SOCIETIES. 311 



Nature." Mr. Claude Morley, F.E.S., communicated a paper entitled 

 '•Insects and the Balance of Nature: Elementary Notes on Ichneu- 

 mons." — Hy. J. Turner, Hon. Report Sec. 



Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society. — October 9th, 

 1899. — Mr. Charles Dalmer was elected a member of the Society. Mr. 

 Pierce read a letter from Mr. J. Williams, of Vyrnwy, on the enormous 

 number of a Dipteron which, during the past summer, infested the 

 lake and its neighbourhood. The President's exhibit included fine 

 melanic forms of Hemerophila abruptaria and Campiogramma biiineata. 

 Mr. Burgess- Sopp, Acanthocinus cedilis, taken at Cardiff; Phytosus nigri- 

 ventris, new to the British list^ taken at Hoylake ; and P. balticus 

 for comparison. He also briefly noted the history of P. nigriventris as 

 a recorded British species. Mr. Crabtree exhibited and remarked upon 

 a series of Tripha3nas, including Scotch extreme forms of T. orbona ; 

 also a drawer of the genus Taniocampa, including the var. gothicina of 

 T. gothica. Mr. Day showed rarities captured in the Fen and Broad 

 districts ; and a fine lot of bred insects. Mr. Tait exhibited his Monks- 

 wood captures, and gave his experiences with Thecla pruui and Apatura 

 iris ; also a description of the district. Chief among Mr. Price's 

 exhibits were Erebia medea, Agrotis tritici, Heliothis marginata, and 

 Rhodaria sanguinalis. Mr. Thompson exhibited Pericallia syringaria ; 

 and long series of Moss captures. Mr. Pierce read a note on Thera 

 variata and T. ubeliscata, and exhibited specimens. Mr. E. Birch 

 showed Uonacia cinerea from Hatch Mere, and remarked upon its 

 habits and the difficulty of collecting it. Dr. Cotton showed series of 

 ( 'arsia imbutata, Notodonta dictceoides, and Celcena haworthii from Simons- 

 wood Moss. The Bev. R. Freeman exhibited an interesting case of 

 Norfolk insects, including the beautiful Hylophila biculorana (quercana). 

 Mr. Tipping, series of Erebia medea and Melanthia rubiginata. Dr. 

 Chaster, Pyropterus affinis from Killarney ; and other Coleoptera from 

 Southport. Dr. Cotton said that Acherontia atropos had been fairly 

 common about St. Helen's this autumn. — Fredk. Birch, Hon. Sec. 



Kendal Entomological Society. — October 9th, 1899. — The Presi- 

 dent in the chair. In some opening remarks he recorded the attrac- 

 tiveness of sugar in the earlier part of the season, many long series 

 of good insects having been taken up till August, but having failed 

 to be of any use since then. As in other places, Vanessa atalanta and 

 Macroylossa stellatarum had been exceptionally abundant. Exhibits : — 

 Messrs. Holmes, fine series of Thyqtira batis, Dianthcecia carpophaga, 

 Gonoptera libatrix, Xylophasia sublnstris, and Acronycta menyanthidis, a 

 specimen of Agrotis precox (an unusual inland capture), and two fine 

 varieties — var. schmidtii of Chrysophanus (Polyommatus) phlceas, and a 

 specimen of Gonepteryx rhamni with an additional orange spot on each 

 fore wing near the outer margin. Mr. Littlewood, var. of Noctua /estiva 

 and black form of Boarmia repandata. Also fine series of Triplmna 

 fimbria, Arctia plantaginis and Satyrus semele (all bred). Rev. A. M. 

 Moss, a drawer of Geometry, dark northern forms of A. rumicis, series 

 of A. menyanthidis and Epinephele hyperanthus, from Carlisle; also a 

 score of newly preserved larvae. He also reported having failed to 

 capture a specimen of Sphinx convolvuli flying around tobacco plants 



