Entomological Society. 



8345 



stem. T found about a dozen such cases, which gave exit in a few weeks to a pretty 

 brown weevil, apparently closely related to Hypera. — Peter Inchbald ; Storthes Hall. 



Acclimation of Sponges. — M. L'Amiral, whose departure for the coast of Syria with 

 a view to obtain sponges for transplantation was mentioned in the ' Times ' of April last, 

 has now returned, and has presented a detailed report of his proceedings to the Sociele 

 d'Acclimatation. M. L'Amiral distinguishes three kinds of sponges for which there is 

 a demand — the fine and soft sponge, called abiand ; the fine and hard sort, called 

 achmar ; and lastly the common sort, called cabar by the Arabs. These sponges are 

 found in the Levant, within the 36th and 33rd degrees of latitude— that is, between 

 Alexandretta and Saida. When the sponge is first gathered at the bottom of the sea, 

 it is covered with a black but transparent gelatinous substance, resembling vegetable 

 granulations, among which microscopic white and oviform bodies may be distinguished. 

 These are the larvae destined to perpetuate the species. When arrived at maturity 

 they are washed out by the sea water which incessantly flows through the sponge ; they 

 then swim along, by the aid of the vibrating cilia or hairs with which they are provided, 

 until they reach a suitable rock, to which they attach themselves, and there commence 

 a new life. This emigration of larvae from the parent sponge occurs about the end of 

 of June and beginning of July. The fine qualities of sponges are chiefly found at a 

 depth of fifteen fathoms or thereabout ; the common sponge lies at depths varying 

 between twenty and thirty fathoms. At Tripoli (on the coast of Syria, not of Africa) 

 M. L'Amiral engaged some divers, who commenced operations on the 21st of May. 

 The sponges gathered were immediately placed in boxes, through which a stream of 

 sea-water was constantly made to flow, the animal matter being of course left on them, 

 and protected from injury. These sponges arrived at Marseilles on the 17th of June ; 

 thence they were taken to'Toulon and the islands of Hyeves, where stone troughs, with 

 five sponges in each, were sunk in different places. The success of the experiment 

 will not of course be known until next season. 



Proceedings of Societies. 

 Entomological Society. 

 November 3, 1862. — Frederick Smith, Esq., President, in the chair. 



Donations. 



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

 respective donors : — ' Sitzungsberichte der Konigl. bayer. Akademie der Wissenschaf- 

 ten zu Munchen,' 1862, 1. Heft. 2 and 3 ; presented by the Academy. 1 The Canadian 

 Naturalist,' Vol. vii. No. 4 ; by the Natural-History Society of Montreal. 'A Catalogue 

 of the Lepidoptera of Devon and Cornwall,' Part 1 ; by the Author, J. J. Reading, 

 M.E.S. ' The Zoologist' for November ; by the Editor. 'The Journal of the Society 

 of Arts' for October ; by the Society. ' The Athenaeum ' for October ; by the Editor. 

 1 The Intellectual Observer,' No. 10 ; by the Publishers, Messrs. Groombridge and Sons. 



VOL. XXI, F 



