48 



instance all were laid singly. _ Mr. Sich said that, in cap- 

 tivity, this species laid its ova in batches. 



Mr. Ray ward also exhibited, on behalf of Mr. Pratt, a larva 

 of Geometra vernaria, taken on September 29th, 1906, at 

 Leatherhead, and wintered in a sleeve on a garden clematis. 

 It fed slowly in spring, but would not pupate, and ceased 

 feeding when other larvae of the same species spun up for 

 pupation. It was kept in a cool outhouse through the 

 present winter. 



Mr. Step exhibited specimens of the Jew's-ear fungus 

 {Hirneola auricula-judo) from Mickleham Downs ; and said 

 the species was a member of the simplest family (Tremel- 

 lineae) of the Hymenomycetes, the division which also con- 

 tained the Mushrooms and Toadstools. In the Tremellineae, 

 instead of the spores being produced on gills or in tubes, 

 they are borne on the exterior surface of a firm gelatinous 

 sporophore, which is merely thrown into a few folds. In dry 

 weather the substance shrivels and becomes horny, but has 

 the property of revival and expansion with the return of 

 moisture. The Jew's-ear is chiefly parasitic upon dead and 

 decorticated Elder stems, and its shape and position give it 

 a very striking resemblance to an ear, as was well shown by 

 a photograph accompanying the exhibit. 



Mr. Sich exhibited a transparent centimetre measure, 

 being an adaptation of the Lincoln Measure for Postage 

 Stamps, and recommended it as a useful arrangement for 

 measuring the expanse of lepidoptera. It was marked in 

 centimetres and millimetres. 



Dr. Hodgson exhibited photographs and pencil drawings 

 of some of the results of his hybridisation experiments on 

 the species of Orchidaceae, Ophrys aranifcra, 0. arachnites and 

 0. apifera in 1904 and 1905. He also showed specimens of 

 the seeds from the capsules of these hybrids. Lantern 

 slides illustrative of the same experiments were also ex- 

 hibited. 



The remainder of the evening was devoted to an exhibition 

 of lantern slides. 



Mr. Tonge showed slides of the ova of Pyrameis cardui, 

 Pachetra leucophcea, Nonagria neurica, etc. ; larva? of Bren- 

 tliis selene, Argvnnis paphia, var. valesina, etc.; cocoons of 

 Dicranura bicnspis, D. bifida, and D. vinula ; pupae of Nona- 

 gria geminipuncta and Abraxas grossulariata ; and imagines 

 of Pyrameis atalanta, asleep, Callophrys (Thecla) rnbi, Mgeria 

 sphegiformis, Notodonta trilophus, Cucullia umbratica, Calo- 

 campa exoleta, etc. 



