148 
REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
June, 1889. 
from the United States. Under the microscopes, Mr. Moore, odonto- 
phore of Cyclostoma elegans ; Mr. Collins, Spirogyra in conjugation.— 
May 13th. Mr. J. W. Neville showed pensile cocoons (probably of a 
lepidopterous insect) formed of pieces of stick and covered with silk, from 
Buenos Ayres ; also an albino specimen of house sparrow, from Hands- 
worth, where it came regularly to be fed until its death ; Mr. Hawkes, 
Uromyces scillarum and (Ecidium epilobii. Mr. C. P. Neville then read 
a paper on “ The Life History of a Butterfly.” The various stages in the 
development of the egg, larva, pupa, and imago were described, and 
the variety presented in the forms of eggs and larvae was spoken of as 
very interesting. The “unerring instinct” of the female, always 
depositing her eggs on the right food plant, was questioned from 
personal observations. The paper, which also dealt with the develop¬ 
ment of colour and form with each successive moult, was illustrated 
by lantern pictures. 
OXFORDSHIRE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. — April 
30th. The President, Mr. E. B. Poulton, M.A., in the chair; present, 
about forty-eight members. Five new members were proposed. The 
Rev. Bedford Pim gave a paper on the “ Hydroquinone Process in 
Photography,” illustrated by some of the results of his work. Mr. 
J. O. Sankey lectured on “ Pallas’s Sand Grouse,” giving an interest¬ 
ing account of this curious bird. Mr. Geo. Harris showed a nest of 
the Procession Caterpillar, from Arcachon near the Pyrenees, and also 
briefly described its habits ; and Mr. Poulton showed a curious Sphinx 
Caterpillar, from Africa.—May 14th. The President, Mr. E. B. 
Poulton, M.A., F.R.S., was in the chair, and forty-two members were 
present. Five new members were elected and one proposed. Dr. 
W. Collier gave a lecture on the “ Comparative Sensitiveness to Pain 
of Animals.” He was of opinion that animals felt less pain than man, 
and he founded his belief on the following facts and inferences:— 
(1) Pain, though felt at the part affected, was produced in the brain, 
and pain sensations were conducted by nerves more or less specialised 
for the purpose. Hence, knowing what we do about the brain, it was 
reasonable to infer that a brain of low development would feel less 
pain than a highly organised one. (2) It is known that some men feel 
pain much less than others. These are men of strong muscular 
development, and of little intellectual power—such as an agricultural 
labourer. Dr. Collier related several dentists’ stories concerning the 
agricultural labourer, showing how little he felt the pain of tooth¬ 
drawing. Savage races, also, were known not to feel pain so acutely 
as we do. Proceeding to animals such as horses and dogs, various 
tales were told showing surprising indifference to what seemed very 
painful injuries. The lecturer also showed how the sudden shock 
of a severe wound paralysed the nerves at first, so that no pain 
was felt at the time when the wound was inflicted. He then 
proceeded to the case of the lower animals, and said it was extremely 
doubtful if they had any pain-conducting nerves at all, and 
when injured they showed but little sense of pain. Hence, taking 
these two arguments together—simplicity of nervous organisation in 
animals and few signs of pain when injured—he thought that we might 
safely conclude that their sensitiveness to pain is less than ours, 
although, of course, the higher animals suffered more than the lower, 
and all would suffer to some extent. But this comfortable belief, 
said Dr. Collier in conclusion, by no means excused auy cruelty to 
animals. A discussion followed, and various speakers told tales more 
or less corroborating the lecturer’s theory. 
