﻿July, 1855.] 



ELLIOTT SOCIETY. 



23 



• Frederick A. Ford, Esq. — Testudo potyphemus, a large 

 Gopher, found in the street at Aiken, S. C. 



Dr. John B. Waring.- — Mounted specimen of Loggerhead 

 turtle, Chelonia earetta. 



Capt. John Branch. — Portion of the skull of Phocodon 

 Holmesii, from the marl of Goose Creek, S. C. 



Contributions to Library. 



Charles Girard, Esq. — Life in its Physical aspects. 

 Prof. Poey — !N"o. 33, Index Molluscorum of the Island of 

 Cuba. 



Seiior F. A. Sauvalle — Catalogue of the birds of Cuba, by 

 Don Ramora De La Sagra. 



JULY 24th, 1855. 



Prof. Holmes in the chair. 



Members Elected. 

 Col. A. H. Belin. C. R. Brewster, Esq. 



Correspondent. 



Dr. James Morrow. 



The Chairman read the following letter, received from Mr. 

 J. Lee, of Camden, S. C. 

 To Professor Holmes : 



Sir : — The years 1829 and 1842, and this present year, 1855, are, in the 

 upper part of the State termed Locust years. In each of the above years I 

 have observed the red, or rather yellow Locust. 



They come from the ground in myriads. The males first appear, climbing 

 the shrub or tree that occurs nearest to them ; the grub-shell splits open in 

 the back and the perfect insect creeps forth ; they climb to the top of the 

 tree and bask at the extremities of the limbs, waiting the advent of the fe- 

 males. The woods ring with their chirpings ; the male alone possesses the 

 musical organ, it is placed under their wings. 



The female has a strong ovipositor, with which she rasps a longitudinal in- 

 cision in the new wood, and under the bark, thus raised, she deposits a row 

 of small white eggs, and these are hatched in a few days. So far I have fol- 



