194 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, June 29, 1858. 
Mr. Samuel Stevens exhibited specimens of the rare 
Dinarda MaerJcelii, taken in ants’ nests near Guildford, 
during the recent excursion of the Society to that place. 
Several very rare species of Ants were also taken, living in 
the nests of Formica fuliginosa, and not forming separate 
colonies of their own. 
Mr. Ianson exhibited a new and curious little Hemip¬ 
terous insect, found in ants’ nests, at Black Park, which 
he considered to belong to the genus Microphysa, of 
Westwood. 
Mr. E. Shepherd also exhibited a new British species of 
Pselaphid®, belonging to the genus Trichonyx, also found 
in ants’ nests, near Guildford. 
Mr. Stainton exhibited a new species of British Micro- 
Lepedoptera, belonging to the genus Cemiostoma , and closely 
allied to C. scitella. He also read a short paper on “ Per¬ 
manence in Species,” in opposition to the remarks made at 
the last Meeting, on the possibility of the modification in the 
specific characters of certain species of minute Moths, 
producing permanent, or local varieties, which had been re¬ 
garded as distinct species. A discussion upon this subject 
took place, the question being, also, one of considerable in¬ 
terest to botanists, many of whom now consider certain sup¬ 
posed species to be only modifications of well-known plants, 
arising from diversity of culture, &c. 
Mr. F. Smith exhibited two remarkable specimens of 
wild Bees (Nomada baccata and Andrena nitida ), in each of 
which the body was divided down the centre, the right side 
of the specimens being masculine and the left side feminine. 
Mr. Douglas exhibited several new and rare minute Cole- 
optera, recently captured in Richmond Park and Darenth 
Wood. 
Mr. Westwood exhibited a specimen of the Moth he 
had reared from the jumping seeds fromMexico, which 
had attracted so much attention during the past winter; and 
read a description of the perfect insect, to which he pro¬ 
posed to apply the name of Garyoccrpsa saltitans. 
Mr. Westwood also read some extracts from the Reports 
of the British Association at Manchester, and the recently 
published life of the late H. Strickland, by Sir Wm. Jardine, 
for the purpose of proving that the law of nomenclature, 
published in the Reports of the Association, had received 
the sanction of the whole of the members of the Committee, 
appointed by the British Association for their preparation, 
with the exception of Mr. Ogilby. 
Mr. Spence communicated a drawing of the male and 
worker of the curious genus JDorylus ; which had hitherto 
much perplexed Hymenopterists as to its affinities. It had 
been observed by the Honourable Walter Elliot,near Madras ; 
and it turned out that the genus belongs to the family of 
the ants, and that its worker had been established as a 
distinct genus by Mr. Westwood, under the name of Ty- 
phlopore, which he had rightly referred to the family For- 
micidse. 
Mr. Smith stated that Mr. Savage had published an 
account of the species of Dorylus in the “ Philadelphia 
Transactions,” in which he had associated with it Anoinma 
rubella as its worker. 
Mr. W. W. Saunders read a monograph of the genus 
Frycina, containing some of the most elegant species of 
Butterflies in existence. A number of new species were de¬ 
scribed. 
Mr. Yardon gave an account of the great injury which his 
Apple crop had suffered during the present and two pre¬ 
ceding years, owing to the attacks of the Caterpillars of the 
Winter Moth (Cheimatobia brumala). He had about 1000 
acres in cultivation, and he feared lie should be under the 
necessity of cutting all his trees down, as well as the under¬ 
growth of Gooseberries and Currants. 
Mr. Westwood suggested the plan adopted in Germany, 
for preventing the wingless females of this species from 
ascending the trees, in order to deposit their eggs on the 
present year’s shoots, as detailed in lvollar’s work on de¬ 
structive insects. The subject led to considerable discussion. 
PAYEE’S HIVES. 
Your correspondent, “ Redolentque Thymo,” inquires 
where Payne s Hives are to be met with. They were formerly 
made at Bury St. Edmunds; but a reference to his book will 
show their form and dimensions, which anyone can follow who I 
is able to make a straw hive at all. In the “ Bee-Keeper’s 
Manual” (5th edition), also, Mr. Taylor has described and ! 
illustrated them ; but the latter adds, “ That he (Mr. Payne) 
has recently seen reasons for altering the dimensions of his \ 
hives from twelve inches wide, to fourteen inches, and seven j 
inches in height (both witliinside), and which I have adopted 
as preferable.” Your correspondent appears to have imbibed 
some prejudice against what he calls “ fancy hives in other 
words, such as possess certain advantages, and extra con¬ 
veniences for enlargement, deprivation, &c., adding often, no 
doubt, to the cost. He has been ignorantly tutored into the 
belief, that starvation and death are the necessary con¬ 
sequences of deprivation. It is, therefore, well to say, that 
Mr. Payne’s system is a depriving one, in which brimstone 
forms no part. I apprehend that Mr. Tegetmeier’s boxes are, 
also, what “ Redolentque Thymo” would denominate “fancy 
hives,” fitted up with bars, slides, windows, and other devices. 
Merely a square box, with no adjuncts or conveniences, any 
carpenter can make, who can put five pieces of deal together.— 
An Old Apiarian. 
NEW BOOKS. 
The Chemistry op the World.'* —It too frequently 
happens, that the subjects with which we are least familiar 
are those which are most common around us. The air we 
breathe, the water we drink, the light that gladdens, and the j 
heat that warms us, are all alike common; but how many of 
those who receive these advantages care to understand them, 
or take the trouble to ascertain the influence thev have on 
V 
their existence. Were we to give more heed to the gifts with 
which we are so abundantly surrounded; were we to study 
them more closely in their influences on ourselves and on 
creation around us• were w r e, in short, to study more the 
chemistry of the world, as it relates to all created things, we 
might aid very much our own comfort and happiness, in the 
things pertaining to this world, while at the same time we 
should be led to see and admire the wondrous works and pro- 
videnee of Him who “ created all things out of nothing.” In 
the work before us, Mr, Johnson has exhibited a thorough 
acquaintance with his subject, and has, in a pleasing manner, 
popularised it, so as to divest it of all the technicalities which i 
scientific men generally consider it necessary to clothe in. ■ 
We have here the whole science of creation presented in all 
the attractiveness of an interestiiig tale, while the truths of j 
science are strictly preserved. Let us take, for example, the i 
following facts relative to the pressure of the atmosphere :— 
“ Persons who have delicate constitutions, need not wonder | 
that they are generally much affected by a change in the at¬ 
mosphere, when they learn, that often in the course of a few j 
hours there is an increase or diminution of one hundred 
weight, and from that to half a ton weight, of atmospheric | 
pressure on each individual, while the internal pressure of the j 
circulating fluids remains the same. Supposing a man’s body : 
to contain fifteen square feet of surface (which is near the , 
truth) he will sustain a body of air of upwards of fourteen 
tons weight. But it is necessary to remark, that the air I 
presses upwards, downwards, and sideways in every direction, 
and that it is owing to this equal pressure that we are not J 
injured by the vast weight of the atmospheric, for the equal 
pressure on all sides resists as much as it is resisted. 
“ So, also, would the atmosphere be fatal to life, both 
animal and vegetable, if it were constituted otherwise than it 
is. Its oxygen is called the vital air of animals, and carbonic 
acid the vital air of plants ; and justly are these gases so 
called, for those organised creatures could not live if those 
gases were withdrawn from the atmosphere ; but, on the other 
hand, those gases only sustain life and health mixed together 
with azote in the proportions in which they are always present 
in the atmosphere. Animals in an atmosphere of pure oxygen, 
and plants in an atmosphere of pure carbonic acid, speedily 
die. So it has been ascertained, by experiment, that no other 
gaseous body with which we are acquainted, can be substi- 
* The Chemistry of the World. Being a Popular Explanation of the. 
Phenomena daily occurring in and around our Persons, Houses, 
Gardens, and Fields. By George W. Johnson. London : Cottage 
Gardener Office. 
