57 



localities I do not think this early promise can be regarded as having 

 been fulfilled. 



A few fine varieties have been taken, among those I have seen 

 perhaps the most striking being a wonderful Pyraineis cardiii, bred 

 by Mr. R. M. Prideaux, from a pupa found wild by him at Brasted 

 Chart, Kent; Broitlds enphrosipic, taken near Eastbourne by Mr. E. 

 P. Sharp, with the ground-colour of all four wings cream colour ; 

 and Afirindea thetia, taken at Folkestone by Mr. L. W. Newman. 



During the past year an association has been founded, under the 

 presidency of the Rt. Hon. W. J. Lowther, M.P., called the Society 

 for the Promotion of Nature Reserves. The council includes a 

 number of well-known naturalists, and the object in view is to 

 ■collect all information possible regarding areas of land in the 

 United Kingdom which yet retain their primitive characteristics, 

 and harbour rare and local species of fauna and flora ; and to devise 

 means whereby such may be preserved from extinction, and secured 

 for the enjoyment of posterity in their natural state. No subscrip- 

 tion is asked for from members, who are elected by invitation of the 

 ■executive committee. 



An event of considerable importance to our members during the 

 year was the purchase of Box Hill. This favourite locality has 

 been seriously threatened for some time past with the very unwel- 

 come attentions of the builder, but it has now happily, and through 

 the munificence of a private individual, been purchased outright 

 •and handed over to the National Trust for preservation in its 

 natural state in perpetuity. 



The study of Entomological Science is so widespread nowadays, 

 and such a very large number of the inhabitants of our globe are 

 'interested in it to a greater or lesser extent, that it becomes inevit- 

 able year by year for an increasing number to be removed from 

 amongst us. During the past year we have had to deplore the loss 

 of one of our oldest members. The Rt. Hon. Sir John Lubbock, 

 iirst Baron Aveburj^, who passed away on May 28th, at his residence 

 'near Ramsgate, at the age of 79. He was at the time of his death 

 Senior Fellow of the Entomological Society of London, having been 

 ■elected in 1850, and during his long term of fellowship he twice 

 occupied the presidential chair, as well as serving frequently on the 

 ■Council, and contributing many valuable papers to its transactions. 

 Among entomologists he was familiar to all as the author of "Ants, 

 Bees and Wasps," "The Origin and Metamorphoses of Insects," 

 "British Wild Flowers considered in their relations to Insects," 

 " Monograph of the CoUembola and Thysanura," etc., etc. ; while to 



