42 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



alternative, high up on some sunny tree-top. Certainly it is the 

 habit of the <? to fly high, as one seldom hears the extraordinary 

 deep and characteristic hum until the insect is actually circling 

 round one — a good enough indication that the creature first views its 

 victim from a considerable height. Again, the only <$ A. ftdvus 

 taken was undoubtedly hovering over my head at the time, and may 

 have been making a final unsuccessful bid for some elusive "she" just 

 alighted on my coat from on high. " From on high," however, may 

 be a mistaken term in the case of the heath-haunting fulvus. The 

 wood-frequenting species, with their intolerance of deep shade, would 

 naturally keep above the tree-tops, except when a forest clearing, 

 such as afforded by the comparatively modern " drive," allows the 

 females to descend on some passing prey ; but the Tabanid of the 

 open heath is under no such restriction. He may fly where he likes, 

 and for all we know may take his partner for life on some neighbouring 

 gorse bush. If so, there some day I shall find him ! — Hugh Jones ; 

 7, Gosport Street, Lymington, Hants. 



SOCIETIES. 



Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society. — Meeting 

 held at the Eoyal Institution, Colquitt Street, Liverpool, October 

 17th, 1921, Mr. E. Tait, President, in the Chair.— Exhibitions were 

 numerous and varied as is usual at the opening meeting of the session. 

 — The Hon. Sec. exhibited on behalf of Mr. 0. J. Wilkinson photo- 

 graphs of (a) P. cardui pupating, (b) larva of Hadena pisi, (c) an 

 unusual variety of P. phlceas taken at Delamere having the right side 

 var. schmidtii and the left side typical. — Mr. W. Mansbridge showed 

 Lepidoptera from North Lancashire, Vanessa io with nearly blind 

 eye-spots on hind wings from Cark ; Lyccena agon, var. masseyi, from 

 Witherslack, and a short series from Delamere for comparison. From 

 Arnside, Westmorland, Argynnis euphrosyne with pale ground-colour, 

 Thecla betulce, Nisoniades tages, Asphalia diluta, Phytometra viri- 

 daria and Ennychia octomaculalis ; from Formby, near Liverpool, a 

 series of Ebidea crocealis, and from Cark a short series of Gnophos 

 obscuraria of a dark grey colour. — The Eev. F. M. B. Carr showed a 

 long series of Epunda lutulenta from his garden at Alvanley, and said 

 it had been abundant there in the autumn ; also two fine varieties of 

 Asphalia flavicornis and several P. carduiirom Delamere. — Mr. S. P. 

 Doudney northern insects as follows ; Lycana minima, Hyria 

 muricata and Strenia clathrata from Witherslack ; Erebia epiphron, 

 Coremiq munitata, Larentia ccssiata and Vemisia cambricaria from 

 Cumberland. In the same exhibit was a fine under-side aberration 

 of Lycana cegon with elongated spots captured at Delamere. — Mr. S. 

 Gordon Smith was unable to be present, but sent a fine drawer of 

 Smerinthus tilice and a large number of varieties of other species 

 captured or bred this season in various localities ; prominent among 

 the latter was a specimen of Triphcena pronuba with hind wings 



