SOCIETIES. 313 



were taken. The paper was illustrated by the specimens captured. 

 The president exhibited a gynandromorphous specimen of Halias 

 prasitiana ; Mr. Newstead, Vedalia cardinalis, which was imported 

 into Alexandria in 1885 by Professor Riley, of U.S.A., as a means of 

 exterminating Icerya egypfiaca, a Coccid injurious to orange trees, 

 under the supervision of Admiral Bloom field; also the specimen of 

 Polyommatus bcetica, captured at Heswall, by Master M'Fee, in 1886 

 or 1887. Mr. Gregson, Sesia scoliceforinis and ^cophora grandis from 

 North Wales. Mr. Harker, a pale variety of Triphccna orbona, with 

 the transverse lines very strongly marked ; Mr. Jones, autumnal Lepi- 

 doptera ; Mr. Prince, two varieties of Bombyx rubi, the wings of which 

 were semi-diaphanous and the middle lines distorted ] Mr. Stott, a 

 number of Coleoptera from the Swiss Alps ; Mr. Newstead also ex- 

 hibited a case containing the life-history of Anthojwinus pomorui7i^ the 

 apple-blossom weevil. — F. N. Pierce, Hon. Sec, November \6th, 1892, 



The Caatbridge Entomological and Natural History Society. 

 — October 28///, 1892. — Exhibits: — Lepidoptera : — Mr. Wells, a fine 

 series of Colias edicsa var. helice from Sidmouth, and some good 

 varieties of Smerinthus tilice, bred from pupne dug up at Cambridge, 

 one being dark slate-grey with the posterior wings nearly black ; the 

 best variety, however, was one quite normal in markings, but with all 

 the wings much suffused with bright crimson, the usual dark green 

 blotches in the anterior wings standing out like crimson velvet. Mr. 

 Farren, a long and variable series of Xanthia aurago and Stauropus 

 ;,agi, including the black variety from Reading, and Callimorpha hera 

 and its var. lutescefis from Devon. Mr. Moss, a box of Lepidoptera 

 from Windermere and neighbourhood, and said he had this year found 

 the larva of Cidaria reticulata, taking twenty-seven in one afternoon, 

 he exhibited a larva which he had preserved, this, apparently having 

 faded in colour, was a very pale yellowish green, with a pink line 

 on the back from the second to the fourth segments, and dots of 

 the same colour on some of the last segments, supporting the 

 conclusion that in a living larva the line might extend the who'e 

 length. Mr. Moss said they appear to feed almost exclusively 

 on the seed of their foodplant (wild balsam), entering the seed-poii 

 about the middle ; in the daytime they were to be found resting 

 at full length along the midrib on the underside of the leaves. 

 Birds, etc. — Mr. Jones, a pair of the common buzzard, Buteo 

 vulgaris, which he had recently received from Wales. Mr. Farren 

 reported the breeding of the tufted duck, Fuligula cristaia, in the 

 Orkneys, and exhibited a clutch of eggs received from there this year, 

 he also exhibited a quantity of small molluscs taken from the crop ot 

 a longtailed duck, Harelda glacialis, and some parasitical insects from 

 a gannet Sula bassano. — William Farren, Hon. Sec. 



Birmingham Entomological Society. — Novetnber i^t/i, 1892. — 

 The following insects were exhibited : — Mr. W. Harrison, living larvag 

 of TrocJiilium apifor7nis from Arley ; also a preserved larva of the same 

 species. Mr. C. J. Wainwright, examples of the genus Dicctria, 

 including reinhardi from Wyre Forest, rufipes froni Sherwood Forest 

 and Sutton, and baunihaueri from Sherwood Forest. Mr. R. C. 

 Bradley, series of Liunwbia bifasciata and Afnalopis littoralis from 

 Wye Forest. — Coleran J. Wainwright, Hon. Sec. 



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