Journal of Proceedings. xxxix
persons' were elected members of the Club:—Walter Crouch ; the
Right Hon. Lord Carlingford; the Right. Hon. the Earl of Essex;
William Fawcett; W. R. Fisher, M.A., Barrister-at-Law; William
George ; David B. Jones ; Rev. Alfred Leeman, M.A.; Edward Martin,
B A., F.Z.S., Barrister-at-Law; Miss Eleanor A. Ormerod, F.M.S.,
M.E.S., &c.; Arthur Priest, M.D., &c.; the Right Hon. Lord Reay,
D.C.L., F.R.G.S., &c.; the Right Hon. the Earl of Rosslyn, M.A.,
F.Z.S., etc. ; W. Pickett Turner, M.R.C.S., &c. ; Lord Walsingham,
M.A., F.Z.S., M.E.S., &c. The names of three candidates for election
at the next meeting were read.
The President, alluding to the lamented death of Mr. George J.
Thompson, a member of the Club, who was drowned whilst bathing at
Budleigh, Salterton, on July 28th, said the unfortunate fate of Mr.
Thompson was probably known to all present, and he thought it
their duty to pay that slight tribute to his memory.
Mr. James English exhibited some leaves of the common Cottage-
garden shrub, Lycium barbarum (the "Tea-tree"), to which were
attached specimens of a small moth (Camptogramma bilineata). The
moths had evidently died in the position in which they were found, and
Mr. English asked whether a like mortality had been noticed in other
species of Lepidoptera in the perfect state. The bodies of the moths
were apparently fastened to the leaves of the plant by some exudation
or growth from the insect, and he suggested that the insects had been
killed by a fungoid disease similar to that which so commonly attacks
caterpillars of Lepidoptera.
The President thought it would not be right to infer a similarity
between the two phenomena, without further investigation.
Mr. W. Cole referred to an analogous exhibition by Mr. Boyd at the
Entomological Society some years ago. The insects were Trichop-
terous (Brachycentrus subnubulus); and they were congregated in
hundreds on the underside of a leaf of the Comfrey (Symphytum offici-
nale), and all in a dead or dying state. No explanation had hitherto
been made of this curious occurrence.
Mr. Robarts suggested further careful observation and experiment
with various plants and insects, as likely to afford interesting results.
The President said that being engaged on a translation of Dr.
Weismann's "Studies in the Theory of Descent," he was desirous of
obtaining some practical information with respect to the biological
history of certain caterpillars. He wished particularly to be furnished
with instances, drawn from personal observation, of caterpillars which,
feeding on trees in the autumn, and hibernating, were compelled in
the spring to betake themselves to low growing herbs for subsistence,
the buds of the trees not opening until later in the season.
In the course of conversation, called forth by the President's
request, Mr. Argent stated that he had some larvae of Sphinx ligustri