70 * PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



The Purple Heron, (Ardea purpurea,) near Leeds. — I am informed by H. 

 Denny, Esq., of Leeds, that a fine male specimen of this bird was shot on 

 the 24th. of May last, in a field at Temple Thorpe, near Leeds, by Mr. Henry 

 Joy, the owner of the farm, who had observed it two or three times the same 

 day in difierent fields. Mr. Denny saw it the same afternoon. — B. R, M., 

 York, March 27th., 1851. 



Occurrence of the Gadwall, (iVnas strepera,) in Yorkshire. — Of this extremely 

 rare Duck, two very beautiful specimens were procured in the York market, 

 on March 10th., by Mr. D. Graham, and have been admirably mounted by 

 him. They were obtained from the Humber a day or two previously. The 

 Gadwall is one of our most elegant Ducks, and its very delicately-marked 

 plumage is most agreeable to the eye, as is, we believe, its flesh to the palate 

 of the gourmand. I regret that the sexes were not determined.— Idem. 



pxmMwp nf InrntiEs. 



Royal Fhy steal Society of Edinburgh, March, 1851. — The monthly meeting of this Society 

 took place on Wednesday, the 6th. instant, at 6, York Place, — Dii. Coldstream in the chair, — 

 when the following communications were read: — 



I. Professor Goodsir exhibited a specimen and described the structure of a new compound 

 ascidia, allied to Diazona. This animal was discovered lust autumn i:i the Sound of Skye by 

 Professor Edward Forbes and the author, in the course of a dredging cruLse with Eobert 

 Macandi-ew, Esq., of Liverpool, and is the largest species of the group hitherto observed in the 

 Atlantic. 



II. Mr. E. F. Logan read the Eeport of the Entomological Committee on the Order Lepidoptera, 

 for the year 1850, and prefaced his remarks by requesting the Society to allow anotlu^r season 

 for the compilation of the list of Scottish Lepidoptera, duruig which it might be made more 

 accurate and complete, and in every way more satisfactory, than if produced at present. There- 

 after 'he proceeded briefly to detail the results of the excursions and observations of the 

 Committee durmg the past season, which was one of the most favourable that the Lepidopterist 

 has experienced in this part of the kingdom for a series of years, there having been almost a 

 total absence of wmdy or long-continued wet weather, both of wliich are the most unfavourable 

 descriptions the entomologist can meet with. In the early spring Larentia multistrigaria was 

 abundant on Arthur's Seat, flying in numbers at night over the patches of gorse, among \vhi('h 

 one night a single specimen of Depressaria Ulicetella was also taken, which had, no doubt, 

 hybernated since the preceding autumn. As early as the middle of March, and just after a 

 slight fall of snow, which the sun's rays had dissolved, Elachista pulchella was observed skipping 

 about on the short turf among the rocks on Arthur's Seat, along with its mate, which looks like 

 a different species, but which is undoubtedly the male of the same, as they always occur 

 together, the specimens tjpical of Pulchella being all females, while the others are invariably 

 males. A few specimens of Depressaria Alstrcemeriana occurred about Duddingston, in April, 

 one of the most beautiful of this most interesting and natural genus, the indigenous species of 

 which have been nearly doubled within the last four or five years, by the industry and assiduity 

 of some of the English entomologists; and in the beginning of May, the minute Nepticula 

 gratiosella was not scarce in whitethorn hedges, flying actively round the twigs in the sunshine. 

 On the 31st. of May, Mr. Logan paid a visit to ^\Tiittingham, in East Lothian, and the same 

 evening, in company with Mr. Hepburn, found Emmelesia albularia and Phoxopteryx Lundana 

 in profusion in the haughs of the Wliittingham Water, among Petasites vulgaris, ^c, where 

 they also found a single specimen of the singular Elachista testaceclla, ( Lophonotus fasciculcllus, 

 St.,) and one of the new species of Eupitliecia which Mr. Doubleday has named Palustraria. 

 On the following day, June Ist., they visited Pressmenan Copse, and IJcuchray Dodwood, on 



