138 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



ready to help those who are ignorant ? I think not, if there is 

 any real need for help. Has anyone ever had a doubtful insect 

 that he was at a loss to identify, and has met with a refusal ? I 

 do not know what the experience of others may be, but for my 

 part I have always found them most willing and ready to help in 

 such matters, where help is really of service. But if there are 

 still entomologists who long to help the novice, and are not 

 satisfied with the above means, there is yet another way. Might 

 not some body of men form a collection of British insects of all 

 orders, correctly named and in good condition, and let them out, 

 under specified regulations, to entomologists all over the country ? 

 I am sure that there must be many entomologists, experienced 

 and inexperienced, living in distant parts of the kingdom, who 

 would give a great deal to have the chance of seeing a well- 

 authenticated series of any particular family or genus that they 

 were working, and would regard such a collection as the greatest 

 boon. I think there would be no difficulty whatever in getting 

 such a collection together, for I feel sure that everyone would be 

 only too willing to help with specimens for such a purpose. — 

 T. D. A. Cockerell; Bedford Park, Chiswick, March 3, 1885. 



Cambridge Entomological Society. — The annual meeting 

 of this society was held on February 7th. The number of 

 members has been lately increasing, and now reaches twenty- 

 four. There was a good attendance, and several interesting 

 exhibits were shown. Mr. Bryan's five cases of Ceylon Lepi- 

 doptera led the way. The President, Mr. John Brown, showed 

 two cases of British Coleoptera. Mr. Alfred Jones showed some 

 fine series of Cymatophora octogesima (ocularis) and Acronycta 

 strigosa taken at Cambridge in the past season. Mr. Wheeler 

 kindly lent some examples of Norfolk fen-insects : among them 

 were Nonagria canncB, N. hrevilinea, Senta maritima [ulvce), varie- 

 ties, and Apamea ophiogramma ; also Phorodesma smaragdaria. 

 The Hon. Sec, Mr. Cropper, exhibited Bryopiliila par, Meliana 

 Jiammea, Tapinostola helbnanni, Nonagria neurica from this 

 neighbourhood ; also specimens of the latter from Lancashire, 

 and a male of Odonestis Rotatoria of the normal colour of the 

 female, bred from a cocoon taken at Wicken Fen. It was 

 specially noticed, among the work done by members in the past 

 year, that Messrs. J. Brown and A. Jones had been successful in 

 taking the larvae of Baiikia argentula in the fens. — W. F. H. 

 Blandford ; Trinity College, Cambridge, February 2(i, 1885. 



