Entomological Society. 5155 



nessofits pale colour, might be employed in fabricating peculiar ornamental stuff, 

 which would be difficult to imitate: the winding off would not be difficult, since the 

 smallness of the meshes of the net-work that it forms is opposed to that in which the 

 spider has been able to entangle its threads in passing to the centre. If the Epeira is 

 reared in sight of the cocoon it will compensate for the drawbacks of a small yield, the 

 space occupied, and the special difficulties of winding, by the beauty of the produce, 

 the quickness of realisation (three or four days), and the absence of care and food 

 during the continuance of the work. The silk of the spider of Gabon excels that of 

 Senegal by the beauty of its deeper colour and by its elasticity, which are in harmony 

 with the frequency and force of the rains of the country. I steeped a piece of the 

 sample I collected in a concentrated solution of azotic acid, without the consistency 

 or the colour being altered : I have not found this spider in society, but it is in the 

 neighbourhood of man, in the garden of M. Reston, an American Missionary, at 

 Bakele, that I gathered the sample in question." — /. W. D. 



June 2, 1856. — W. Wilson Saundeks, Esq., President, iu the chair. 



Donations. 



The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the 

 donors: — 'An Introduction to Entomology, or Elements of the Natural History of 

 Insects,' by the Eev. William Kirby, M.A., F.R.S., &c, and William Spence, Esq., 

 F.R.S., &c, 7th edition; presented by W. Spence, Esq., F.R.S., F.L.S., &c. 'On 

 the Variation of Species with especial reference to the Insecta, followed by an Inquiry 

 into the Nature of Genera,' by T. Vernon Wollaston, M.A., F.L.S. ; by the Author. 

 'A Natural History of the Animal Kingdom, being a Systematic and Popular Descrip- 

 tion of the Habits, Structure and Classification of Animals,' by W. S. Dallas, Esq., 

 F.L.S. , &c. ; by the Author. ' Third Report of the Commissioners for the Exhibition 

 of 1851;' by Her Majesty's Commissioners. 'Proceedings of the Royal Society,' 

 Vol. viii. No. 20; by the Society. 'Revue et Magasin de Zoologie,' 1856, No. 4; 

 by the Editor, M. Guerin-Meneville. 'The Zoologist' for June; by the Editor. 

 ' The Journal of the Society of Arts' for May; by the Society. ' The Literary Ga- 

 zette' for May; by the Editor. ' Entomologiska Anteckningar under en Resa i 

 Sodra Soerige ar 1854,' af Ang. Emil Holmaren ; by the Author. ' The Entomolo- 

 gist's Weekly Intelligencer,' Nos. 6, 7, 8 and 9 ; by the Editor, H. T. Stainton, Esq. 

 ' A Manual of British Butterflies and Moths,' No. 4, by H. T. Stainton : by the 

 Author. ' List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the 

 British Museum,' Part VII. Lepidoptera Heterocera ; by the Author, Francis Walker, 

 Esq., F.L.S. 



Resignation of Officers. 



The President announced that in consequence of the resignation of Mr. Pascoe, 

 as a member of the Council of the Society, and of Mr. Douglas, of the office of Se- 

 cretary, the Council, in conformity with the By-laws, recommended Mr. Janson to fill 

 both vacancies, and that the ordinary meeting in July next would be made special for 

 the purposes of the election. 



