Minutes of Proceedings X¢CVli 
ORDINARY MONTHLY MEETING. 
Wednesday, June 26, 1895. 
Rev. G. H. R. Fisk, C.M.Z.S., in the Chair. 
Messrs. B, VAN DER RieEt, Ph.D., M.A., and M.S. Evans, were duly 
elected ordinary members of the Society. 
The undermentioned presents was announced, and the thanks of the 
Society voted to the donor: 
Transactions of the Texas Academy of Science, Vol. IL, Parts 2 and 3. 
Mr. Fisk exhibited, on behalf of Dr. Marloth, a viper, Berg adder, 
preserved in formic aldehyde, beautifully preserved in colour and 
texture. 
Mr. PERINGUEY exhibited some specimens of case-making caterpillars 
belonging to the large family of moths known under the name of 
Psychide. The members would notice the extreme difference between 
the shape and texture of the different cases, but all had one object, i.e, 
to imitate things found in their surroundings: it was either the shape of 
a flat seed, that of a drying-up composite flower, the thorn of a mimosa, 
even that of a pellet or flake of earth ; but in all cases the attitude 
assumed was exactly that of the object mimicked for protection. No 
doubt many of these caterpillars were nocturnal or crepuscular feeders, 
and thus the protection was needed in daylight only. In many of the 
species the females never left their covering case ; they ambulated here 
and there to deposit the eggs where they thought it was well that they 
should. 
The males, however, were anxious to see the world, and after pupat- 
ing in the case, they left it to seek a mate. Whatever may be the 
views taken or accepted as to the reason of the mimicry, it helped the 
enormous increase of the specimens in order that a few should survive 
to perpetuate the species. 
Mr. ALSTON then read his paper on ‘ Evaporation of Water.’ 
The following notes on Hels in the Orange River, by Dr. KANNEMEYER, 
of Burghersdorp, were then read : 
I have fished in the Orange River and sonze of its tributaries for more 
than forty years. During that period I have frequently discussed the 
fish of those streams with many constant anglers, but have not heard of 
eels being caught. In fact, it is a common belief that eels and fresh- 
water tortoises are only found in streams flowing ‘ zon op,’ 1.e., into the 
Indian Ocean. 
As no one could offer any explanation for this, and as I knew that 
the generalization was too broad and faulty, I was perforce driven to 
—_ a 
