422 
YORKSHIRE ENTOMOLOGISTS. 
Tue Annual Meeting of the Entomological Section of the Yorkshire 
Naturalists’ Union was held in the Leeds Institute on Saturday, October 
25th, nearly forty members and associates being present. Mr. W. Fal- 
coner occupied the Chair, Exhibits were numerous and varied, com- 
prising species representing most of the orders oi the Insecta, many of 
them of exceptional interest. Each was described by the exhibitor, and 
then passed round for inspection. Coleoptera were brought by Dr. Ford- 
ham and Messrs Thompson, Cribb, and Bayford. The last-named also 
exhibited on behalf of Mr. E. C. Horrell a large number of species of 
exceptional interest, including many melanic forms and several examples 
of asymmetry. Of Lepidoptera was a short series of L. marginata shown 
by Mr. Hooper, while of A. caja a few slight variations occurred in series 
shown by Messrs. Cocker, Hooper, Whitaker and Wright, Mr. W. Dyson 
passed round an interesting form of B. guercus var. callunae from the Peni- 
stone Moors; one of three similar specimens he had bred, in which the pale 
band shaded gradually into the darker colour of the wing. Dr. Smart 
showed a curious hybrid between N. zonaria and N. hispidaria and a fine 
melanic form of A. vufina, among many other interesting specimens. Mr. 
Hewett exhibited D. galii, and Mr. Porritt a fine series of 4. grossulariata 
var. nigvo-sparsata bred from wild Huddersfield larve. One case of especial 
interest was submitted by Mr. B. Morley, and contained a number of 
lepidoptera from the Skelmanthorpe district, as well as the ichneumons 
with their cocoons, which had been bred from them. In one case not only 
the host and parasite but a hyperparasite also were to be seen. 
A pupa of S. carpini from which the imago should have emerged last 
spring and was still in an apparently healthy condition, despite the fact 
that three ichneumon cocoons had been removed from the larger cocoon 
which contained it was shewn by Mr. Barraclough of Low Moor. A 
discussion ensued as to whether or not an insect which had been attacked 
in the larval state by ichneumons ever reached the perpect state. Dr. 
Croft brought several interesting cases of Alpine species. Hymenoptera 
were shown by Messrs. Roebuck, Musham, Bradley and Bayford, and 
Trichoptera by Mr. Craven. In Grthoptera Mr. Porritt exhibited the 
three rare species Forficula lesnet, Aptervgida albipennis and Decticus 
veryuccivorus taken by him in East Kent in September, and Mr. Bayford 
showed a specimen of Periblaneta austvalasiae which had been imported 
into Barnsley in bananas. In Arachnida the President showed a number 
of Harvest mites. 
The election of officers for the ensuing year then took place. At the 
evening meeting reports for the year were submitted by the secretaries 
of the various sections, and approved. Professor Garstang kindly gave a 
hearty invitation to members to inspect the collection of Lepidoptera 
recently acquired by the University of Leeds, which was gladly accepted. 
A paper on ‘Asymmetry in Coleoptera,’ with special reference to the 
specific identity of Notiophilus 4-punctatus Dej,’ was read by Mr. Bayford. 
The argument which was illustrated by means of diagrams and specimens 
shewing both asymmetry and unequal coloration, tended to prove that 
N. 4-punctatus was at most an extreme variety of N. biguttatus. A short 
discussion ensued. 
The President, Mr. Falconer, read a paper on ‘ Harvest Mites or Har- 
vestmen,’ and exhibited all the species (15) found in the country. Struc- 
ture, and habits, means of offence and defence were each in turn lucidly 
described. Special attention was drawn to the power these creatures 
possess, in common with crustaceans, of throwing off a limb, a fresh one 
growing to replace the one cast off. Cases had been observed where only 
one out of the full complement of eight legs remained. 
Votes of thanks were accorded to Messrs. Bayford and Falconer for their 
contributions, and to the Leeds members for providing the room.—E.G.B. 
Naturalist, 
