94; [Scpteiuber, 



above Triberg, the other on the Feldberg (about 4500 ft.) ; more were seen. Its 

 congener, C. metallica, was in extreme abundance at every pond and small lake. — 

 R. McLachlan, Lewisham : August 16th, 1885. 



A great swarm of llydropsyche instah'dis, Curt., in Inverness-shire. — On the 

 evening of July 27th, when driving down Glen Tromie, I passed through a cloud of 

 llydropsyche instahilis, which extended for upwards of five miles. With one sweep 

 of my big net 50 or 60 might be taken, which will give you some idea of the density 

 of the cloud ; I never saw anything to equal it before. I drove down the same glen 

 on the 31st, but did not then see a single specimen. — J. J. King, Tillage of Insh, 

 by Kingussie : August ^rd, 1885. 



Dead Humhle-hees under Lime trees. — Dead Humble-bees, more or less 

 mutilated, have often been observed iu large numbers under lime trees, and various 

 suggestions have been offered to account for their presence in such a position. Some 

 observations which I was able to make the other day suggest the probable reason for 

 the death and evisceration of such bees, and, therefore, may be worth recording. 

 While walking on Hayes Common, Kent, on the 3rd of this month, I noticed, under 

 a large spreading lime tree, in full flower, that the ground was strewn with bodies of 

 Humble-bees of several species ; I and one of my children picked up a number of 

 them, and found several still moving their legs, and evidently only quite recently 

 mutilated ; nearly every specimen appearing to have been killed in the same manner, 

 having a large hole in the upper surface of the thorax, and another at the apex of 

 the abdomen, the apical segments being removed ; thinking that it would be a good 

 opportunity to try and find out who or what was the cause of their death, I sat down 

 close to the tree and watched. The tree was covered with bloom, and Hive-bees and 

 Humble-bees abounded, but I could not see any wasps, so I at once abandoned the 

 idea that they were the culprits, as some have thought probable ; everything seemed 

 peaceable, and for some time I could see no possible enemy to suspect. At last, I 

 saw among the higher branches a bird, and from the exact spot where it was fidget- 

 ting about, down dropped a carcase of a bee : I at once picked it up, and found the 

 legs still twitching convulsively ; although I did not actually see the bird drop the 

 bee, I think there can be little doubt that it did. I went back again, and sat down 

 to try and discover what bird it was, and after a little time a bird, which was in all 

 probability the same, although I had lost sight of it while examining the bee, came 

 out into a less leafy part of the tree, and I was able to identify it as a great Tom-tit ; 

 and although I have no positive evidence whereby to convict Pariis major, I think 

 the probabilities of his being the culprit are so sti'ong, that it is hardly necessary to 

 seek further for the murderer of these humble innocents. — Edward Saunders, St. 

 Ann's, Mason's Hill, Bromley : August 6th, 1885. 



Entomological Society of London, 1*^ July, 1885 : E. McLachlan, Esq., 

 F.R.S., President, in the Chair. 



Messrs. Thomas Edmunds, of Totiies, and F. M. Campbell, F.L.S., of Eose 

 Hill, Hoddesdon, were elected Members. 



Mr. S. Stevens exhibited a species of Coccidce that was causing damage to an 

 India-rubber plant, by spotting the loaves. 



