28 



var. uniliiwa of Macrothj/lacia ritbi : and a very nice form of 

 Camptoi/ramma hilineata with the " outer edge of the forewings 

 dark almost to the tip," taken at Sandown in July, 1910. 



Mr. H. Main exhibited examples of various orders of insects to 

 show how they could be reared in captivity, and the metamorphoses 

 watched. The insects were prevented from diying up by being 

 kept in glass topped tins. loto these was first poured some plaster- 

 of-paris, made into a cream with water, and when this had set two 

 layers of blotting paper were put on top. This made a convenient 

 cage for observation, and was easily cleaned when necessary by 

 changing the blotting paper. A family of earwigs hatched from 

 eggs laid in captivity, hibernating Syrphid larvas, and galls on 

 cabbage stems containing larvae of Ceut/wrlnjiichiia pleai-ont'uima 

 (snlcicollis) were shown in these boxes. 



MARCH 2-ird, 1911. 



Mr. Stanley A. Blenkarn, of Beckenham, was elected a member. 



The President exhibited a series of Xi/lina confnruiis from 

 Llantrissant, Glamorganshire, with the exception of one specimen 

 labelled Leigh, Essex, which, in the light of what we know of the 

 habitats of this species, badly wants confirmation. It was remarked 

 how exceedingly local and rare this species was, considering it was 

 a regular inhabitant, and not a migratory species. It was likely 

 that it occurred in many suitable localities in S. Wales, but the 

 general character of the district was uninviting to an Entomologist 

 on account of the extensive mining operations, and it was possible 

 that the species was far commoner than generally supposed. It 

 was widely distributed and common throughout Central Europe. 



Mr. J. P. Barrett said that he had taken a specimen of the species 

 at Margate, a number of years ago. 



Mr. Newman exhibited portions of the stems of osier, showing 

 the damage done by birds to extract the larvae of Trochiliuni beinbeci- 

 foriiie. This occurred during the last fortnight. Quite f in. of 

 wood had to be pierced to reach the larva. 



Mr. Newman also called attention to the devastation caused by 

 some hitherto unknown disease among bees. It was said that not 

 a single hive was left on the Isle of Wight, and that now the 

 scourge had spread over the greater part of Sussex into Kent, 

 Surrey and Hampshire. It portended great injury to the fruit 

 'crops for this year. Strawberry growers already anticipated an 

 almost total loss of their season's crop. Little seemed to be known 



