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ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. 



FEBRUARY Uth, 1914. 

 Mr, B. Harold Smith, B.A., F.E.S., Preaident, in the chair. 



Mr. B. Williams of East Finchley and Prof. Raphael Meldola, 

 F.R.S., were elected members. 



Mr. H. Rowland-Brown spoke at some length on the question 

 of Nature Reserves, giving an account of what had been done 

 so far, and what it was proposed to do in the future. He pointed 

 out the extent of the financial obligations incurred for the regular 

 upkeep of the areas already acquired, and asked for farther 

 financial aid to cover this, and for any suggestions as to the 

 care and supervision of the reserves. 



Rev. G-. Wheeler read a paper, on " The Genus Melitmi." 

 (see page 1), and exhibited numerous forms of many of the 

 European species in illustration of his remarks. 



Mr. A. E. Gibbs exhibited his collection of species and forms 

 of the genus Melittm from the Nearctic Region, including M. 

 pht/ton, M. chalcedon, M. niaciilas/iani, M. niibiyena, M. editha, 

 M. ai((justa, M. tai/lori, 21. w/iitneyii, M. hofnianni, 21. (jabbii, 

 M. perse, M. /tarrisii, M. acastas, M. ivri(jhtii, M. iniiinta and 

 M. sierra, together with a number of species of the allied genus 

 Phi/ciudes from North and Central America. He communicated 

 the following notes : — 



It is difficult to find any tangible points of separation between 

 the two genera, and some authorities include most of the species 

 of P/n/ciodes I am showing, with another genus, Melitaa. The only 

 distinctive feature, so far as I can ascertain, is that the terminal 

 joint of the palpi in PJujciodes is more attenuated. Dr. Seitz, in 

 a recently published part of his great work, says that the groups 

 " cannot be distinguished by any constant characteristics, even 

 the most painstaking anatomical examination, nor even their 

 biology revealing such." In the " Biologia " P/ujciodes are 

 separated into two groups, those having the outer margin of the 



