216 THE entomologist's record. 



autumn and winter until the following May, when it makes a cell 

 rather than a cocoon just under the surface of the earth, in which it 

 clianges to a pupa," and that Merrin says that the pupa is found in 

 May and June "spun up in a leaf or an earthen cocoon attached to 

 the foodplant." On the other hand, he had noticed that the larvae 

 were full-fed about the end of November, when they bury, and spin 

 distinct earthen cocoons, in which they remain as larvae till the end of 

 the following May, when they change to pupae. It was therefore 

 important to leave the cocoons in damp earth all the winter, or the 

 larvse would dry up. Several members confirmed these statements, 

 Mr. Battley saying that if the larvae were brought into a greenhouse 

 about January they would pupate at once, and emerge in March or 

 April. Mr. Bayne exhibited a series of Odonestis potatoria bred from 

 Aylesbury larvae, also a yellow male of the same species from 

 Epping Forest, and Cosmia affinis, Afia?ia literosa, Ceri^o cytherea, 

 Plusia iota, P. v-aureum, Habrostola friplasia, H. iirticce, etc., from 

 the same district. Mr. Smith, Catocala niipfa and Ypsipeies elutata 

 {sordidaia) from Epping Forest. Mr. Milton, Halias quercatia bred 

 from Epping larvae; also the following Coleoptera : — Dytiscus niaro^i 

 nalis, D. ciraimjlexus, Cetonia mirata, and Philonthus sphndens. He 

 also exhibited specimens of a wasp, and remarked that the cyanide had 

 changed the yellow bands and legs to red. Other exhibits in Coleop- 

 tera were made by Mr. Bayne, who brought a specimen of Priontis 

 corarms from Loughton ; and Mr. Clark, who showed Sphodrus 

 leiicopthalmus, Necrophorus ruspator, Toxotus meridiaiius and Nascerdes 

 melamira from Folkestone. Mr. Clark stated that he had seen a 

 specimen of Sphinx convolviili which was taken a few days ago at 

 Southend. Mr. Battley had found the larvae of Phorodesina smara^^- 

 daria fairly plentiful at Benfleet, and imagines of Lyccena adonis, L. 

 carydon, Acidalia ornata, Aspilates gilvaria, and several other chalk 

 species near Reigate. Mr. Smith had beaten three larvse of Staiiropus 

 fagi in Epping Forest, and several others were recorded from the same 

 locality. — G. A. Lewcock and A. U. Battley, Bon. Sees. 



Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society. — September 

 \\th. — Mr. C. II. H. Walker read a paper on "Nerves and Nervous 

 Systems," describing the general structure of the nervous system of a 

 typical insect and comparing it with that of a spider, pointing out 

 the close affinity, which differs only when the economy of the subject 

 renders it necessary. The paper was illustrated with carefully executed 

 blackboard drawings. Among the numerous exhibits the president 

 showed specimens of the new Tortrix dorielana from Galway ; Mr. 

 Walker, curious varieties of Vanessa antiopa which he had bred from 

 Canada, the black subterminal band and the blue spots being quite 

 absent and the yellow border very wide ; Mr. Melville, a fine specimen 

 o{ Chxrocanpa «<?r/y, captured at Brest wich in 1846; Mr. Newstead, 

 several cases of life-histories including the full \\\'~Xoxy oi Sirex gigas, 

 which he stated had been very common this year ; Mr. Prince, a fine 

 variety of ^r^/^T! caja^hx^^ by him this year, the forewnngs of which 

 were almost entirely brown and the black spots on the hind wings 

 formed a thick dark marginal band ; Mr. Gregson, a series of Lithosia 

 sericea taken this season ; Mr. Harker, Dianthecia barrettii from Howth, 

 — F. N. Pierce, Hon. Sec, 143, Smithdown Lane, Liverpool. 



