SOCIETIES. 187 



April llth.^G. G, Barrett, F.E.S., Vice-President, in the chair. 

 Mr. Winldey, on behalf of Mr. Montgomery, of Ealing, exhibited and 

 read notes on a bred series of Xijssia hispidaria, Hb. One specimen 

 was whitish, without the central band, and having only the transverse 

 lines and apical streak dark grey ; another example was miiformly 

 smoky black. Mr. Edwards, male and female Dynastor napoleon, and 

 a specimen of Papilio martia, from Brazil. A discussion took place 

 as to the season, and the general opinion was that the present spring 

 was some three weeks later than last year. 



April 25th.— T. W. Hall, F.E.S., President, in the chair. Mr. 

 Ashdown, of Leatherhead, was elected a member. Mr. Frohawk 

 exhibited a variety of Papilio machaon, L., having ochreous yellow 

 blotches at the anal angle, and the blue markings almost white. It 

 was bred from Wicken larvae. Mr. Mansbridge, three melanic speci- 

 mens of Phiiialia pedaria, Fb., taken by him this year near Barnsley, 

 and remarked on the gradual extension of this variation. Mr. Adkin 

 said that Mr. South had taken a black example of the female at 

 Macclesfield. Mr. Moore, a specimen of Pterostichus madidiis, F., 

 which had been attacked by a Goidius. Mr. Turner, a specimen of 

 Plusia moneta. Fab., which was taken at West Wickham in July, 

 1894, by Mr. Slade, of Gellatly Koad, Hatcham; also a series of Spilo- 

 soma vienthastri, Esp., two specimens having only a few small dots on 

 the fore wings ; three Scotch forms with a darker ground, and having 

 the second line more or less complete, especially in one specimen. 



Ma)/ 9tk. — The President in the chair. Mr. Williams exhibited a 

 curious cluster of cocoons fastened on a twig in a caterpillar-like 

 group. Mr. T. W. Hall, a variety of Smerinthiis ocellatus, L., in which 

 the ocelli were considerably obscured. Mr. Enock, specimens of the 

 exceedingly rare fly Polynema nutans, Lub., one of the Mymarids, 

 which inhabits water, and lays its eggs in those of the dragonfly. In 

 describing it he said that it used its wings for swimming, and although 

 observed first in 1862 by Sir John Lubbock, had only been seen once 

 since. He himself had, until the present week, vainly looked for it. 

 Mr. Mansbridge then read an interesting paper on " Prairie Insects," 

 giving an account of the insect inhabitants of prairies in the Indian 

 territory other than Lepidoptera. In the discussion which ensued 

 Messrs. Pearce, ■ Carriugton, and Warne gave their experiences in 

 similar regions. — Hy. J. Turner, Hon. Pieport Sec, 



Birmingham Entomological Society. — March 18th, 1895. — Mr. 

 P. W. Abbott, Vice-President, in the chair. Mr. C. J. Wainwright 

 showed two specimens of a Zygcena from the New Forest, one of which 

 was sent to him as meliloti, but which he thought was unsatisfactorily 

 named ; Mr. Abbott believed them both to be trifolii. Mr. E. C. 

 Bradley showed a spider from Sutton which was much like Formica 

 rxifa in general appearance. Mr. P. W. Abbott, a nice series of Hes- 

 peria artixnn from Lulworth. Mr. E. C. Bradley, a box from his collec- 

 tion containing, amongst others, the Psychidae ; and he gave a short 

 description of the species, and remarked that they oftered a good field 

 for furtber work ; one Solenobia he possessed Mr. Barrett believed to be 

 new, and wished to see more specimens ; it was taken in Wyre Forest. 

 =-CojiBRAN J, Wainwright, Hon. Sec, 



