388 
dition than for several yeai-s past. Mr. Newman 
also passed in review the more important matters which 
had been brought under the notice of the Society during 
the past year, and gave a short biographical account of 
such Entomologists as had died during the same period. 
An unanimous vote of thanks was passed to Mr. 
Newman for his attention to the duties of President 
during the two years which he had held the office, and 
also for his address, which was requested to be published 
in the Society’s Transactions. 
The February Meeting of the Society was held on the 
5tli instant, J. Curtis, Esq., F.L.S., &c., the newly-elected 
President, being in the Chair,—on taking which, he 
delivered an address, returning thanks for his election 
as President, and entering into a long statement as to 
the causes which had prevented him from joining the 
Society until a recent period. In doing this, he referred 
to unpleasant circumstances which occurred more than 
twenty years ago; and we are sorry to state that this 
portion of his address (notwithstanding it was requested 
to be printed) awakened bygone discords which it would 
have been much better to have allowed to sink into 
oblivion. Mr. Curtis also appointed, to act as Vice- 
Presidents for the ensuing year, Messrs. Westwood, 
Newman, and Stainton. 
The Secretary read a list of the donations to the 
library received since the last meeting. Mr. Newman 
presented a beautiful drawing by Ilerr Pretsch, of 
Vienna, representing the transformations of Saturnia 
Spini, a moth closely allied to our common Emperor 
moth, which has been employed in spinning a fine kind 
of silk in a peculiar manner, namely, by confining the 
caterpillars in small flat cases, the inner surface of 
which offers no salient points to which the insect can 
attach its cocoon, so that it spins its thread entirely 
over the surface, forming a thin layer. This plan, how¬ 
ever, appears to us to be attended with two incon¬ 
veniences; first, the quantity of silk spun by this 
species of caterpillar is very small; and secondly, there 
is no means of compelling the caterpillar to deposit its 
threads in even layers, its irregular movements causing 
the texture to be of unequal thickness. 
Brigadier Ilearsey communicated an extract from the 
Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal (vol. vi., 1837), 
on the mode in which the silk of the cocoons of the 
Eria silk-worm ( Saturnia Cynthia) is spun, instead of 
being reeled off by the natives ; they being the species 
now attempted to be raised, with every prospect of 
success, in Malta aud the South of Europe. 
The same gentleman also exhibited several cases of 
very beautiful insects from Sylhet, including some of 
the greatest rarity; and Mr. Stevens exhibited several 
beautiful species of the singular Indian beetle Clieiroto- 
nns Mac Lean. 
Mr. Stainton exhibited some of the galls of Cynips 
Quercus petioli, from Devonshire, Mr. Curtis having 
doubted its occurrence in that county at a former 
meeting. Mr. Stainton’s correspondent gave some 
particulars relative to the habits of the species, which 
is only found on tho lower sprays of the Oak. 
Febkuaey 20. 
Mr. Newman read “ A plea for the Cockroach,” 
(Blatta orientalis), stating that it bad been observed to 
feed upon the bed-bug; and that this habit on board 
ship had been recorded in Webster’s Narrative of a 
Voyage to St. Helena, and in Forster’s Voyage. Briga¬ 
dier Ilearsey stated, that the Cockroaches on board the 
vessel in which he last returned from India were so 
numerous, that they gnawed the nails of some of the 
passengers down to tho quick whilst asleep. 
Mr. Curtis read an Enquiry by Dr. Asa Fitch con¬ 
cerning a species of scale insect which infests fruit- 
trees to a great extent in Illinois aud Wisconsin, and 
which appears to be identical with the Aspidiotus con- 
chiformis, or linearis. He also stated, that the Executive 
Government of the State of New York, alive to the 
interests of Agriculture aud Horticulture, had commis¬ 
sioned Dr. Fitch to draw up a report on the insects 
injurious to fruit-trees in that State. He also read a 
letter from M. Candeze, of Liege, requesting the loan of 
a species of Elaterida) for his monograph on that family, 
which now consists of not less than tlnee thousand 
species. 
Mr. Douglas read a note on Psyche Helicinella, one of 
those curious moths which reside in the larva state in 
moveable cases, like a miniature snail-shell, and of which 
the wingless female had only been observed till the past 
year, when a winged male, apparently of this species, 
was captured in the south of France. 
Mr. Westwood read a paper containing descriptions of 
a number of new exotic species of Stag-beetles 
( Lucanidcc ). 
Among every other variety of Domestic Fowls, size, 
though varying in its relative value, is an important 
feature; but “Bantams” are exempt from this rule. 
On the contrary, indeed, tho breeder here endeavours to 
reduce the proportions of the “ Bankiva fowl,” from 
which we may trace the origin of the breed. Another 
distinctive characteristic in some of the Bantam varieties 
is shewn in the desire to get rid of the usual formation 
of the tail common to the male “ galli,” substituting 
that of the female bird. But the reason for this is 
better justified in this instance than where a similar 
attempt has beeu made in the Hamburgh family; for 
an artificial standard, by which we would express the 
preference of our own to Nature’s estimate of beauty 
and effect, is avowedly recognised by the breeders of 
the birds alluded to, viz., the Gold and Silver Laced 
Bantams. The natural plumage of the race has been 
so far deviated from, that little, if anything, remains of 
its normal character; it matters but little, therefore, if 
the tail be only considered perfect when at variance 
with that Nature had at first bestowed. The Sebright 
standard, moreover, be it right or wrong, tolerates 
only a bird “ laced throughout." Tf this characteristic, 
therefore, be necessarily wanting in the usual normal 
plumage of the male bird, we must seek it elsewhere. 
But when it is remembered that those requisitions, a 
system of dwarfing, and the erasure of an important 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
