170 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



two species of scorpions, " trap-door " spiders and their nests or galleries. 

 Mr. Theobald, larva, pupa and imago, in spirits, of Tipulu maculosa ; and 

 a number of specimens of a species of Agromyza, the larvae of which had 

 been found doing considerable damage, mining the leaves and shoots of 

 chrysanthemums in greenhouses. 



March 'drd.— Mr. F. V. Theobald, President, in the chair. Mr. W. H. 

 Seyfang, of St. Peter's College, was elected a member. Mr. Moss exhibited 

 a Sialid (species?) from Rome, and a box of Lepidoptera, most of which he 

 had "forced " during January; among others were specimens oi Papilio 

 machaon, Smerintlius tilicB, Notodonta ziczac, and, most noteworthy, a series 

 of Bombyx rubi, on which he contributed notes to the following eflfect : — 

 The larvae were found in the autumn, and placed in a cold frame. In 

 January, the grass and moss placed in the frame for the larvae to hide in 

 was found to be frozen, so much so that before the larvae, which were curled 

 up among it, could be extricated, it had to be placed in a warm room to 

 thaw ; at first sight the larvEe appeared to be dead, but subjected to a tem- 

 perature of about 80 degrees, or more, several assumed the pupal stage 

 within five days, and in ten days from this — fifteen days from the time the 

 apparently frozen larvae were moved into the warm — they commenced to 

 emerge, a very fair proportion of the larvae producing moths. The dis- 

 cussion was continued by Messrs. Theobald, Farren, Fitzroy, and Jones. 

 Mr. Theobald exhibited some larvae of an unknown species of Tipula in 

 rotten wood, from Gloucestershire — microscopic slides and photos, of them ; 

 also a larva of SimuUum, a larva of a new Tanypus, and an undescribed 

 dipteron and its pupa. Mr. Jones, a series of Agrotis exclamationis and its 

 varieties. Mr. Farren, Orphiedes demoleus, taken in South Africa by Mr. 

 J. C. Rickard, and varieties of Papilio machaon from Wicken Feu, and 

 remarked on the philogenetic value of certain corresponding markings ; a 

 bred series of Orobena extimalis, Scop. = viargaritalis, Schiff. ; and repre- 

 sentative species of Pterophori, Crambi, Tortrices and Tineae. Mr. Bryan 

 read a paper on " Relaxing and Setting Insects," and exhibited appliances 

 and drawings in illustration. A long discussion ensued, Messrs. Theobald, 

 Jones, Farren, Bull, White, and others taking part. — Wm. Farren, 

 Hon. Sec. 



Penarth Entomological and Natural History Society. — The 

 fifth Annual Meeting was held in the Penarth Public Hall on Wednesday, 

 March 22nd. An Evening Conversazione, which was well attended, was 

 presided over by F. H. Thomas, Esq., R.C.A., President of the Biological 

 Society of Cardiff, who in a brief address referred to the advantages of 

 entomological research, and to the fact that many interesting objects of 

 Natural History were rapidly becoming extinct, and no traces would be 

 preserved but by the work of such Societies as this ; he also advised the 

 formation of botanical and geological sections. Mr. F. Mason gave some 

 amusing details of a visit to Fiji. The Annual Report was presented by 

 the Secretary, and showed the Society to be in a flourishing condition. It 

 stated that the season of 1892, as a result of the prevailing fine weather, 

 had proved the most successful which the Society had yet experienced. A 

 valuable addition to the Library had lately been made, by the purchase of 

 Owen Wilson's 'British Larvae and their Food-plants.' A selection of 

 vocal and instrumental music was given during the evening; and at inter- 

 vals, in an adjoining room, some beautiful objects were exhibited with a 

 lime-light microscope, by Mr. J. Storrie, late Curator of the Cardiff 



