88 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



[April 



compared with it in marking and habits. All these races interbreed freely with each 

 other, and the hybrids are fertile. He explained the structure of the comb, and 

 showed that on the edges of the comb the cells were circular, and that the hexagonal 

 form was the result of pressure of th% other cells. He then gave an account of their 

 life history. Workers are imperfect females, and attain the perfect state in 21 days 

 from the deposition of the egg. The number of workers in one hive in the height of 

 summer is about 25,000. Besides the ordinary work of the hive, they gather the 

 honey and feed the larvae. The drones or males require 24 days to mature, and only 

 exist in the swarming season, when they are required to fertilize the young queens. 

 If a queen be unimpregnated, from deformity or other cause, her eggs produce drones, 

 and drones only. The products of the bee were referred to, the honey-sac, wax-pockets, 

 pollen baskets, and sting. Persons stung by bees were recommended to extract the 

 sting and avoid rubbing the part. The enemies of bees and their ailments were 

 spoken of, and preventive methods suggested. He then described the appliances 

 used in modern bee-keeping ; the use of hives, frames, sections, smoker, extractors, 

 wax foundation, &c., being illustrated by examples. He concluded by giving an ex- 

 planation of the manipulations performed under the modern system. 



A unanimous vote of thanks was accorded him for his interesting paper, on the 

 motion of Mr. Milton, seconded by Dr. Buckell. — G. A. Lewcock & A. M. Battley, 

 Hon. Sees. 



LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



The Monthly Meeting was held on Monday, March gth, the President, S. J. 

 Capper, F.E.S., F.L.S., in the chair. 



Mr. Brocton Tomlin was elected a member. Messrs. Collins, of Warrington, and 

 Scowcroft, of Prestwich, were proposed for membership. 



A paper by J. Herbert Stott was read on "A Parasite fungus forming its base in 

 the larva of a New Zealand Lepidopteron," illustrated by specimens and drawings. 



The Hon. Sec, F. N. Pierce, read a paper entitled " Notes on the Genital Arma- 

 ture of the genus Miana," in which he referred to the recent controvers)' respecting 

 the distinctiveness of the two species — M. strigilis and M . fascuincula, and proved, by 

 the examination of the structure of the Genital Armature, that they were specifically 

 different. 



The paper, which appears in another part of this issue, was illustrated by the 

 author's preparations thrown on a screen by the aid of the oxy-hydrogen micro- 

 lantern, and exhibits of specimens from various parts of the country by the President 

 and members. — F. N. Pierce, Hon. Sec, 143, Smithdown Lane. 



(TJie report for igth March had not reached us at time of going to press.) 



I APR. 91 



