'2'd'2 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



of Libelliila depressa and L. quadrimaculata, with \av. prmiubila : also 

 larvffi of Thecla hetula : all were collected at Epping. — Mr. Harrison, 

 long series of Ampliidaays betularia, including six gynandrous specimens, 

 all bred from ova laid by a New Forest parent.— Hy, J. Turner, 

 Hon. Bep. Sec. 



Birmingham Entomological Society. — June nth, 1901. — Mr. H. 

 Willoughby Ellis, Vice-President, in the chair. — Mr. Waiuwright 

 showed a specimen of the rare Dipteron, Brachy palpus bimacuUttus, 

 Mcq., taken at West Malvern in ^Yhitsun week, 1901. — Mr. H. W. 

 Ellis exhibited the following Coleoptera : — Cychrus roxtratus, from 

 Dovedale ; Pterosticlnis striola, with its eggs, also from Dovedale ; 

 Phytodecta rufipes and Apoderus coryli, both from Knowle ; and Elate)- 

 pomoru))), from Cannock ; also the curiously coiled-up leaves in which 

 are laid the eggs of Attelabns ciircidionoides and Depordus betula:. — Mr. 

 A. D. Imms showed an immature specimen of PhyHodromia yermaiiica, 

 taken in the University Buildings, Birmingham, and said that he 

 believed it to be the first known midland specimen. — Mr. A. H. 

 Martineau said that he had taken male and female of the rare ant, 

 Myrmecina latreilUi, at Cannock Chase, the nearest place from which 

 he had it before being Selsley, Glos. — Mr. R. C. Bradley showed 

 Anisoptery.v ascularia, taken in the city boundaries near Cannon Hill. 

 — Mr. G. W. Wynn, long and nice series of Taniin-ampa yracilis, T. 

 instabilis, T. rubricosa, all taken at sallows at Hampton-in-Arden this 

 year ; also Cucullia chauiomilltF, from Marston Green. — Colbran J. 

 Wainwright, Hon. Sec. 



RECENT LITERATURE. 



D. J. ScouRFiELD. The Sicimminy Pecidiarities of Daphnia and its 

 Allies, irith on Account of a Neic Method of examininy liriny Ento- 

 nwstraca and similar Oryanisms. (1900, .Journ. Quekett Microsc. 

 Club (2), vii. pp. 395-404 ; seven text figures.) 



Although papers upon Crustacea do not strictly come witbin the 

 scope of the ' Entomologist,' Mr. Scourfield's interesting biological 

 contribution may be studied with advantage by workers at other 

 groups of aquatic Arthropoda. 



In addition to the morphological distinctions between the four 

 genera into which Daphnia of the older authors is now divided, the 

 author points out a fundamental difference in the swimming habits of 

 Daphnia and Ceriodapknia, on the one hand, and Simocephalus and 

 Scapholeberis on the other, the two former always swimming either 

 vertically or obliquely back uppermost, the two latter always swimming 

 more or less obliquely back downwards, so constantly so that it is im- 

 possible to mistake a swimming Daphnia for a swimming Simocephalus, 

 even with unaided vision. To ascertain the causes of these differences, 

 a method — detailed at length — was devised '' of suspending the animals 

 by the top of their heads in such a way that they could use their 

 antennae and all other organs with perfect freedom, and yet not alter 

 their position in the water." This proved that the direction of the 



