DEUTFORDSHrRE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. Ivii 



Mr. Percy F. Fordham, Bank House, Royston, was proposed as 

 a Member. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. " The Formation and Arrangement of Provincial Museums." 

 Bv John Hopkinson, F.L.S., F.G.S., etc., Hon. Sec. {Transactions, 

 Yol. 1, p. 193.) 



2. "On Local Museums." By H. George Fordham, F.G.S. 

 (Transactions, Vol. I, p. 215.) 



Ordixary Meeting, 22nd March, 1881, at Hertford. 



J. GwvN Jeffreys, Esq., LL.D., F.R.S. , etc., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Mr. Thomas Bates Blow, Wclwyn, and Mr. Alfred Cox, Pres- 

 dales, Ware, were proposed as Members of the Society. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. " Report on the Rainfall in Hertfordshire in 1880." By the 

 Rev. C. W. Harvey, M.A., F.M.S. {Transactions, Vol. I, p. 221.) 



2. "The Frost of January, 1881, as experienced in Hertford- 

 shire." By the Rev. C. W. Harvey. {Transactions, Vol. I, p. 228.) 



3. " Meteorological Observations taken at Throcking, Herts, 

 during the year 1880." By the Rev. C. W. Harvey. {Trans- 

 actions, Vol. I, p. 233.) 



Ordinary Meeting, 12th April, 1881, at Hoddesdon. 



R. B. Croft, Esq., R.N., F.L.S., in the Chair. 



Miss Alice Warner, The Woodlands, Hoddesdon, and Mr. Henry 

 Warner, Wormley, were proposed as Members of the Society. 



The following paper was read : — 



"Notes on Aphides." By F. M. CampbeU, F.L.S., F.Z.S., 

 F.R.M.S. 



After some introductory remarks on the anatomy, life-history, and habits of 

 the Aphides in general, with more special reference to the rose-aphis, Siplnmo- 

 phora Rosce, and the aphis, Schizoneura lanigera, which causes the blight on 

 apple trees, Mr. Campbell gave a detailed account of the vine-aphis, Pltylloxera 

 Vdstatrix, which he said was one of the most destructive of the aphides. There 

 seemed to be no doubt as to its having been introduced from America. It was 

 observed there in 1854, but twenty years previously some leaves were collected 

 from the wild vine in Texas the galls on which were now recognised to be those 

 of the Phijlloxtra. It was discovered in France in 1868, and was now found in all 

 ■wine countries, and in England. Its life-history differed slightly from that of 

 the typical aphides. The eggs, which are laid in the bark of the vine, hatched 

 in the spring, the larvfe becoming active at a temperature of about 52". Some of 

 them remained on the leaves and formed galls, while others found their way to the 

 roots and attacked the delicate tibres, wliose functions are soon destroyed. After 

 moulting three or four times, the larv<c laid about thirty eggs {parlhenogeiicms), 

 and there was no pro^-rpssive development until about tlie sixth generation. 

 Towards the end of July the nymph appeared, bearing two dark excresceuces 



