994. . [Decemljer, 



flying to the front, and that being continued ; he said that they were a very difficult 

 genus to collect, owing to their great speed of flight; it was almost impossible to 

 follow them, and almost the only way to get them was to find the flowers they were 

 frequenting and wait for them. Mr. Gr. T. Bethune-Baker, two drawers of Erehia, 

 containing some very interesting species, chiefly European, but a few being from 

 various parts of Asia ; amongst other interesting species were Sibo from the Pamirs, 

 jordana from Turkestan, tian.thanea and Tcalmuha both from tiie Tian-Shan 

 mountains. Mr. R. G-. B. Chase, a series of Catocala promissa, C.sponsa, Triphcena 

 fimbria, and Amphipyra pyramidea, taken at sugar in the New Forest in the second 

 week in August last ; also a series of Rhodocera rhamni taken at heather in the 

 New Forest at the same time ; they were all in beautiful condition, but very small ; 

 he said that at the time the Forest was almost dried up, owing to the long spell of 

 hot dry weather, and it seemed likely that the larvaj had been unable to get sufli- 

 eiently fresh food. — Colbran J. Wainwkight, Hon. Sec. 



Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society. — The chief Exhibi- 

 tional Meeting of the year was held on Monday, Octoher 9fh, in the Free Library ; 

 Vice-President Dr. J. W. Ellis occupied the Chair until the arrivul of the 

 President. 



Mr. Charles Dalmer was elected a Member of (he Society. 



Mr. Pierce read a letter from Mr. J. Williams, of Vyrnwy, on the enormous 

 numbers of a Dipteron which during tlie past summer infested the lake and its 

 neighbourhood, causing much annoyance to the inhabitants of tiiat district. 



The Meeting then resolved itself into a Conversazione. 



When the President, Mr. S. J. Capper, F.L.S., arrived, he expressed his gratifi- 

 cation at seeing amongst the large number present several ladies. He urged the 

 future attendance of Members as a duty to be gladly undertaken, and gave the 

 visitors a hearty invitation to join the Society. 



The President's exhibit included wonderful mclanic forms of Hemerophila 

 abruptaria and Camptogramnia hilineata. Mr. Burgess-Sopp, Acanthocinns cedilix, 

 taken at Cardiff ; Phytosus nigriventris, new to the British List, taken at Hoylake, 

 and P. balticus for comparison ; he also briefly noted tl^.e history of P. niyriventris 

 as a recorded British species. Mr. Crabtree exhibited and remarked upon a series 

 of Triphnna, including Scotch extreme forms of T. orbona ; also a drawer of the 

 genus Taniocampa, including the var. goihicina of T. gothica. Mr. Day, rarities 

 captured in the Fen and Broad districts, and a fine lot of bred insects. Mr. Tait, 

 liis Monkswood captures, and gave his experiences with Thecla pruni and Apatura 

 Iris, also a description of the district. Chief among Mr. Prince's exhibits were 

 Erebia Medea, Agrotis tritici, Heliothis marginata, and Rhodaria sanguinalis. Mr. 

 Tliompson, Pericallia syringaria and long series of moss captures. Mr. Pierce read a 

 note on Thera variata and T. obeliscata, and exhibited specimens. Mr. F. Birch, 

 Donacia cinerea from Hatch Mere, and remarked upon its habits and the difficulty 

 of collecting it. Dr. Cotton showed series of Carsia imbuiata, Notodoiita dictceoides, 

 and CelcBna Ilaworthi, from Simonswood moss. The Rev. R. Freeman, an interesting 

 case of Norfolk insects, including the beautiful Halias quercana. Mr. Tipping, 

 series of Erebia 3Iedea and Melanthia rubiginata. Dr. Chaster, Pyropterun affinis 

 from Killarney, and other Coleoptera from Southport. Dr. Cotton said that 

 Acherontia Atropos had been fairly common about St. Helens this autumn. — Fredk. 

 Birch, lion. Sec. 



