SOCIETIES. 



135 



landed, after a delightful trip up the west coast of Scotland, at Fort 

 William in the evening of the 18th. From thence, wheeling their tw-o 

 hundred pounds of luggage (camping, entomological, and photographic 

 apparatus), they proceed inland to the foot of Ben Nevis. Here they 

 stayed for two days — climbing the mountain, exploring the glen, and 

 learning "what Nature can do in the way of adornment when left to 

 herself." On the 20th they entrained for Eannoch. Arrived there, 

 they restocked their bos with provisions from the single store, and 

 started on a twelve mile walk to the far-famed Black Wood of Rannoch, 

 lying on the flanks of the hills forming the southern shore of Loch 

 Rannoch. Here, betwixt the wide loch and the deep wood, they en- 

 camped, and for nine delightful days, lived a wild, free, gipsy life, collect- 

 ing the insects, observing the wild mammals and birds, and revelling in 

 the primitive loveliness by which they were surrounded. The finest 

 bird seen was an eagle, which the essayist observed (mobbed by lap- 

 wings) in its stately flight over the Black Wood. Amongst the rare 

 species of Coleoptera taken may be mentioned Saperda scalaris Eros 

 aurora, and Trickias fusciatus. Of Lepidoptera, the best were, DasyJia 

 o'lfuscata and Psodos trepidaria. Mr. Pierce proposed a vote of thanks 

 to Mr. Birch for his paper, which was carried unanimously. The Rev. 

 C. J. Buckmaster, of Wigan, gave some mteresting reminiscences of 

 the Rannoch district, which extended over a period of thirty years. 

 The following exhibits were made : — NQctua subrosea, by Mr. Pierce ; 

 Devonshire and local Lepidoptera, by Mr. Tonkin ; Scotch Coleoptera 

 and Lepidoptera, by Mr. Birch ; Satumia pavonia major, taken in the 

 south of France, by Mr. Gardner ; Epkestia kuhniella feeding on rice, 

 by Mr. Holt ; and two species of the genus StiUcus, new to the local 

 list, by Mr. Wilding. — Frederick Birch, Joint Hon. Sec. 



BiRMiMGHAM ENTOMOLOGICAL SociETY. — October 15th, 1900, — Mr. G. 

 T. Bethune-Baker, President, in the chair. A letter was read from 

 Mr. C. A. E. Rodgers, mentioning the occurrence of Colias edusa on 

 the golf-links at Handsworth, only about four miles from the centre of 

 Birmingham. Mr. T. Clarke exhibited a number of butterflies, mostly 

 taken in Yorkshire forty years ago ; they were in excellent preserva- 

 tion. Mr. Bradley, Hyraenoptera taken at West Runton, Norfolk, in 

 August last — Tiphia/tmoratii, MeLlinus sabulosw^, Mimesa eg uestr is, Ojiid 

 Astaia boops. Mr. F. A. Jackson, the following Coleoptera : — ^otio- 

 philua 4.-puiictatux, Bt-mbidium monticola, Taclnjpus Jiavipes — all from 

 Tonbridge ; Phyllubrotica i-mnculata from Bradgate (Leicestershire), 

 Cridcer's asparagi from Loughborough (Leicestershire), Apoderus conjli 

 from Haywood near Birmingham, Balaninua venoaus from Buddon 

 Wood (Leicestershire), &c. Mr. H. Willoughby Ellis, the following 

 Hemiptera-Heteroptera from Stroud district : — .iV/a acuminata, Mli- 

 aides injiexus, Fentatonia verbasci, Dasf/coris hirticornis, Stenocephaliis 

 affilis, Sabis riu/osus ; also, from the Kuowle district, Antliocoris ne- 

 morum, Monanllda cardai, Sco^opostethus contractus, Acanthosomagrisemn, 

 &c. ; also a number of Coleoptera from various places, including 

 Aiioplodna sexguttata (New Forest, 1893), Acanthocinus cedilis (Wal- 

 sall, 1900), Larinus carUnce (Stroud, June, 1900). Corymbitcs aneaa 

 (Dovedale), Cteniopus sidphureus (near Cromer), Melasis bupreaUddes 

 (Knowle), Bryaxis juncorwn (Knowle), &c. ; also Seda asiii/ormis (from 



