■hinital Meeting. 
52 
S^. NAT.. VOi.. Xfli 
FebruarVj 1933. 
These are a few random headings and they include a vasrn 
inimber of forms even under the separate heads. I cannot dea*i 
With each of these items, so 1 will mention two in more detail. J 
BIRDS form a fascinating study in themselves and while 
1 think scientific collecting is necessary for the advancemem ol! 
science and enables us to use these gifts to better advamager 
{I would always condemn the killing of rare species), collectina 
or destroying bird life is to be deprecated. The avifauna may 
studied from llie following angles: — 
] . Distribution. 
2. Habitats or homes and surroundings. 
3. Agency in fertilization of flotvers. 
4. Song and mimicry. 
5. N'idification or nest building. 
6. Oology or egg study. 
7. Colouration, 
8. Food. 
INSECTS. — When 1 think of the enormous family of in- 
sects, considered by one worker in 1883 to comprise about 1 50,000 ' 
species, it seems almost a hopeless task to try and know all about 
them or where to start in the study of them. But we can be like 
one of our late members, Mr. Lea, who in his life time named 
about 5,000 species, but specialised in beetles only. 
'Die diass INSECl'A is conveniently divided into three 
main tribes according to the number of the feet.— 
J. HEXAPOD A— 6-footed. 
H. ARACHNIDA— 8-footed. 
HI. MYRIOPODA — many-footed. 
In dividing up the first tribe we have 8 separate families 
1 . HYMENOP'PERA — Membrane-winged. 
a Bees, with their wonderful social life, their architectural 
powers and honev producing properties, 
b Wasps, witli their interesting life history in finding their 
prey and laying the egg in the stupified grub, 
c Ants, whose study reveals a communist spirit on right lines, 
d Sawflies also belong to this group. 
2. LEPIDOPTERA. Scale wfinged, so named on account of 
the wings being covered with minute scales, 
a Butterflies of wonderful colouring and enormous size m 
the warmer parts of the continent. The metamorphosis 
or changing from the grub to the larva and pupa is one 
of the wonders of creation, 
b Moths, whose feathery antennae are akin to wureless aenals. 
