477 



geological work clone by him in South Australia. Mr. 

 Howchin responded. 



Death of Mr. John Darling. — The President reported 

 the death of our Fellow, Mr. John Darling, who, although 

 prevented by his wide commercial and public pursuits from 

 taking an active part in the Society's work, had for seven 

 years by his membership shown his sympathy with its objects. 



Australian Forest League. — The Hon. Secretary laid 

 on the table a circular from the Australian Forest League, 

 setting forth its objects. 



Botanical Congress, 1915.— : The Hon. Secretary laid 

 on the table the preliminary circular of the Fourth Inter- 

 national Botanical Congress to be held in London in 1915. 



Exhibits. — The President showed a small book, called 

 "Beautiful Shells," by H. Adams, published in London in 

 1856, which included some curious bits of information. Speak- 

 ing of the value of shells, one reads : "As much as a thousand 

 pounds, it is said, has been given for the first-discovered 

 specimen of the Venus dione; another shell, called the Conns 

 cedo nulli, is valued at three hundred pounds; and the Turbo 

 scalaris, if large and perfect, is worth one hundred guineas ; 

 while the Cyprcta aurantium, or orange cowry, if it has not a 

 hole beaten through it, will fetch fifty guineas. It has been 

 calculated that a complete collection of British conchology is 

 worth its weight in silver." Captain S. A. White showed 

 samples of some numbers of Gregory M. Mathews' great work 

 on Australian Birds, now in course of publication. Mr. F. R. 

 Zietz exhibited several reptiles and amphibians collected by 

 Captain S. A. White in Central Australia and presented to 

 the South Australian Museum. Mr. A. M. Lea, F.E.S., 

 exhibited specimens of an extraordinary gall-forming insect 

 of the genus Brachyscelis, the male galls of which are found 

 in umbrella-shaped clusters attached to the female galls. Some 

 remarkable parasites of the genus Dinoura, and some other 

 curious insects, were raised from the same. He also showed a 

 large scorpion (6 J inches from dp to tip), sent by Mr. H. G. 

 Stokes, of the Radium Mine on Flinders Range ; as a result 

 of its sting a man had been rendered unwell for several days. 

 Also two flies, sent by Mr. G. F. Benson, of Edithburgh, who 

 reared them from maggots taken from the heads of young 

 starlings. Also a very curious beetle taken by Dr. Pulleine 

 at Mount Tambourine, in Southern Queensland. Mr. A. G. 

 Edquist exhibited a moth which laid 35,000 to 37,000 eggs in 

 long strings, three at a time, followed by a short pause. The 

 eggs are largely collected by ants, who keep them in their 

 nests until the grubs are hatched, when the latter are eaten. 



