SOCIETIES. 137 



strong teeth. The non-glandular part of this singular structure was 

 conjectured by its discoverer to be a stridulating organ ; but no evidence 

 of stridulation had been obtained. It was certainly far more complex 

 than most, if not all, other stridulating organs known to exist in 

 insects. Mr. G. J. Arrow communicated " Notes on the Eutelid genera 

 Anomala, Mimela, Popillia, and Strigoderma." — J. J. Walker and C. J. 

 Gahan, Hon. Sees. 



South London Entomological and Natural History Society. — 

 March 23rd, 1899.— Mr. J. W. Tutt, F.E.S., Vice-President, in the 

 chair. A communication was read from Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell, of 

 New Mexico, sent with the idea of raising a discussion. After stating 

 tbe facts that tropical species are, as a rule, much more easily separated 

 than the species of temperate regions, and that holarctic groups were 

 especially polymorphic, he went on to discuss the causes of these 

 phenomena. He noted that owing to conditional changes, such as the 

 various glacial desolations, in the temperate regions, species were ever 

 answering to this environment and being newly formed. In the tropics, 

 on the other hand, the environment was more stable, and no doubt 

 had been so for an indefinite period, hence the easier definibility of the 

 species in those regions. In the discussion which ensued, numerous 

 Palaaarctic groups of very closely allied species were mentioned, and 

 the necessity of naming the various forms, as a matter of convenience 

 for study and reference, was generally conceded. Mr. Montgomery 

 read notes on a series of broods of Pieris napi, reared originally from 

 ova deposited by a female from Enniskillen, compared with bred series 

 from Middlesex, to show the typical dimorphism. The Irish specimens 

 were especially noticeable for the brilliancy of the yellow on the 

 under sides. A long discussion ensued, and the members present 

 considered that it was most necessary, in all experiments of this nature, 

 that every specimen bred should be preserved with its label giving full 

 details. Mr. F. N. Clark exhibited specimens of the mite, Psoroptes 

 longirostris, taken from a rabbit, on which it produced a skin affection 

 and suppuration. Mr. Adkin, a wasp's nest of several cells, found in 

 a hand of tobacco from Kentucky. It was made of mud, and no doubt 

 the inhabitants were killed during the smoking process over wood fires. 

 Mr. Montgomery, numerous coloured drawings of the eggs and first 

 instar of the larvae of several species of British butterflies. 



April 13th. — Mr. A. Harrison, F.L.S., President, in the chair. 

 Mr. Crabtree, F.E.S., of Levenshulme, Manchester, was elected a 

 member. The evening was devoted to microscopy under the direction 

 of Mr. Scourfield, F.R.M.S.— Hy. J. Turner, Hon. Rep. Sec. 



Carlisle Entomological Society. — March 2nd, 1899. — Mr. James 

 Murray in the chair. The Chairman showed several species of the 

 genus Anaspis, viz. frontalis, melanopa, fasciata, and rujicollis, from 

 Carlisle. Mr. F. H. Day showed Bembidium monticola and B. rufescens, 

 taken on the banks of the Eden; Carabus granulosus and Oychrus 

 rostratus, from rotten wood at Durdar ; Philonthus fulvipes, StUicus 

 orbicularis, Quedius attenuatus, and Q. cinctus, from flood-refuse on the 

 banks of the Petteril. Mr. Gr. Wilkinson exhibited Micropteryx calthella , 

 M. aureatella, Eriocrania caledoniella, E. sanr/ii, E. semipurpurella, E. 

 purpurella, E. subpurpurella, and E. sparmanella, all taken in the Carlisle 



