PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
15 
lofis on which they abounded, I can say,, that as regards myself, I have never been 
bitten. They are very susceptible of cold; and on the approach of winter, if the day 
be chilly, I have seen them falling in great numbers off the walls, &c., on which 
they may have crept. If it was not that the cold kills them, the mischief they 
would do would be incalculable, as they multiply exceedingly fast, and are very 
active during the continuance of the hot weather. Another fact in connection with 
them is, the partiality they have for collecting in or on places where water has been 
dropped. I have seen small spots covered with them to the depth of about half an 
inch. This may, perhaps, be accounted for by their crawling on blindly, and so 
becoming entangled in the wet. I do not, however, think this likely, as they must 
have gone out of their usual course to get to the damp portion of the flooring. This 
is a curious fact in opposition to their usual custom of selecting the driest and 
warmest places they can find. By their borings in wheat they cause a large 
quantity of dust to accumulate, which, mixed with the Nile mud, which is always 
more or less through Egyptian wheat, makes, as I am credibly informed, an ex¬ 
ceedingly fertilizing manure, almost equal in its forcing effects to guano. I regret 
that my information as to species, &c., is too limited; but, as I have not studied 
them scientifically, I hope I shall be excused on that head. Their appearance 
under a microscope, exposed to a moderate magnifying power, is exceedingly 
beautiful, and agreeably disappointing to one who has only seen them with the 
naked eye. They are covered with brilliant spots, bearing some resemblance to 
those on the elytra of the diamond beetle. I tried several modes of killing them, 
and found hot water the speediest. Chloroform (which will destroy without injury 
almost any insect) also kills them ; but if put into cold water, and left for a consider¬ 
able period, when taken out and placed in a moderately-warm situation, they, in many 
instances, recover, although to all appearance quite dead. With respect to chloro¬ 
form, it may not be out of place to say that I have found it the most humane, and, 
at the same time, the quickest, way of killing, without injury, butterflies, moths, 
beetles, and, in fact, most insects; and even if it is dropped on the most delicate 
insect, the evaporation is so rapid that it does not injure it in the slightest degree; 
whilst a few drops, put into a box with the most refractory butterfly or moth, kills 
it in a few seconds. 
The Chairman said, he heard with much pleasure Mr. Haughton’s statements, 
and they were such that characterized the proceedings of the Society, and which 
rendered its transactions of practical utility. He wished that gentlemen similarly 
circumstanced as Mr. Haughton would turn their attention to noting such observa¬ 
tions, which might tend to result in much useful information. 
Dr. Kinahan said he could, from his own observation, corroborate Mr. 
Haughton’s statements as to the number and destructiveness of these insects. On 
examination, he found there were evidently six coleopterous and one dipterous 
species present among the corn. These he submitted to his friend, A. li. Hogan, 
Esq, who kindly examined them, as well as the packages of insects taken from 
the wheat—in which latter, Mr. Hogan detected another species of coleopterous 
insect. From Mr. Hogan s list it appeared that the most numerous species present 
were Calandra o’ryzse and granaria, as well immature as full grown. These two 
species made up the great bulk of the heaps. Next in point of numbers came 
Corticaria ferruginea and Cor. pubescens, in about equal quantities. The other 
species present were Stene ferruginea and Silvanus surinamensis—this latter de¬ 
tected by Mr. Hogan. Beside these there was a single species of a beetle as yet 
unindentified. These, with a single specimen of Tenebrio molitor, make out no 
less than eight species of granivorous beetles infesting the parcel of corn. 
Dr. Kinahan then gave his paper 
ON A DIGITATE VARIETY OF BOTRYCHUM LUNARIA, AND A NEW IRISH 
LOCALITY FOR LOPHODIUM SPINOSUM. 
As far as I can learn, this interesting form of the common moonwort 
has been hitherto undescribed, differing so obviously as it does from the 
forms described as rutaceum and matricarioides. Its chief interest is, I take 
it, twofold—first, as showing the relation between forms of venation, which 
appear distinct; and, secondly, as throwing not a little light on the true 
