1913.] 91 



The insect in question had been discovered by Mr. Norman H. Joy in the 

 Scilly Islands, and it was stated that the flea inhabited the nests of the puffin. 



Mr. Joy now tells me that he found the flea in all the nests of the Manx 

 Shearwater and the Stormy Petrel which he examined on the Scilly Islands last 

 year, and he considers that it only wanders occasionally to those nests of 

 puffins which are close to the burrows of the previously mentioned birds. 

 Nests of the puffin examined on the Fame Islands did not yield this remarkable 

 flea, a further proof of the correctness of Mr. Joy's contention that the flea is 

 not a o-enuine parasite of the puffin. — N. Charles Rothschild, Arundel House, 

 Kensington Palace Clardens, London : February 22nd, 1913. 



The Society for the Promotion of Nature Reserves. — This Association, recently 

 founded under the presidency of the Rt. Hon. W. J. Lowther, M.P., with a 

 council whose names include those of a number of the best-known naturalists 

 of the day, is one whose objects will surely appeal strongly to every reader of 

 this Magazine. Briefly stated, these objects are to collect information as to areas 

 of land in the United Kingdom which retain their primitive characteristics 

 and contain rare and local species liable to extinction, and to devise means by 

 which such areas may be acquired, and their faiina and flora secured for 

 posterity, as far as may be in their original state. Such localities as these, 

 owing to enclosure, drainage, building, above all to the ever-growing craze for 

 golf, are daily becoming fewer, and some action such as that proposed by the 

 Society, is urgently needed if our successors are to retain any reasonable share 

 of the fauna and flora of our native land for future study. Much good work 

 of this kind has already been done by private enterprise, and even small areas 

 thus preserved in their natural state may be of the highest value. Such a 

 " sanctuary " is the charming little " Ruskin Reserve," at Cothill, Berks, 

 acquired in 1904 by the Ashmolean Natural History Society of Oxfordshire, 

 which comprises in an extent of less than three acres of marsh and woodland 

 a veritable museum of rare and interesting plants and insects. It may be 

 added that no siibscription is required from members, these being elected by 

 invitation of the Executive Committee. The Society may be assiired of our 

 heartiest good wishes and support. —Eds. 



Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society: Meeting held at the 

 Royal Institution, Colqviit Street, Liverpool, on Monday, January 20th, 1913. — 

 Mr. R. Wilding, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



A paper by Mr. H. St. J. K. Donisthorpe, P.E.S., was read by the Hon. 

 Secretary, the subject being " Some Associations between Ants of different 

 Species." The paper fully described all that is known of these associations, 

 and specially dealt with the relationship between species of Formicoxenus, 

 Ancrgates and Wheeleriella. A vote of thanks to the author was carried unani- 

 mously, and a discussion, showing a general interest in the subject, ensued. 



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