300 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



he had been making upon different killing substances in order to 

 ascertain their effect upon the colours of insects; amongst other 

 things he had tried the fumes of sulphur, which certainly seemed to 

 preserve the reds and yellows of Diptera and Hymenoptera better 

 than ammonia or cyanide of potassium ; if anything the effect being 

 that the colours were heightened, not turned to black. On the whole 

 he recommended a trial of sulphur. — Colbran J. Wainwright. 



Carlisle Entomological and Natural History Society. — An 

 ordinary meeting of this Society was held at Tullie House on August 

 2nd, and, in the absence of the President, Mr. E. Leighton took the 

 chair. The report of the field-day, which took place on the second 

 race-day, was read; after which Mr. E, H. Day gave his paper on 

 "Natural-History Observations during a Trip to Loch Lomond." It 

 consisted of a list of birds and insects observed, with notes on the 

 circumstances under which they were seen. During the evening one 

 of the members casually mentioned that he had seen a whitish cock- 

 roach, whereupon an animated discussion took place on these interesting 

 but troublesome pests. Among the exhibits were Satuniia carpini, 

 Lasiocamjja rubi and L. quercus, also some varieties of Melitcsa aurinia, 

 by Messrs. J. and G. Willduson. Mr. G. Wilkinson had a box containing 

 the life-history of S. carpini, from the egg to the perfect insect. 



Auf/ust 16th. — The Rev. H. A. Macpherson (President) in the chair. 

 Mr. Wilkinson read an interesting paper on the entomological pro- 

 ductions of the first four months of 1894. In the course of the evening 

 the conversation turned on the sagacity of animals. The exhibits, as 

 usual, were numerous, including many hawk-moth and two specimens 

 of Acherontia atropos, one of which was caught last year at St. Ann's 

 Hill near Carlisle. Mr. Wilkinson showed a large number of preserved 

 larvfe. — John Buckle, Hon. Sec. 



OBITUARY. 



We learn with very great regret that Mr. William Maohin died of 

 apoplexy on August 13th last, aged 72 years. He was an expert field- 

 entomologist, and a most successful rearer of Micro-lepidoptera. It 

 was on the occasion of one his excursions in quest of some of these in 

 their earlier stages that he discovered the larvae of Phorodesma smarag- 

 daria on Artemisia. This fact was not made publicly known until 

 1886, when Mr. EHsha referred to it in a paper on the life-history of 

 the species read before the Entomological Society of London. Mr. 

 Machin was a frequent contributor to the early volumes of the * Weekly 

 Intelligencer,' which ceased its career in 1861 ; and he was an old and 

 valued correspondent of the 'Entomologist.' He did not often write at 

 any great length concerning the habits or life-histories of the rarer 

 species of Tortrices or Tiuens, with which he was so well acquainted ; 

 but he was ever ready to share his knowledge with those who sought 

 his assistance, provided he felt satisfied that his confidence would not 

 be abused. Mr. Machin was held in high estimation by a largo circle 

 of entomologists, and his death will be widely and deeply deplored. 



