42 [Febniavy, 



It seemed incomprehensible that H. giittatipennis should only occur singly with us. 

 The secret is now out. It has not been looked for late enoufjh. In Belgium it is 

 recorded on the strength of a single specimen taken by Baron de Selys-Longchamps 

 at ITalloy, one of the family estates, on October I5th. I visited the precise locality 

 in September, and now quite comprehend why it was not to be seen, and think the 

 middle of October example was probably a precocious individual. — R. McLachlan]. 



Saphidia Ratzeburgi, Br., on the Simplon. — When staying at Berisal on the 

 Simplon (over 5000 feet) last summer, the Rev. F. D. Morice captured an immature 

 ? example of R. Ratzeburgi, a species which, although not new for Switzerland, is 

 probably new for the district, and of sufficient rarity generally to merit notice. The 

 only other species seen was R. notata, F. — R. McLachlan, Lewisham, London : 

 January 4:th, 1896. 



The mildnest of the season.— T\\is year has commenced with the thermometer 

 out of doors during the daytime above 50 degrees, and the atmosphere damp, wilh 

 occasional gleams of bright sunshine, which has made great stir among the hive 

 bees, much to the regret of the bee keepers, who well know that feeding will have to 

 be resorted to if the tenants of the hive are to be kept alive through the remainder 

 of the winter. A young friend on Sunday last (December 29th) in endeavouring to 

 make a more intimate acquaintance with one, got stung in the hand. On January 

 1st I saw a full grown larva of Pieris rapce crawling up the garden door, evidently 

 bent on pupating a little higher up, and on the 2nd, the thermometer standing at 56, 

 the hive bees were very active, flying about in search of flowers, wliich were very 

 scanty at present ; we have violets, primroses and anemones, and these are about all. 

 In the afternoon, between 2 and 3 o'clock, I heard the unmistakable buzz of a queen 

 wasp, and looking up, I saw her working her way along the wall trees as nimbly 

 as in the late spring, and gave her chase and succeeded in capturing her {Vespa 

 hritannica) ; this is generally the earliest wasp on the wing, but I never before heard 

 of one at so early a date, so think it worth i-ecording. — V. R. Peekins, Wotton- 

 under-Edge : January ^rd, 1896. 



^0(;idies. 



Birmingham Entomological Society : November \Qth, 1895. — Mr. P. W. 

 Abbott, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The Chairman appealed to the Members for material, specimens, &c., to com- 

 mence a local collection of Lepidoptera it was proposed to start in connection with 

 the Society, for which a cabinet had been given by Mr. Gr. H. Kenrick. He asked 

 chiefly for local species, of which good series were wanted, and requested for them 

 to be carefully labelled. 



Mr. R. C. Bradley showed seashore Musciden — Acforn cestuuin, Barmouth, 

 Orygma luctuosum, Barmouth, Coelopa eximia, Nevin, S. of Portland, and C pilipes, 



