172 [June, 



One of the most interesting finds has been that of Rydropoyunfemtgineus. I 

 first took a few specimens in June, 1889, in a small pool about a foot across, and last 

 season it again turned up. This year my friend Mr. Ford, to whom I pointed out 

 the locality, has taken it in some numbers by taking all the stones, &c., out of the 

 pool. It seems strange that so rare an insect should be found in such a small 

 quantity of water in numbers, considering that there is neiiher a stream nor pond 

 within a mile. — W. H. Bennett, 11, George Street, Ilastings : May \Uh, 1891. 



Bledius crassicollis in numbers near Sj/e, Sussex. — For the past two seasons I 

 have met with this species sparingly near Rye ; it seems to occur most plentifully 

 in May and June, at least, I have never been able to find it later in the year, so I 

 thought I would spend a day hunting for it, and was rewarded by at last finding it 

 in some numbers. I have always taken it on the banks of brackish ditches, and not 

 far from the water's edge. It does not appear to burrow very deep, but lies in its 

 burrow quite near the surface. I found a small species of Dyschirius associated with 

 it, but it is apparently only D. ceneus. On the sides of the same ditch, under vege- 

 table refuse, Actohius signaticornis occurred sparingly, while Limnichus pygmmus 

 was not uncommon on the mud. — Id. 



^oi;icties. 



Birmingham Entomological Society: April 20ih, 1891. — Rev. C. F. 

 TnoRNEWiLL, F.E.S., Yice-President, in the Chair. 



Dr. Stacey Wilson was elected a Member of the Society. 



Mr. R. C. Bradley showed Lauxania cylhidricornis from Wyre Forest, and L. 

 CBuea from Trench Woods. Mr. A. Johnson showed larva? of Epunda lichenea. 

 The Secretary read a paper on " Urtication,'' which had been communicated by Mr. 

 R. Freer. He described the elfects which the hairs of Porthesia similis, Bomhyx 

 rubi, and other Lepidoptera in various stages, produced, and said that he concluded 

 from them that the irritation was caused mechanically and not by poison. After 

 describing in detail the hairs of the larva of Porthesia similis, and referring to the 

 liairs of other larvse, such as Attacus Cecropia and the PterophoridcB, he said that 

 careful study of these had convinced him that the hairs which caused the irritation 

 were not true hairs, but degenerated weapons of offence and defence. A discussion 

 followed, in which Messrs. Thorncwill, Pope, Harrison, and C. J Wainwright joined. 

 — CoLBEAN J. Wainweight, Hon. Sec. 



Lancashire and Cheshiee Entomological Society: May l\th, 1891. — 

 The President, Mr. S. J. Cappee, F.L.S., F.E.S., in the Chair. 



Reports were read by the Secretaries of the District Records Committee, which 

 showed that the lists were progressing, but the Secretaries hoped, in order to make 

 them as complete as possible, that they would get the assistance and co-operation of 

 all Entomologists who had done work in cither of the two counties. A paper, " On 

 the habits of some species of the lly menoptera- Aculeaia" by Robert Newstead, 



