14 
foot four inches, to suitable group. 1, and half bury it during the night. 
Dead trees are soon opened to the action of rain and air by the attacks 
of Avood-boring beetles. Euplectus, Scydinaenns, llatnsus, I richonyx, 
Ptinella, Triehopteryx, and Lathridiuni prefer standing rotten trees, in 
which the bark forms a rain-proof covering to the rotten wood beneath. 
Paromalus, Baptolinus and Comma* prefer the wood to be thoroughly 
wet, whilst Platypus, Melanin, Irypodendron and Phloeotrya bore into the 
solid wood of fallen trees, whilst dead branches not yet fallen to the 
ground are the home of a destroying host of Anobiidae, Ptinidae, 
rpsidae and Scolytidae. Amongst the second group of “ scavengers ” 
are such creatures as vultures, pariah dogs, wolves, jackals, and 
hyenas. The kite was once tolerated as a “ scavenger ” in English 
towns. In many parts of the world noisome birds are protected from 
a sanitary point of view. The carrion and dung Hies, taken as 
examples of the third dangerous class of sanitary workers, are specially 
well equipped for the performance of their duties, in the rapidity with 
which the eggs produce larva after being laid. Nature has further 
specialised the development of Sairupltaya, in that they are able to 
produce their young alive, the eggs hatching just previous to extru¬ 
sion. The numbers of the progeny of Garrion-Diptera, and the 
voracity of the grubs, together with the rapidity of their development, 
are added factors in this equipment. That this is a result of natural 
selection is evident, those individuals whose eggs hatch most quickly, 
and the grubs from which come to maturity most rapidly, will succeed 
where the slower ones must fail, and heredity would soon establish the 
race. Other broad questions arise. Certain insects must have 
developed particular habits after certain evolutionary changes had 
taken place in other directions. Thus the special functions of the 
dung-beetles must have originated after the development, or side by 
side with the development of herbivorous mammals. It is probable 
that some primitive species, feeding at iirst on animal or vegetable 
substances, became modified, as the competition for existence increased, 
so that it could feed on the excrement of animals which had already 
existed for a considerable time, and multiplied sufficiently to allow of 
such a scavenger to follow in their wake. 
June (ith, 1899. — Donations. — “Annual Report of Ent. Soc. of 
Ontario, 1*98,” and “Journal of City of London College of Science 
Society.” 
Election.— Mr. Robertshaw, of Ellenroyde Hall, Luddenden root, 
Yorks, was elected a member. 
Exhibits. — Mr. Jennings, the pupa of rhnjsomela yoettinyensis, 
which was found under moss, and of a yellow colour. The species 
was taken on Box Hill. Mr. J. A. Clark, a series of ] Ioann in rinetaria 
showing much variety, and a red form of Tacniocampa ynailis, 
all taken in the New Eorest at the beginning of May. Mr. W. J. 
Kaye, pupa* of Theda pruni, T. u- -alb am and Eephyrus ijnernis. Dr. 
Chapman, a larva of a species ot ant-lion in sand from its habitat. 
When exposed for inspection it burrowed backwards into the sand. 
Rev. C. R. N. Burrows, lame from Mucking of Leioptilus lieniyianns, 
in their protective “ tents,” on the back of leaves of mugwort (Arte¬ 
misia ndyaris). lie confirmed the known fact that as soon as the 
larva' find they are protected by being placed in a box, they cease con- 
