lG-1 [June. 



details. He was elected into the Soeietc Entomologique de France in 1835, and in 

 1885 became Honorary Member. Since 1869 he was a Member of the Entomological 

 Society of London. He first came into prominent notice as an Entomologist through 

 his " Essai Monographique sur la Famille des Histerides," commenced in 1853, and 

 continued (with Supplements) for many years. Outside this he published a Catalogue 

 of European Cofeoptera, which was re-edited as occasion required. In 1864 he 

 originated a journal known as " L'Abeille," devoted we may say almost exclusively 

 to his own work, and mainly to European Coleoptera (we have Vol. xxvi, 1889, now 

 before us) ; much is original, much consists of translations and compilations from 

 the works of other writers ; all is useful, and we can hardly imagine that any working 

 Coleopterist is without " L'Abeille " in his library. Latterly he occupied himself 

 by compiling a List of the Coleoptera of the Old World, and by bibliographies 

 concerning the most noted deceased Entomologists. We may have occasion to 

 allude further to his labours and history. 



^oqictics. 



Birmingham ENTOMOLoaiCAL Society: April 2\st,\SQ0. — Mr.W. G. Blatch, 

 President, in the Chair. 



Mr. Tye showed JSrepJios partJienias from Cannock, &c. Mr. "R. C. Bradley 

 showed Diptera, including Thereva ardea from Wyre Forest, new to Britain ; 

 Sapromyza flatycephala from Moseley, also new to Britain ; 3Iicrodon devius, con- 

 firmed as British, from Wyre Forest, &c. Mr. W. Or. Blatch showed Coleoptera 

 from Cannock, new to the Midlands ; Cymindis vaporarioriim, Agathidiuin gloho- 

 smn, Homalota diversa, and Stemts Guynemeri. Mr. R. Freer read a paper on 

 " Sexual Dimorphism :" in which he contended that pigment was a store of waste 

 energy ; that females which required much energy for the reproduction of species, 

 and to develop the exti-a size required for that purpose, had little waste energy, 

 and were usually pale ; while males, which were smaller, and did not use so much 

 energy in the reproduction of the species, were generally darker. Much discussion 

 followed the paper, in which Messrs. W. Gr. Blatch, Neville Chamberlain, E. C. Tye, 

 H. Stone, and C. J. Wainwright took part. 



May Zth, 1890.— The President in the Chair. 



Mr. John Galbraith was elected a Member of the Society. 



Mr. Neville Chamberlain showed Ennomos quercinaria and Ematnrga atomaria, 

 in both of which species the males are larger and darker than the females ; and, 

 therefore, they present facts against Mr. Freer's theory of sex given at the last 

 meeting. Mr. R. C. Bradley showed Diptera : Xylota signis, from Sutton, X. aliens 

 and sylvarum from Wyre Forest. Mr. W. G. Blatch showed Coleoptera : Calodera 

 cethiops, Oxypoda lentula, Delnopsis erosa, and Homalota clancula, all from Knowle. 

 Mr. G. H. Kenrick read a paper on South African Butterflies, in which he narrated 

 a recent journey there, and exhibited the species taken, which included Danais 

 Chrysippus, the commonest of all ; many Acrceas, Papilios, PieridcB, &c. ; also the 

 moths, Deiopeia pulchella and Sterrha sacraria ; he showed several very interesting 

 cases of mimicry. Mr. Chamberlain said he had been in Egypt at the time Mr. 



