Wernerian Natural History Society. 69 



latter is the Andrena connexa, K.) which he succeeded in obtaining 

 early in the spring from the nests of the former. He also mentions 

 having found an immense number (thousands) of specimens of the 

 minute insect considered as the larvae of Meloe, upon a flower, in 

 April, whilst in June he captured a similar insect (but differing in 

 form and colour) on the underside of the abdomen of Nomada Schaf- 

 ferella. He likewise mentions that he had reared specimens of the 

 same species of Cryptus (a genus of Ichneumonidce) from Epipone 

 levipes and Trichiosoma lucorum. 



" Note on the parasitic habits of Nomada." By George Newport, 

 Esq., who obtained specimens of Nomada Sheppardana on the 16th 

 July, 1829, from a bank of dry clay, at Ash near Sandwich, where 

 he found from six to eight specimens apparently recently disclosed, 

 but sufficiently active to take flight when disturbed, in a single ni- 

 dus apparently about the size of that of Collet es. 



Mr. Shuckard, in allusion to the last two papers, stated that it 

 was interesting to find that the genus Nomada did not confine its 

 parasitism to one genus of bees, as he obtained Nomada Sheppardana 

 from the nest of Halictus minutus. He also stated that he had de- 

 tected a specimen of Macropis labiata (a genus of bees not previously 

 recorded as natives of this country) in the indigenous cabinet at the 

 British Museum, with a label inscribed " Leicester," from the col- 

 lection of Dr. Leach. 



WERNERIAN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



The Societies in Edinburgh have again commenced their scientific 

 meetings ; the Wernerian Society on the 26th of Nov. elected as its 

 office-bearers for the Session 1842-43 the following gentlemen : — 



President : Professor Jameson. — Vice-Presidents : Dr. R. Graham, 

 Sir Wm. Newbigging, Right Hon. Lord Greenock, Sir Ch. G. S. 

 Menteith, Bart., Dr. R. Paterson, Prof. Edward Forbes. — Council : 

 R. Stevenson, Esq., D. Milne, Esq., J. Stark, Esq., T. Brown, Esq., 

 Sir W. Jardine, Bart., Professor T. S. Traill, Dr. R. K. Greville, 

 J. Goodsir, Esq. — Joint-Secretaries: Dr. Pat. Neill, T. J. Torrie, 

 Esq. — Treasurer : A. G. Ellis, Esq. — Joint -Librarians : J. Wilson, 

 Esq., Dr. R. Hamilton. — Artists : P. Syme, Esq., and W. H. Towns- 

 end, Esq. 



After which, Saturday the 10th of December was fixed for the first 

 meeting, when the following communications were read : — 



1. " Account of the Elaps Jamesoni, a new species of Serpent from 

 South America ;" by Dr. Traill. Dr. Traill considered that eventually 

 this serpent might be removed from Elaps. It was procured at De- 

 merara, was four feet in length, and on dissection was found to be 

 furnished with fangs provided with a gland and fine duct to the hol- 

 low tooth. 



2. " Account of new tribes of Crustacea from the Firth of Forth ;" 

 by Mr. Goodsir, jun. 



A fine specimen of the Squalus Vulpes or Fox Shark, taken in Largo 

 Bay, 13 feet in length, was exhibited, and is interesting as being, so 



