SOCIETIES. 



21 



number of species of the genus Pararge from the continent of 

 Europe, and remarked on the diverse habits of some of the species. 

 — Mr. Turner, examples of most of the species in the genus Pararge 

 {sens, lat.), arranged as they are in the National Collection to show 

 the sub-generic divisions in illustration of his paper, "The Genus 

 Pararge." A considerable discussion took place, in which it was 

 advanced that in a genus with a large number of species it was 

 necessary to consider them in groups ; that the giving of special 

 names for such groups was much to be deprecated, especially as 

 they often had no particular significance when given ; that in the 

 case of the very large genus Papilio one spoke of a group by the 

 name of a conspicuous member of it, e.g. the macliaon-gro\x^ ; that 

 the species sometimes fell naturally into groups by their habits, 

 e.g. cegeria, etc., shade-loving ; megcera, etc., sun-loving, etc. — Mr. 

 Frohawk reported the occurrence of Anosia plexipims in Ireland, 

 and gave a resume of the extension of the range of this species. A 

 discussion then took place, in which ifc was advanced that migration 

 in many cases appeared to be a voluntary act. — Henry J. Turner. 



Manchester Entomological Society. — October ith, 1916. — 

 Exhibition evening. — The following were the exhibits : — Mr. B. H. 

 Crabtree, a series of L. agon ab. masseyi from Witherslack ; also a 

 nice selection of P. c-album reared from larvae from a female insect 

 taken in the Wye Valley, May, 1916. — Mr. W. Mansbridge, Macaria 

 alternata from Witherslack, M. liiurata, Delamere, also var. nigro- 

 fulvata, from the same locality, M. notata from Burnt Wood, Bomo- 

 lochafontis, Ephyra 2iendularia, var. suhroseata, Eurymene dolahraria, 

 Asthena sylvata, Eucosma undulata, Eupithecia satyrata, and var. 

 callunaria, E. plumbeolata, all from Burnt Wood ; E. venosata, 

 Witherslack, and E. indigata, Delamere ; Bupalus piniaria, two 

 forms of the female from Delamere ; Lyccena icarus, asymmetrical 

 female, one side nearly ab. arcuata and the other side var. icarinus, 

 from Crosby sandhills ; Pcedisca rubiginosana, taken at Delamere. — 

 Mr. C. F. Johnson, series of N. hccina from Witherslack, M. notata, 

 M. hastata from Burnt Wood, two yellow vars. of A. grossulariata, 

 and a long series of L. agon from Witherslack and the New Forest, 

 showing a marked local difference. — Mr. L. Ward, various hand- 

 coloured drawings by himself of Lepidoptera in all stages ; also a 

 number of specimens illustrating the lepidopterous fauna of the 

 district round Chew Valley. 



November 1st, 1916. — Mr. A. Binns gave an address on "Bees." 

 He confined his remarks to Apis mellifica and its varieties — 

 English, Italian, and Dutch. He dealt first with the anatomy, 

 mentioning the distinguishing features of queens, drones, and 

 workers, and gave some interesting personal experiences of 

 bee-keeping, embodying in his paper a good deal of valuable 

 information and many useful facts. On an average it takes 11 lb. 

 of honey to make 1 lb. of wax. The life of a worker bee hatched 

 during the summer is about six to eight weeks, during which time it 

 manages to gather something like 2 oz. of honey. If the bee hatches 

 out in, say, August it usually lives through the winter. A swarm of 

 bees weiglis from 4 lb. to 8 lb. — The address was followed by a lively 



