]22 THE F.NTOMOI.OfHST's RKCORn. 



Knowle, and a bred specimen of Jocheaera aim from Moseley. 

 CoLEOPTERA : Mr. W. Ellis also showed the following Coleoptera : — 

 Liparis coronatus (Falmouth), Hylecoetes clertnestoides (Cannock Chase), 

 yecvophorus vestigator (Bedfordshire), Carahus nitens, dark ab. (Ne^^ 

 Forest), Malacldua aeneiis, (New Forest), Clythra quadripmictata. 

 and illustrated its life-history, the species dwelling in the nests of F. 

 nij'o, L. LucANus cEKvus IN THE BiRJiiNGHAM DISTRICT ; Mr. Wjdlard 

 Griffiths remarked upon the few records that had been made of Liicaiins 

 ccrviis in the Birmingham district, and said that one had been sent to 

 him from Bewdley. Copulation of the Boarmiid.^e : Professor Carlier 

 stated that the Boarniiidae copulate in a vertical position, the ^ being 

 below the $ , and, therefore, in order that fertilization may take place, 

 the spermatozoa must pass upwards. The interesting question was 

 raised as to whether it was accomplished by ciliary action, or by an 

 ejecting apparatus in the J . Scales of Lepidoptera : Information 

 was also asked for as to the composition of the colour pigment in the 

 scales of lepidoptera, great difficulty being experienced in analysing 

 the very small quantities of material available. Semi-loopixg habit ok 

 NocTuiD larvae : Mr. Lloyd Chadwick pointed out that veiy young 

 larva^ of Triphaena fi)nbria behaved like "loopers," and were apparently 

 not furnished with the usual number of prolegs which developed 

 later ; he also pointed out that Buckler says that the larvfe of Triphaena 

 proniiba do the same. Mr. Fountain said that young larvte of Pieris 

 bra.'isicae also " looped," [The question of the semi-looping habit and 

 its possible origin and use have been discussed at length in connection 

 with the structure and modification of the prolegs in A Natural 

 HUtory of the British Lepidoptera, vol. i., pp. 35 et secj., and pp. 52 et seq. 

 It is, of course, quite normal in a very large number of species, — Ed.J 



OBITUARY. 



George Willis Kirkaldy, F.E.S. {xith portrait). 



By the early death of George Willis Kirkaldy, entomology loses 

 one of her most active and enthusiastic devotees, who, had he been 

 spared, would certainly have achieved a great career. 



He was born at Clapham on July 26th, 1873, and so was barely 

 37 years of age when he died. His father was the late William Hay 

 Kirkaldy, and his mother Jane Steele Kirkaldy, daughter of John 

 Willis. Inheriting Scottish blood from both his parents, intense 

 pride of nationality was one of the most striking features of his 

 character. He traced his ancestry to Sir James Kirkaldy, Treasurer 

 to James \. of Scotland, and father of the famous Sir William 

 Kirkaldy de Grange, who held Edinburgh Castle for Mary, Queen of 

 Scots, 



During his life in England, he joined the London Scottish 

 volunteers, and studied the Gaehc language with enthusiasm ; he used 

 to tell with pardonable pride, how, when tramping, in kilt of course, 

 in the wilder parts of the Highlands, his acquaintance with the 

 language, though necessarily far from perfect, was of the greatest value, 

 if not actually indispensable ; it certainly made him a welcome guest 

 in the humble but hospitable huts of the crofters. 



