SOCIETIES. 119 



bred true. The proportion of the local form of the type varied from 

 16 to 33 per cent, in the different generations, so the experiment is 

 being continued, and when complete, or ending owing to failure from 

 inbreeding, the results will be published. — Mr. W. Mansbridge also 

 contributed a note on the insects taken on the occasion of the 

 summer field meeting at Eccleston Mere in June, 1917. The most 

 interesting captures were Ghoreutes myllerana {scintillulana), Adela 

 degeerella, and Argyresthia curvella, these being first records for 

 South Lancashire. Another interesting record was the melanic 

 variation of Eupithecia castigata, which, although not uncommon in 

 South Lancashire, gives a new locality for its occurrence. — Mr. W. J. 

 Lucas sent for exhibition the interesting earwigs, Prolahia arachkUs, 

 from the bone works at Acton Bridge, Cheshire, a naturalised alien, 

 and Ai^terygida alhipennis from Sudbury, and generously presented 

 the specimens to the Society's collection. — Mr. Rigby, who was 

 present as a visitor, showed a beautiful collection of exotic Hemiptera, 

 several of which seemed to be " mimics " of Lepidoptera. — Wm. 

 Mansbridge {Hon. Sec). 



Meeting held at the Royal Institution, Colquitt Street, Liverpool, 

 February 18th, 1918, Mr. Wm. Webster, President, in the chair. — 

 Mr. F. N. Pierce exhibited Cidaria minna from Formosa and Assam, 

 also, for comparison, C. otregiata, C. sttfimiata, and C. silaceata. 

 Mr. Pierce stated that he had examined the genitalia of these closely 

 allied insects and had found them to be different from each other ; it 

 had been suggeted that otregiata was identical with minna but this 

 was not so, besides the differences in the genitalia the wing-markings 

 were distinctly different. Mr. Pierce further exhibited a specimen 

 of Oinophila v-flavum captured in the heart of Liverpool, Cedestis 

 farinatella and Epihlema solandriana var. sinuana from Delamere; 

 Depressaria nervosa from Sales Wood ; Eupcecilia alismana (iidana) 

 and Schcenobius forficellus from Tansor, Northants. — Mr. E. Wilding 

 exhibited and contributed notes upon the following species of 

 Coleoptera all taken in his garden at Walton on the outskirts of 

 Liverpool, viz. : Notiophilus biguttatus, Harpalus ceneus, Pristonychus 

 terricola, Creophikis maxillosus, Philonthiis laminatus, P. varians, 

 Telephorus rustica, Agriotes sputator, and Coccinella bipunctata ; he 

 further showed specimens of Ptinus tectus from the neighbourhood 

 of Liverpool Docks. — Wm. Mansbridge, Hon. Sec. 



Carlisle Natural History Society. — November 23rf/, 1917. — 

 After a period of inactivity this Society decided to hold a short 

 series of winter meetings for the exhibition of specimens and record- 

 ing of matters of local interest in general natural history. — Mr. 

 Geo. B. Routledge, F.E.S., was elected President, Mr. L. E. Hope, 

 F.L.S., Curator of Carlisle Museum, Hon. Treasurer and Librarian, 

 and Mr. F. H. Day, F.E.S., Hon. Secretary. 



December ISth, 1917. — Mr. Routledge exhibited Vespa crabro from 

 Colchester, and for comparison various common wasps, and stated 

 that, although he had had the local occurrence of V. crabro frequently 

 reported to him, he had always found on inquiry that the reports 

 referred to queen wasps. He beUeved that the hornet had not been 

 found so far north as Cumberland. — Mr. Hope exhibited several 



