Linnean and Zoological Societies. 2831 



Eanvigs using their Wings. — You ask for communications on the subject of the 

 earwig using its wings (Zool. 2759) : I do not think I ever witnessed an instance of 

 the kind myself; but I well remember to have often heard my father say that once, 

 and once only, he saw an earwig use its wings in flight. He was watching a car- 

 penter at his work, and observing an earwig, he took up one of the tools with the in- 

 tent to kill the insect ; but as he was on the point of doing so, the earwig expanded 

 its wings and flew away. I feel bound to add that I cannot positively say that this 

 was the common earwig (Forficula auricularia), though I always understood it to 

 have been so. If it were the lesser earwig, its using its wings was nothing extraor- 

 dinary ; for that insect, so far as my experience goes, is more frequently seen on the 

 wing than otherwise. — W. T. Bree ; Allesley Rectory, May 18, 1850. 



Proceedings of the Linnean Society. 



April 16. — R. Brown, Esq., F.R.S., President, in the chair. 



Mr. Marnock exhibited a remarkable specimen of the woody growth of mistletoe. 



Mr. Miers read the conclusion of his paper on the Triuraceae. The most remark- 

 able point in the structure of these plants was the undeveloped condition of the em- 

 bryo in the ripe seed. After referring to the rhizanths and other orders in which the 

 same structure is observed, the author came to the conclusion, that the proper position 

 of the Triuraceae was amongst the class of endogens, and near such orders as Jun- 

 caceae, Alismaceas, Aroideae, Potameae, &c. Mr. Miers proposed calling the form of 

 embryo which characterised the new order of Triuraceae, * protoblastus.' 



Proceedings of the Zoological Society. 



Anniversary Meeting, April 29. — Sir G. Clerk, Bart., V.P., in the chair. 



The report of the auditors having been received, Mr. D. W. Mitchell (the Secre- 

 tary) read the report of the Council. It stated that the fellows, fellows-elect, and 

 annual subscribers, at the present time amounted to 1,665. The number of honorary 

 and foreign members was 29 ; and of corresponding members, 155. Among the cor- 

 responding members the Society had to regret the loss of Sir T. Reade, Her Majesty's 

 Consul-General at Tunis, who for many years was a liberal contributor to the Society, 

 presenting them with many of the most valuable Carnivora and struthious birds. The 

 revenue of the Society amounted in 1849 to £8,771 9s. 8d., being an increase of 

 £606 8s. 5d. as compared with 1848, and of £1,005 14s. 2d. as compared with 1847. 

 The Council regarded this result as conclusive evidence in favour of the measures 

 commenced in 1848 for developing the resources of the Society, for the improvement 

 of the managerie, and for the extension of the facilities for visiting it. The increase 

 in the receipts at the gates in 1849, of £1,124 19s. 6d., as compared with 1847, justi- 

 fied the hope that this source of revenue would gladly resume the importance which 

 it presented in the earlier period of the operations of the Society. The actual in- 

 crease in the number of visitors in 1849, as compared with 1848, was 25,265 ; and it 



