SOCIETIES. 67 



Jamiary 10th, 1895.— Mr. T. W. Hall, Vice-Presideut, in the chair. 

 Mr. Thoriihill, Castle Cosy, Ireland, and Mr. Brooks, Grange Hall, 

 Kotherham, were elected members. Mr. C. G. Barrett exhibited a 

 specimen oillydnUa paliistih, Hb., from Wicken, and four specimens of 

 Caradrina ambigua, Fb,, from the Isle of Wight. One of the latter had 

 an indentation in the hind margin of the fore wing, which was perfectly 

 ciliated. The malformation had caused the orbicular and reuiform on 

 that side to coalesce. Mr. Tatt stated that the species he had reported 

 as C. superstes, Tr., had turned out to be a form of C. ambigua, but lie 

 was of opinion that some of his Deal captures were C. superstes. Mr. 

 W. A. Pearce, a bred specimen of Aclierontia atropos, L. It was stated 

 that the pupa of this species had no free segments, and was thus 

 unable to work its way through the earth. Mr. Carriugton, the 

 sections of wood naturally stained, which had recently been described 

 and figured in ' [Science Gossip ' ; also a series of dendritic crystals on 

 flints from Chatliam, Kent, and described their origin and composition. 

 Mr. E. Adkin, bred specimens of Vanessa uriiciR, L., from, JSutherland, 

 one of which had the central costal and the inner marginal blotch 

 united. Mr. Tutt gave an interesting account of a change in number 

 of spots of a race of Zygcena trifoUi, Esp., within the last fifteen years. 

 In the discussion which followed, several members gave instances of a 

 small six-spotted Zggcena being taken early in June m various localities. 

 Mr. Carrington gave a short summary of the spread and increase of 

 melanism during the last twenty years. Communications were read 

 from Mr. Step, Porscatho, Falmouth, and from Mr. Brooks, Eotherham. 

 Mr. Tutt read a paper on '' Zygana ochsenhci)neii, Zell., and its varieties," 

 and exhibited a long series in illustration. — H. J . Turner, Hon. Rep. Sec. 



Birmingham Entomological Society. — y^ovember 19f/i, 1894. — Mr. 

 G. T. Bethune-Baker, Vice-President, in the chair. Exhibits : — 

 Mr. P. W. Abbott, Sesia sphegiformis from Wyre Forest; also a short 

 series of Caradrina ambigua, the insect taken at Freshwater, Isle of 

 Wight, which has been recorded in error as C. superstes; Uydnlla 

 palustris from Wicken, and Leucania albipuncta from Freshwater. Mr. 

 E. C. Bradley, Diptera as follows : — Idioptera pidchella, Mg., from 

 Sutton, with its semi-apterous female ; Lvmnohia nigropunctata , Sch., 

 from Sutton and Wyre Forest ; and Trimicra pilipcs from Tring. Mr. 

 C. Eung, Erebia cethiups from Witherslack, &c. Mr. A. H. Martineau, 

 a series of the genus Vespa ; also a specimen of Crabro quadrimaculatus, 

 with an unusual amount of yellow on the abdomen, giving it a quite 

 unusual appearance. Mr. C. J. Wainwright, a box of Hymenoptera, 

 including a specimen of Bumbus derhainellus with no yellow on the 

 front of the thorax, from Sutton. Mr. H. J. Sands, living Vanessa 

 c-aibum, bred two months before from a brood, some of which remain 

 in the pupal stage now. — Colbran J. Wainwright, Hon. Sec. 



Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society. — December 10th, 

 1894.— Mr. S. J. Capper, F.L.S., F.E.S., President, in the chair. 

 Messrs. Harry Jackson, of Bolton, and Ehodes, of Accrington, were 

 elected members of the Society. Mr. Eobert Newstead, of the 

 Grosvenor Museum, Chester, gave an almost complete account of the 

 hfe-history of Scolytus rugulusus, Eatz., one of ihe rarer wood-boring 

 Coleoptera, and gave detailed descriptions of the boring and ova- 



