4110 Entomological Society. 



autumn and early winter of the same year, always finding it alive and lively, and very 

 carefully closing the cocoon and box after each examination, so that no mischief should 

 happen to it. In the beginning of 1850, the pupa ceased to show signs of life when 

 examined and handled, but not knowing what to make of it, I took redoubled care of 

 it, and kept it by me all through the summer and autumn of the year ; but towards 

 Christmas, being persuaded that it must be really dead, I at last resolved to open it, 

 which I did ; and the first thing that I saw on making an opening in the puparium, 

 was the head and eyes of a small moth, moving about rapidly, and in the most lively 

 manner. A few moments sufficed to exhume the little creature, which was about the 

 size and had very much the general appearance of Margaritia hyalinalis. It was very 

 lively, and walked quickly about the table, moving its antennae in all directions. The 

 wings were all shrivelled and crumpled together, so that I could make but very little 

 of them, nor did they in the least expand with exercise. The inside of the puparium 

 of the Lasiocampa Trifolii was filled with a dry pale powder, and I could find no trace 

 of any cocoon, or vestige of any kind, of the moth which I had just extracted from it. 

 There was no evidence to show how long it had been there ; and as it was manifestly 

 far too small and feeble to make any opening in its prison by its own efforts, it must 

 have remained there until it died, had I not opportunely set it free. It did not occupy 

 more than one-sixth of the interior of the puparium, and lay in a reversed position, 

 with the apex of the abdomen in the place of the head of the proper occupant. It was 

 quite unable to turn itself round inside the case, as it was too long, and also the whole 

 space which it did not fill, was well filled with the dry powder above mentioned. A 

 rigid examination showed no opening in the puparium through which anything could 

 have entered ; and indeed the pupa had been too carefully preserved to be within the 

 reach of accident or enemies. Most unfortunately, before I had completed my inves- 

 tigations, I was suddenly called away, and in my absence the whole was swept away 

 and destroyed by a servant. I took no memorandum of it at the time, being exceed- 

 ingly busy, but I have the clearest recollection of the circumstances, and can answer 

 for the facts being in every particular correct. I cannot explain the matter, and should 

 be very glad of any light that can be thrown upon it. — J. Walter Lea ; Ramsgate, 

 September 7, 1853." 



The President called the attention of the Society to three different subjects, as 

 under; requesting observations from the members present. 



1. Bees destroyed by Toads. — "A friend has lately communicated to me a fact rela- 

 tive to bees, which, having mentioned to my highly esteemed and venerable friend, Dr. 

 Bevan, and having been recommended by that distinguished apiarian to make it pub- 

 lic, I beg to submit to the Society. My friend relates, that a stock of bees was ob- 

 served to grow weaker day by day, until at last it became so pauperized that the hive 

 was removed, and the bees turned adrift to shift for themselves : nothing amiss was 

 detected in the interior of the hive. A second stock shortly afterwards exhibited simi- 

 lar symptoms of depopulation ; and a suspicion was entertained that some nocturnal 

 depredator entered the hive at night and devoured the bees. About two hours after 

 dark, the hive was visited with a view to an inspection of the interior; but on arriving 

 at the spot with a lantern, the owner found a large toad squatted on the alighting- 

 board, and looking about him with bright .and animated eyes. Presently, a night- 

 roving bee returned home; there was a sudden movement on the part of the toad, and 



