SOCIETIES. 185 



landed, after a delightful trip up the west coast of Scotland, at Fort 

 William iu the evening of the 18th. From thence, wheeling their two 

 hundred pounds of luggage (camping, entomological, and photographic 

 apparatus), they proceed inland to the foot of Ben Nevis, Here they 

 stayed for two days — chmbiug the mountain, exploring the glen, and 

 learning "what Nature can do in the way of adornment when left to 

 herself." On the 20th they entrained for Rannoch. Arrived there, 

 they restocked tlieir box with provisions from the single store, and 

 started on a twelve mile walk to the far-famed Black Wood of Rannoch, 

 lying on the Hanks of the hills forming the southern shore of Loch 

 Rannoch. Here, betwixt the wide loch and the deep wood, they en- 

 camped, and for nine delightful days, lived a wild, free, gipsy life, coUect- 

 iug the insects, observing the wild mammals and birds, and revelling in 

 the primitive loveliness by which they were surrounded. The finest 

 bird seen was an eagle, which the essayist observed (mobbed by lap- 

 wings) in its stately flight over the Black Wood. Amongst the rare 

 species of Coleoptera taken may be mentioned Sapenla scalan's Eros 

 aurura, and Tric/iius fasciatns. Of Lepidoptera, the best were, Dasy.Ua 

 o'>/Hscata and Fsodus trepuhn ia. Mr. Pierce proposed a vote of thanks 

 to Mr. Birch for his paper, which was carried unannnously. The Rev. 

 C. J. Buckmaster, of Wigan, gave some interesting reminiscences of 

 the Rannoch district, which extended over a period of thirty years. 

 The following exhibits were made : — Xoctua sabrosm, by Mr. Pierce ; 

 Devonshire and local Lepidoptera, by Mr. Tonkin ; Scotch Coleoptera 

 and Lepidoptera, by Mr. Birch ; Satumia jxivonia major, taken in the 

 south of France, by Mr. Gardner; K/jhestia kiVmicUa feeding on rice, 

 by Mr. Holt; and two species of the genus StiUcm, new to the local 

 list, by Mr. Wilding. — Frederick Birch, Joint Hun. Sec. 



Birmingham Entomological Society. — October 15th, 1900. — Mr. G. 



T. Bethune-Baker, President, in the chair. A letter was read from 

 Mr. C. A. E. Rodgers, mentioning the occurrence of Colias ednsa on 

 the golf-links at Handsworth, only about four miles from the centre of 

 Birmingham. Mr. T. Clarke exhibited a number of butterflies, mostly 

 taken in Yorkslnre forty years ago ; they were in excellent preserva- 

 tion. Mr. Bradley, Hyinenoptera taken at West Ruuton, Norfolk, iu 

 August labt — Tiphia ftiii'jratd, Mellinua sabiilvsm, Miinesa equestris, and 

 Astaia boops. Mr. F. A. Jackson, the following Coleoptera : — yotio- 

 philiis i-puiictatux, Bembidium monticohi, Tachypus Jiavipes — all from 

 Tonbridge ; Phtjllabrotica i-maculata from Bradgate (Leicestershire), 

 Criuceris asparcKji from Loughborough (Leicestershire), Apodenis coryli 

 from Haywood near Birmingham, Bnlaninus venoms from Buddon 

 Wood (Leicestershire), &c. Mr. H. Willoughby Ellis, the following 

 Hemiptera-Heteroptera from Stroud district : — .Eiia acuminata, vEli- 

 oides injiexus, Pentatoiiia verbasci, Dasi/coris hirticornis, Stenucephalus 

 arjilis, Sabis ni/fosiis ; also, from the Kuowle district, Anthocoris ne- 

 moruin, Monanthiacnrdiii, Scoiopostethiis contractus, Acantlwsoma yrisemn, 

 &c. ; also a number of Coleoptera from various places, including 

 Anoplodera sexfjuttata (New Forest, 1898), Acanthocinus cedilis (Wal- 

 sall, 1900), Larinus carlince (Stroud, June, 1900), Corymbites mieus 

 (Dovedale), Cteniopus sulphureiis (near Cromer), Melasis buprestoides 

 (Knowle), Bryaxis juncorum (Kuowle), &c. : also Sesia asiliformis (from 



