136 



Society, and the consequent discussion were disposed of, the exhi- 

 bitions might commence ; but insects brought for sale should not 

 be produced until the chair was vacated. While thus attempting to 

 infuse a kind of method into our meetings, it may not be amiss to 

 suggest the removal of seats from the table : in other Societies a space 

 is preserved immediately around the table, to be occupied only as re- 

 quired, by members giving explanations, undergoing the ceremony of 

 admission, and so forth: the plan seems to answer; can we not 

 adopt it ? 



Our meetings have been kept up with regularity, and have been 

 well attended : no scientific Society in the metropolis can boast of a 

 larger numerical attendance in proportion to the number of our 

 members. 



At one of our meetings, convened for the especial purpose, an at- 

 tempt was made to carry out that portion of our bye-laws which 

 relates to the election of associates : this attempt has been unsuccess- 

 ful, and has terminated in the expunging such passages as relate to 

 associates. On this subject, like that of the Presidency, the Society 

 has been agitated on several occasions, always without good effect, 

 always to its detriment: the minority should now succumb; no one 

 can entertain a wish tliat they should abandon opinions which they 

 suppose just and liberal, but they should cease to agitate so small 

 a body as ours confessedly is, by throwing an apple of discord 

 amongst us. 



Secondly, our public proceedings have possessed considerable in- 

 terest : let us glance at a portion of them. 



Galls of the Oak. 



The occurrence in some profusion, in Devonshire, of the ink-gall 

 produced by the Cynips Lignicola of Hartig, is a fact of much 

 interest, and the records of our Proceedings thereon will cer- 

 tainly cause some merriment to future readers. The galls were 

 introduced to our notice by Mr. Rich, a visitor at our* November 

 meeting, in 1854 : they were in beautiful clusters, and, as you will all 

 recollect, presented a very remarkable appearance. Mr. Curtis said 

 he had paid great attention to the Cynipidaj in genera!, and to this 

 species in particular, which he had received both from Mr. Rich and 

 Mr. Walcott; and he was convinced that the specimen bred from the 

 galls now exhibited was the true Cynips Quercus-petioli of Linneus. 



