1907.] 139 



Tho life-histoi'j of Slomoxi/s rcmainc-d unknown until worked ovit. by the 

 Ipctiirer parLlj \\\wn captive spci-inicns, vorifuHl by his discovery, at Rossett last 

 year, of the fly in every stage. The Hies were found hiying their eggs upon heating 

 grass mowings, and feeding upon the warm decomposing grass, were embryos m all 

 stages of development. 



The mouth parts, wliieli form the biting organ, were very fully described and 

 illustrated by blackboard drawings and microscopic prei)aration8 of these, in many 

 respects, remarkable flies. Specimens of eight out of nine known species of the 

 Olossiiifc were exhibited by the lecturer, together witli preserved larvse and pupre. 



Mr. Joseph Collins, of Oxford, sent for exhibition a bos of Culeoptera and 

 Diptera taken from moles' nests in the vicinity of Oxford, and contributed notes. 

 Working on lines suggested by the researches of Dr. Joy, of Reading, Mr. Collins 

 found the following species, all of which were shown, viz. : Quedius vexans, common ; 

 (2- longicoriiisjii s\wYt series, much rarer than vexans; Aleochara sp adicea, ia.ir\j 

 common; A. succicola ; JIeteru(koi>s niflra, common; Oxi/poda spectabilis, not 

 common; O. inelatarsalis,\n two localities, a nice series; Humalota paradoxa ; 

 Oxytelusfairmairei; O. sculp Itirat us ; Medon cas/aneus; M.propinquus; Diptera: 

 nifstrichopsijllii Lalpx, the mole flea. Mr. W. A. Tyerman exhibited a long bred 

 series of TcCiiiocampa guthica, which had fed on lilac, and preserved larvse of 

 Odoidojiera hideuiata showing protective resemblance to the lichen commonly 

 found on birch bark. Mr. Oscar Whitlaker, living examples of Vlea minutissima. — 

 H. R. Sweeting and Wm. Mansbuidge, Ron. Sees. 



The South London Entomological and Natural History Society: 

 Saturday, March 23rd, 1907. 



A Meeting was held at the British Museum, Natural History. Dr. Bowdler 

 Sharp conducted those present over that portion of the Museum devoted to the 

 Study Collections of Birds and Birds' Eggs, showing and commenting on many 

 choice and beautiful specimens. Subsequently other galleries were visited. 



Thursday, March 28th, 1907.— Mr. R. Adkin, President, in the Cliair. 



Mr. Main exhibited specimens of the Mole Flea, Ilyslrichopsylla talpx. On 

 behalf of Mr. Alderson, specimens of Musca domestica, bred from maggots expelled 

 from the intestines of a child. This was said to be the first time that the species 

 had been properly identified, although similar occurrences had been reported. 

 Mr. Adkin, several series of Anchocelis rujina from various localities ; those from 

 Rannoch being the most richly coloured. Mr. Montgomery reported Pieris napi as 

 flying in mid-March, and Mr. Newman, P. napi, P. rapse, and J\inessa atalanta as 

 being common in South Devonshire. 



Thursday, April Wth, 1907. — The President in the Chair. 



Mr. South exhibited preserved larvae at different iiistars of Gastropacha querci- 

 folia and Epicnaplera ilicifolia, and discussed the orange markings present on the 

 2nd and 3rd segments ; also a cocoon of the latter species and of Liclia ccenosa. 

 Mr. Tonge, photographs of the cocoons of Dicranura hicuspis among lichen, and of 

 a larva of Charaxes jasius showing the peculiar formation of the head. Mr. West, 



