PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
31 
closed the cocoon, I replaced it in the box where I was preserving it, and looked at 
it from time to time during the autumn and early winter of the same year, always 
finding it alive and lively, and very carefully closing the cocoon and box after each 
examination, so that no mischief should happen to it. In the beginning of 1850, 
the pupa ceased to show signs of life, when examined and handled; but, not knowing 
what to make of it, I took redoubled care of it, and kept it by me all through the 
summer and autumn of the year; but towards Christmas, being persuaded that it 
must be really dead, I at last resolved to open it, which I did, and the first thing 
that I saw, on making an opening in the puparium, was the head and eyes of a 
small moth, moving about rapidly, and in the most lively manner. A few moments 
sufficed to exhume the little creature, which was about the size, and had very much 
the general appearance of Margaritia hyalinalis. It was very lively, and walked 
quickly about the table, moving its antennae in all directions. The wings were all 
shrivelled and crumpled together, so that I could make but very little of them, nor 
did they in the least expand with exercise. The inside of the puparium of the 
Lasiocampa trifolii was filled with a dry, pale powder, and I could find no trace of 
any cocoon, or vestige of any kind, of the moth which I had just extracted from it. 
There was no evidence to show how long it had been there; and as it was 
manifestly far too small and feeble to make any opening in its prison, by its own 
efforts, it must have remained there until it died, had I not opportunely set it free. 
It did not occupy more than one-sixth of the interior of the puparium, and lay in a 
reversed position, with the apex of the abdomen in the place of the head of the 
proper occupant. It was quite unable to turn itself round inside the case, as it was 
too long, and also the whole space, which it did not fill, was well filled with the dry 
powder above mentioned. A rigid examination showed no opening in the puparium 
through which anything could have entered; and, indeed, the pupa had been too 
carefully preserved to be within the reach of accident or enemies. Most unfor¬ 
tunately, before I had completed my investigations, I was suddenly called away, 
and in my absence the whole was swept away and destroyed by a servant. I took 
no memorandum of it at the time, being exceedingly busy, but I have the clearest 
recollection of the circumstances, and can answer for the facts being in every 
particular correct. I cannot explain the matter, and should be very glad of any 
light that can be thrown upon it. 
Professor Allman remarked, that if truly parasitic, the insect would, doubtless, 
have been provided with some means of effecting its escape. 
The Rev. Joseph Greene said, that he thought it was not a parasitic moth, or it 
would not have been so placed in the pupa; for even if it had been endowed with the 
power of secreting acid, it would, in all probability, not have been able to make its 
escape, as in all normal cases the parasite was placed with its head in the same 
place as that of the natural occupant; he thought it would yet be proved that 
moths were not parasitic on moths. 
Mr. Hogan stated, that he had mentioned the case to Mr. Westwood, who observed 
that the subject was still very much in the dark. 
Dr. Ball exhibited Sphserii, attached to the larva and pupa of Lepidopterous 
insects, from Kelso Bay, New Zealand. 
NOVEMBER 5, 1853. 
Dr. Ball, President, in the chair. 
Mr. E. P. Wright announced the following donations of books:—HistoriaNaturalis 
Orcadensis, Part I., from Dr. W. B. Baikee, and the Annual Address to the Dublin 
Geological Society, by Dr. Ball. 
The Rev. J. Green exhibited a pupa of Steropus fagi, partially formed of a beech 
leaf, and from which the external membrane had been removed without disturbing 
the venation of the leaf. 
Dr. Ball exhibited a specimen of the fork-tailed Petril (Thalassidroma Leachii), 
shot near Clontarf; also some Radiata, found floating on the sea, near the West 
Indies, which Professor E. Forbes pronounced to be a species of Glaucus; and 
some Gulf weed, taken by Mr. Hassal, in lat. 21° 10', long. 37° 20', in February, 
