32 



believed to have great virtues in the way of heahng. It 

 belonged to the order Umbelliferae, although at first sight 

 one would not think so. The next species was Aspleniii^n 

 riita-miiraria, L., which Mr. Step said occurred very abun- 

 dantly on the walls in Headley Lane, Box Hill ; there were 

 also specimens of the Bird's-nest Orchid {Neottia nidus-avis^ 

 Rich.), which he stated was parasitic upon roots, chiefly on 

 those of beech trees ; but there was some doubt as to whether 

 it was entirely parasitic or only so at certain stages ; it got 

 its name from the peculiar condition of its roots, which very 

 closely resembled the nests of certain birds whose nests were 

 composed of a collection of twigs. Mr. Step then gave an 

 interesting account of the fertilization of orchids by means of 

 insects, 



Mr. Carrington remarked that the pollen masses on the 

 proboscis of certain bees were at one time supposed to be of a 

 fungoid growth, but upon their being examined under a 

 microscope they were found to be masses of pollen from an 

 orchis. 



Mr, West (Streatham), remarked that the Asplenium was 

 easily grown in a flower-pot with some old bricks pressed 

 into the soil ; he had the species growipg for the last four 

 years. 



JUNE i2th, 1890. 



J. T. Carrington, Esq., F.L.S., President, in the Chair. 



Messrs. B. G. Rye, H. McArthur and A. Ward were elected 

 members. 



Mr. R. Adkin exhibited nests of a species of Vespa 

 attached to heather, from Bournemouth, together with the 

 imago which had just emerged. 



Mr. Billups said the species was Eumenes coardata, L,, a 

 solitary Wasp, and the only representative of the genus we 

 had in Britain ; he then described the habits of the insects, 

 and exhibited various parasites belonging to the families 

 Ichneumonidae, Chrysidid^, Syrphidai, and Staphylinidae, and 

 added that the Vespidae were particularly subject to the attacks 

 of parasites. 



Mr. Billups exhibited nests of solitary wasps from Borneo, 

 with their maker ; also a very fine nest of a social wasp, 

 PelopcEiis architectus^ St. Farg., with the imagos from Kentucky. 



Mr. Billups also exhibited on behalf of Mr. Henderson, 

 some abnormally large specimens of Paniscus cephalotes, 

 Holmgr., bred from the larvae oi Dicranura vinula, L. 



Mr, J. R. Well man exhibited a bred series of A crony eta 



