NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 65 



NOTES AND OBSEKVATIONS. 



Great Migration of "Bumble Bees." — On September 1st, 1905, 

 I noticed that a constant stream of bees was passing south, along the 

 narrow strip of sandbanks which divides Poole Harbour from the sea. 

 All the bees were going towards the thousands of acres of heather 

 in the Piirbeck Heaths, which were then a most glorious sheet of 

 purple blossom. Of course I expected to see the bees returning to 

 their nests, but, no — although I and several members of my family 

 watched most closely from 7.30 a.m. till dark each day — out of the 

 countless thousands of bees passing we never saw one with its head 

 north, all going steadily south ; this went on — the numbers slightly 

 decreasing — till September 13th, and then the direction of the stream 

 of bees suddenly changed and went north ; nor did we see any going 

 south again up to the time we left our cottage, on September 29th. 

 A specimen of these passing bees was caught and sent, through the 

 kindness of a friend, to an expert, who names it " Bomhus terrestris, 

 neuter sex." As I am an invalid, most of my time was spent in a 

 chair out of the house ; these passing bees interested me much, and I 

 watched them closely, as did all the others of my family, four or five 

 adults. We talked of the strange phenomenon to any calling friends, 

 yet from September 1st to September 13th none of us saw a bee going 

 north, but countless thousands, in a regular stream, going south ; 

 while from September 18th to September 29th all went north. We 

 were on the narrowest part of the sandbanks, where they are only 

 about sixty yards wide, so we could see from sea to sea ; and unless 

 the bees returned to their nests across many miles of open sea, or high 

 up in the air out of our sight, there was no return stream from 7.30 

 a.m. either day up to dark. As a rule the wind was strong, and the 

 bees had to seek the shelter of each bush or tuft of rushes to get on at 

 all. I shall be pleased to answer any inquiries. — Alex. M. Luckham ; 

 Combeleigh, Parkstone, Dorset, December 6th, 1905. 



The Entomological Club. — A meeting was held in the Entomo- 

 logical Salon at the Holborn Restaurant, on February 6th last. Mr. 

 Verrall, being the host, occupied the chair. Other members present 

 were Prof. Poulton, Messrs. Adkin, Chitty, Donisthorpe, and Hall, 

 and in addition to these there were over sixty guests. At the con- 

 clusion of a most excellent repast, which, in accordance with custom, 

 is styled supper, the Chairman, in proposing the Prosperity of the 

 Club, made an exceedingly happy speech, in which he touched on 

 recent matters electoral. A result of the General Election was also 

 the theme of Mr. Merrifield, President of the Entomological Society of 

 London, who proposed the health of Mr. Verrall. Afterwards Mr. 

 Jacoby played several charming solos on the violin, and these musical 

 intervals contributed much to the general enjoyment of the evening. 



The Honorary Secretary presented a List of the Members of the 

 Club from the earliest available date down to the present time, and a 

 resolution was passed that this should be accepted, duly recorded in 

 the archives of the Club, and pubhshed in the 'Entomologist.' The 

 subject of the Club's collections was mentioned, but not discussed. 



ENTOM. MARCH, 1906. G 



