'1903.] 155 



interested in British Lepidoptera. The local itiformation for Cheshire is very full ; 

 for the other counties more or less meagre : but one net^tl not look far for an 

 explanation of this. 



Birmingham Entomological Socikty: April 20/ h, 1903. — Mr. Gr. T. 

 Bethunk-Bakeb, President, in the Chair. 



Mr. A. H. Martineau exhibited Xylocopa fiavo-rufa, De Geer, and a species of 

 the Coleopterous genus .4»^AJa, taken by a friend near Bloerafontoin. Mr. G. W. 

 Wynn, a small series of Lithosia caniola, Hb., taken at sugar near Torcross, South 

 Devon, and also two Agrotis obelinca, Hb., from the same place, taken in August 

 last year; likewise Euchloris {Phorodesna) pustulata, iiahi. {bajitlaria, iichiS.), 

 from Knowle, July 16th, 1902, and Melitcea aurinia, Rott., taken by himself at 

 Sutton Park in 1884, and probably the last specimen of the species taken so near 

 Birmingham. Mr. Fountain said that tlie last named species had been taken much 

 more recently at Knowle, which, however, is not quite so near to Birmingham as 

 Sutton, and on the other side. Mr. Fountain, a series of Biston slrataria, Hufn. 

 (prodromaria, Schiff.), reared from a pair taken in cop. at Chelmsley Wood last 

 year; he found that the best way to i-ear them without cripples was to cover them 

 with moss and keep it wringing wet ; on former occasions when rearing the species 

 he had always bred a large proportion of cripples. Mr. Bethune-Baker expressed 

 surprise at this, as he reared a large brood some years ago, and had no trouble with 

 cripples at all ; but Messrs. Wynn and Wainwright said that their experience was 

 like that of Mr. Fountain, and that even in a state of nature, in the woods round 

 Birmingham, they had found a large number of cripples, probably more tlian half. 

 Mr. Fountain showed Tceniocampa gracilis, F., bred from Earlswood larvae. Mr. 

 G. T. Bethune-Baker, a box full of African Lycwnidae, conspicuous by the absence 

 of the chara.cteristic blue colours ; they were all from Sierra Leone, and included 

 Liptena acrwa, resembling an Acnxa, and various species of Pentila, Fseuderesia, 

 Citrinop/iila, &c. — Colbkan J. W AINW&IGUT, Moh. iSecrelarg. 



Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological^ Societi : — Ihe Third 

 Ordinai'y Meeting of the current session was held in the Koyal institution, 

 Liverpool, on Monday, April 2Uth, Mr. Kichard Wilding in the Chair. The 

 miimtes having been confirmed, the Secretary announced the following donations 

 to the Library : — " The Flora of the Liverpool District " (with 800 drawings of the 

 plants, by Miss E. M. Wood, and 21 photographs of the neighbourhood, by Dr. 

 J. W. Ellis, F.E.S.), edited by Dr. C. Theodore Green, F.L.S., presented by Dr. 

 Ellis ; and " Notes on the ' Large Copper ' " (Chrysophanus disparj by J. 11. 

 Chamley, P.Z.S., i .E.S., from the Author. 



Mr. William Webster, M.R.S.A.I., Vice-President, communicated a valuable 

 paper on " Entomological Antiquities and Folklore of Insects," in whicli he dealt 

 in an interesting and exhaustive manner with a large number of the quaint sayings 

 and superstitions that have, from time immemorial, been associated with many of 

 our better known hexapods. The period covered extended from the earliest times 

 to the present day, and was conveniently considered under headings of the various 



