37 



Adkin exhibited 5. autuinnalis, L., from Blackheath. This 

 is its nearest ally, but it is very distinct. In mdumnalis the 

 flowers precede the leaves, and are purple with a bias 

 towards red. In verna the leaves appear first, and the 

 fragrant flowers are pale blue ; the pedicles are provided 

 with a long bract, which is not present in mduimialis. Again, 

 the inflorescence in aiiUivinalis is a short raceme, whilst in 

 verna it more nearly approaches a corymb. Both these 

 species differ from S. nutans, Sm., inter alia, by having the 

 segments of the perianth free and spreading, whilst in 

 nutans they are connected by their bases, and assume a bell 

 shape." 



Mr. Enock exhibited specimens of an exceedingly rare 

 fly, Polynema natans, Lub., one of the Myinaridce. It was 

 described in 1862 by Sir John Lubbock in the Linnasan 

 Society's Proceedings. This remarkable fly swims in water 

 by means of its wings. It is parasitic, the eggs being laid 

 in the ova of dragon-flies. He had been searching for it 

 some twenty years, but until now quite unsuccessfully. This 

 week a member of the Queckett Club had brought him vials 

 with a strange fly in, and he had since obtained several from 

 the same locality after considerable search. Sir John Lub- 

 bock's specimens, now all lost, were from Chislehurst. He 

 showed a male mounted for the microscope, and also a 

 living female swimming in the water. 



Mr. Carrington said that we were greatly indebted to Mr. 

 Enock for his interesting exhibit. It was the reward of 

 great perseverance, and showed how much interesting work 

 there still remained to be done in original investigation. 

 Mr. Enock said that if we collected less we should learn 

 more; even the life-history of the common house-fly was not 

 yet written, and of a hundred species of fairy flies the life 

 history of only one was known. 



Mr. Mansbridge then read a paper entitled " Prairie 

 Insects." 



In the discussion which ensued, Mr. Carrington said that 

 he was much interested in Mr. Mansbridge's remarks, as 

 many of them confirmed his observations in the Canadian 

 prairie regions. The stillness could be almost felt. At times 

 the Cicadas were in vast multitudes, and created an unbear- 

 able noise. The bullfrogs could be heard long distances, 

 and were locally known as the " Canadian band." In the 

 Eastern prairies dragon-flies were very numerous, clouds 

 coming out on either side as one walked through the tall 

 grass. As regards to what species the "mosquito" should 



