22 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society. — November 13th, 

 1899. The President in the chair. Messrs. Tyerman, Harrison, 

 Ackerby, Tonkin, and Dr. Chaster were elected members. Messrs. 

 C. E. Stott, of Bolton ; Clias. Farrar, of Liverpool; and Dr. Dobie, of 

 Chester, were proposed for membership. Mr. C. G. Barrett, F.E.S., 

 of London, gave an address on " The hairy eyes and abdominal tufts 

 of Lepidoptera." In it he showed that though other characters must 

 be relied upon for families, yet these features might be used to classify 

 genera. In following out this plan he had found it necessary to 

 divide the genera Cymatophora and Mamestra (amongst others) into 

 hairy-eyed and smooth-eyed groups. He further found that in the 

 latter genus the hairy-eyed species were produced from hairy larvae, 

 and the smooth-eyed from smooth larv^. This was afterwards shortly 

 discussed. He then referred to the ornamental and other tufts as 

 being also useful for distinguishing genera, and showed by sketches 

 how the abdominal tufts were in many cases of great use in keeping 

 the spiracles free from dust. Mr. Barrett concluded his interesting 

 address with a reference to Mr. Capper's magnificent collection of 

 varieties, and the benefit he had derived from the study of them. 

 Mr. John E. Eobson, F.E.S., of Hartlepool, then addressed the meet- 

 ing on the subject of " Arrangement." He spoke of the value of 

 Stainton's Manual, and considered that his placing of Papilio at the 

 head of the Rhopalocera was justifiable, as the genus possesses a greater 

 degree of all-round perfection than "any other. He thought that no 

 system of classification could be perfect which was not based on total 

 characteristics. How unreliable external characters often are he 

 shoAved by reference to the close mimetic resemblances of many exotic 

 butterflies belonging in reality to widely separated families. Mr. 

 Robson concluded his remarks with a warm testimony to the value of 

 the value of the work of the older entomologists. Mr. Newstead 

 expressed his surprise at the attempt ever having been made to classify 

 Lepidoptera by their wing-markings only, and thought that such an 

 attempt was bound to prove futile. He referred to Mr. John Watson's 

 Monograph of the Asiatic genus Calinaya, which the society had just 

 received, as a step in the right direction. Mr. Newstead then detailed 

 the interesting life-history of Selandria atra, the pear-tree sawfly, as 

 observed by himself, and exhibited a case of specimens illustrating it 

 throughout. To destroy them he recommended the use of Paris-green. 

 He also communicated notes on Piophila casei, the cheese-hopper, 

 showing how very tenacious of life it was, by the fact of larvfe which 

 had been subjected to water, methylated spirit, glycerine, and absolute 

 alcohol producing perfect insects ! The following exhibits were made : — 

 Species of the genus Oporabia with genitalia photographs, by Mr. F. N. 

 Pierce ; eleven drawers of Lepidoptera taken at the Chester electric 

 lamps, including Amphidasys betularia (type, black and intermediate 

 vars.), Acronycta alni, Ephestia splendideLla, &c., by Dr. Dobie ; vars. of 

 Abraxas ulmata and A. grossulariata, by Mr. B. H. Crabtree ; spring 

 captures in the New Forest, by Dr. Cotton ; an ingenious device for 

 setting Lepidoptera with greater accuracy, by Mr. Geo. 0. Day ; a case 

 of Lepidoptera, by Mr. J. Collins; pupte of Nemeobius lucina, by Mr. 

 Prince ; a box of insects for distribution, by Mr. John Robson ; Cleora 

 glabraria, a new record for North Wales, by Mr. F. Birch, Hon. Sec. 



