3720 Society of British Entomologists. 



the attacks of gnats; and I suggested to Sir John Franklin, whose probable fate now 

 excites such intense interest throughout the civilized world, whether nets tied round 

 the hat so as to hang over the brim, might not exclude gnats, which, in high latitudes, 

 are often so great a pest in their hot though short summers. Until the experiment 

 had been made, it did not follow that although flies and gnats could be excluded by 

 wide-meshed nets from rooms, they could be equally excluded by similar nets hanging 

 down loosely from a hat, and not tied round the neck ; but the remarkable fact men- 

 tioned by Col. Moody, that 'though the meshes [of the Misses Icely's nets] were large, 

 not to exclude the air, the flies ventured not within,' seems to render it highly proba- 

 ble that gnats might be excluded in this way, as well as the flies which cause the Aus- 

 tralian fly-blight; and I would strongly advise travellers in districts greatly infested 

 with gnats, to make the experiment. While within doors, the Chinese fumigating 

 sticks (composed of thesawings of resinous woods, probably juniper, mixed with some 

 inflammable material), which Mr. Fortune found so effectual in driving away gnats 

 (Zool. 3501), or a similar preparation, would be the best defence, but this is obviously 

 inapplicable while walking, when the ' pararaouche,' if found as effectual against gnats 

 as flies, would be invaluable." 



The President said that in a fowl-pen covered with a net, the meshes of which were 

 \% inch wide, the flies never went through, and the poultry could never catch them, 

 although they made many attempts to reach them sitting on the outside. 



Mr. Edwin Sheppard wished to make known to members visiting the Lake district, 

 that William Greenip, of Keswick, would be found a very civil and attentive guide, 

 and that he possessed a considerable collection of the insects of the locality. — J. W.D. 



Proceedings of the Society of British Entomologists. 



October 19, 1852. — Mr. Harding, President, in the chair. 



The President observed that at the last meeting he had exhibited some specimens 

 of Harpalyce Achatinaria, bred without the under wings : he had since visited the 

 spot where he took the larvae of the above insects, and had taken several specimens in 

 the same imperfect state, tending to prove that this was not occasioned by confine- 

 ment. He likewise mentioned that to his knowledge at least six specimens of that 

 beautiful insect, Vanessa Antiopa, had been taken in different parts of the country, 

 and one of Catocala Fraxini. In beating an old hedge near Deal, he found it swarm- 

 ing with that pretty beetle, Pogonochilus pilosus, a box of which he brought for distri- 

 bution among the members. 



In the report for September (Zool. 3631), in the remarks concerning the larvae of 

 Macroglossa Stellatarum, instead of taken last season, read taken this season. 



November 19, 1852.— Mr. Harding, President, in the chair. 



The President exhibited a box containing several specimens of Peronea, in beau- 

 ful condition, from the coast of Deal ; likewise some specimens of Spaelotes cataleuca, 

 Boisduval (renigcra, Stephens), from the same place. — /. T. N. 



EDWARD NEWMAN, PltlNTElt, DEVONSHIRE STREET, BISIIOPSGATE. 



