March 20. THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 405 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
n 
M 
D 
W 
MARCH 20 — 26 , 1865. 
Weather near London in 1853. 
Sun 
Rises. 
Sun 
Sets. 
Moon 
K.&S. 
Moon’s 
Age. 
Clock 
af. Sun. 
Day of 
Year. 
Barometer. 
Thermo. 
1 1 Rain in 
Wind -| Inches. 
20 
Tu 
Lestiva obscura. 
30.358—30.278 
45—31 
I 
N.E. 01 
6 a 6 
10 a 6 
9 26 
2 
7 
45 
79 
21 
W 
Sun’s declinat., 0° 8' n. 
30.404—30.321 
49-27 
N.E. — 
4 
12 
10 48 
3 
7 
27 
80 
22 
Ta 
Tachinus marginellus. 
30.4Q8—30.419 
49—42 
N.E. — 
1 
13 
morn. 
4 
7 
8 
81 
23 
F 
Tachinus analis. 
30.399-30.349 
52—23 
N.W.! — 
V 
15 
0 8 
5 
6 
50 
82 
24 
s 
Tachyporous analis. 
30.271—30.203 
48—23 
N.E. — 
57 
17 
2 23 
6 
6 
32 
83 
25 
Sun 
5 Sunday in Lent. Lady Day. 
SO. 106 — 29.954 
48—40 
N.W. — 
54 
18 
2 28 
3 
6 
13 
84 
26 
M 
Tachyporous nitidulus. 
30 . 061 — 29 . 8/6 
56—36 
N.W. 02 
52 
20 
3 20 
8 
5 
55 
85 
Meteorology of the Week. —At Chiswick, from observations during tlie last twenty-eight years, the average highest and lowest tem¬ 
peratures of these days are 51°, and 33.7°, respectively. The greatest heat, 69 °, occurred on the 20th, in 1636; and the lowest cold 14°, 
on the 23th, in 1850. During the period 113 days were fine, and on 83 rain fell. 
Since the February meeting of the Entomological Society, 
entomologists have been in a ferment, in consequence of 
the ill-judged observations introduced by the newly- 
elected President in his inaugural address, the result 
of which was made manifest at the March meeting on 
the 5th instant, when, after considerable discussion, 
the resolution that the speech should be printed was 
rescinded. Anxious as we are that harmony amongst 
the cultivators of this delightful science should be main¬ 
tained, wo will not further allude to the unpleasant 
circumstances referred to by the President, or to the 
result which he has, doubtless, unexpectedly provoked, 
further than to observe, with reference to the expressed 
intention of printing the address for private circulation, 
that no one, in the least acquainted with the subject, 
can for an instant doubt the great abilities of Mr. Curtis, 
or his untiring zeal in the pursuit of the science. The 
old proverb may, therefore, be well applied to him, 
“ good wine needs no bush.” 
After the somewhat stormy discussion above alluded 
to bad ceased, Mr. Samuel Stevens exhibited a very 
fine scries of insects, including many of the greatest 
rarity, collected by the celebrated traveller Madame 
PfielTer in her late wanderings in Amboynea and Ceram. 
The specimens had been brought home folded up in bits 
of paper, or laid between layers of cotton-wool, and had 
thus arrived in a state of perfect preservation. Insects 
from these islands are of great rarity. Many have, indeed, 
been long ago published by the Dutch naturalists, but 
no recent specimens have been received in this country. 
We understand that the British Museum has secured 
the first selection containing many uniques. 
Mr. Edwin Shepherd exhibited a curious variety of 
the common garden Tiger Motli, with a red streak down 
one of the fore wiugs; also, a Trip luma orbona, with the 
fore wings like a Glsea. 
Sir. Edward Sheppard exhibited a bag of silken tissue, 
without any seam, used by the Chinese for lapping up 
the ends of the rolls of spun silk. Dr. I E Gray stated 
that these bags were formed by beating out single co¬ 
coons of the common silkworm, and that Mr. Reeves 
had brought many specimens to this country. 
It was announced that a Prize of Five Guincs had 
been offered by the Society for the best Essay on the 
species of Coccus which produces the lac-dye of India; 
the essay to be forwarded to the Society on or before the 
31st December next; and Dr. Royle had stated that the 
East India Company was willing to afford all the in¬ 
formation in its power relativo to the subject. 
The Secretary also announced that the Council of the 
Society was anxious to obtaiu the co-operation of such 
of the members as had studied British Coleoptera, in the 
formation and publication of a catalogue of British 
Beetles, for distribution among the members, and for 
labelling of cabinets. 
Mr. Newman read a notice, by a correspondent, relative 
to the Honey-bee of South Africa, a species not more than 
half the size of the common hive-bee of Europe; but 
which was so prolific as to allow the comb to be cut 
away every six weeks during the whole year. Also, the 
ravages committed by the common toad, as well as by 
the woodpecker, upon bee-hives ; the latter having been 
observed not only in the act of tapping at the mouth of 
the hive, in order to induce the bees to come forth, but 
also pecking off the mortar from the floor-boards, in order 
to make additional places of exit for the bees. Mr. 
Westwood also stated that he had repeatedly observed 
the common house-sparrow to be injurious to bees, the 
female birds flying up to the mouth of the hive and 
catching the bees as they take wing, in order to feed 
their young ones, which are generally near at band on 
the ground, waiting to be fed. 
Mr. Newman also read a notice, by Mr. Wallace, on 
the peculiar habits of two groups of Eastern Papiliones, 
one of which sits with its fore-wings deflexed, like the 
sphinxes; whilst the other is very strong in its flight, 
and hovers over flowers like the hawk moth. 
Mr. Douglas read a note as to the means of preventing 
the greasing of the bodies of insects when preserved in 
cabinets; which led to an extended discussion on the 
subject, in which globules of quicksilver, placed in cells 
in the drawers, were stated to be far preferable to 
camphor, which produces moisture, and, consequently, 
induces the corrosion of the pins. Immersion of the 
greased specimens in camphine for several days, and 
the use of electro-plated pins, were also recommended. 
Mr. Waterhouse read a note by M. Iekel, of Paris, on 
the rare British Weevil (Onias sulcifrons ), which had 
lately been taken by M. Chevrelat, at Brest. 
A note of Dr. Sehaum, of Berlin, was read, on a 
species of Cetoniadie, recently incorrectly figured by 
Mr. Westwood as the Heterorhina bicostata. Likewise 
on the species of British E later id a, recently described 
by Mr. Curtis, of which he corrected the nomenclature. 
No. CCCXXXVIII. Vol. XIII. 
