63 



that of forming the silken envelope — did not come under 

 observation ; but he had frequently seen a larva engaged in 

 lining the interior of its tenement with fragments of the bark 

 from the lilac stem. This it does in a most methodical 

 manner, and never once, as far as he could see, fails to place 

 the minute chip of bark in proper position, with the rough 

 exterior surface outwards. 



Mr. E. Step asked whether any member had observed 

 the effect produced on other animals by the acrid secretion 

 from the back of the Toad. A young Jay (Garrulus glan- 

 darius, L.) in his possession had recently, with a full crop, 

 eaten two young toads, without exhibiting any ill effects. 

 The following day, however, when its crop was all but empty, 

 it had swallowed two others, with a very different result. The 

 toads were very small, and but a day or two removed from 

 the tadpole stage ; but their immediate effect was to cause 

 the bird's eyelids to close, and its bill to gape persistently. 

 These symptoms were followed by violent convulsive move- 

 ments of the legs and wings, and the rapid turning of con- 

 tinuous somersaults. The bird seemed completely intoxicated, 

 and to have lost all control over these strange movements of 

 its limbs. There were short periods of inaction between 

 these fits, during which the creature lay on its back, with the 

 beak gaping and the eyes blinking. The paroxysms gradually 

 became less violent, and after about an hour from the com- 

 mencement of the attack, the Jay was able to perch. For 

 the rest of the day, however, he remained in a stupid con- 

 dition, making no movement and uttering no sound. By the 

 next morning he seemed to have recovered his usual health 

 and spirits. Mr. Step had little doubt that, had the toads been 

 larger, they would have caused death. 



Mr. J. Jenner Weir said he could not speak from experi- 

 ence, but Mr. Bond had told him that he once had a Heron 

 that was killed through eating a toad, although the latter was 

 vomited almost immediately after it had been swallowed. 



Mr. Billups called attention to the unusual abundance of 

 the larvae of Pieris brassica in the neighbourhood of West 

 Ham, Essex, the whole of the cabbages in that neighbour- 



