266 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Byfleet. Mr. Lucas, bred specimens and pupa-skins of the local 

 dragonfly Erythromma naias from Byfleet. Mr. Enock, a living 

 specimen of the very rare male of Prestwichia aguatica, which, with 

 the assistance of Messrs. Dennis and Scarfield, he had discovered in a 

 pond in Epping Forest. It had only the merest rudiments of wings. 

 He much doubted the statement that the species was parasitic on the 

 eggs of dragonflies. The ovipositor seemed too strong and too long. 

 He suggested that the ova were deposited in some aquatic larvae. — 

 Hy. J. TuBNER, Hon. Report Sec. 



North London Natural History Society. — On Friday, May 22nd, 

 1896, the Society started on their annual Whitsuntide excursion to 

 the New Forest. Messrs. C. B. Smith, L. J. Tremayne, C. Nicholson, 

 R. W. Bobbins, and W. H. Smith left Waterloo by the usual 5.50 

 train, and arrived at Lyndhurst Eoad soon after 9 o'clock. Thence 

 they proceeded by omnibus to Lyndhurst, and were comfortably settled 

 in their rooms at Lynwood a little before 10 o'clock. The following 

 morning was dry, but dull. All the members were out before break- 

 fast. The fences only yielded a specimen of Evpithecia vulgata, a 

 specimen of Coremia ferriujata, and a worn specimen of Tceniocampa 

 stabilis ; but a walk round Pond Head enclosure revealed the fact that 

 larvae, at any rate, were about in their usual numbers. Mr. Bacot 

 turned up at breakfast time, and soon afterwards the whole party 

 started out, taking the route down Beechen Lane. Larva-beating 

 was immediately commenced, but only with moderate success. The 

 quantity, indeed, was great, but the quality left much to be desired. 

 All the Hybernias were common, H. defoliaria and H. marginaria 

 being particularly plentiful. But the more satisfactory larvae were, 

 for the most part, scarce, and the following were beaten at various 

 times throughout the trip: — Psilura monacha (one or two), Eupithecia 

 ahhreviata (one), Himera pennaria (common), Asphalia ridens (a few), 

 Brephos parthenias (a few off birch), Asphalia flavicornis (a few off 

 birch), A. diluta (a few off sallow), Cleoceris vimincdis (a few off sallow), 

 Hypsipetes sordidata (a few off sallow), Thecla querciis (two), Catocala 

 promissa and 0. sponsa (a few), Taniocampa miniosa (in plenty off oak), 

 Amphipyra pyramidea (a few), Hylophila hicolorana (one), Cahera pusaria 

 (one), Agriopis aprilina (one). A notable absentee was Awphidasys 

 strataria ; whilst Miselia oxyacantha and D'doha ccendeocephala were 

 also not in evidence. The day showed signs of becoming brighter, and 

 a few butterflies appeared on the wing, including Argynnis euphrosyne 

 and Pararge egeria, the latter in very fine condition, evidently the 

 second brood just emerging. On turning into the pine woods, plenty 

 of moths were found flying, mostly Thera variata, Panagra petrariay 

 and Venilia viacularia, though Mr. L. J. Tremayne took a specimen of 

 Drepana lacertinaria, and Mr. C. Nicholson one of D . falcataria and 

 one of C id aria suffumata. The party worked on to the railway line in 

 the hope of taking Macroglossa fuciformis (the narrow bordered hawk), 

 but the Alkanet was mostly over, and the sun was not bright enough 

 to induce these insects to fly. The party thereupon made a halt for 

 lunch, obtaining a plentiful supply of milk from a cottage just across 

 the line. After lunch, finding collecting decidedly slack, the party 

 rested for an hour or so on the railway bank, except Mr. C. B. Smith, 



