu gruppiren,' von 

 Georg Fraueufeld; by the Author. 'Revue et Magasin de Zoologie,' 1855, No. 6; 

 by the Editor, M. Guerin-Meneville. ' List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous In- 

 sects in the Collection of the British Museum,' Part III. Lepidoptera Heterocera ; 

 by the Author, Francis Walker, Esq., F.L.S. A box of Indian insects; by Major 



