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THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



[April 



fliictuata. Mr. Southey, a series of Himeva pennaria from the Highgate Woods, 

 including a very small female. Mr. Milton, Deilephila galii, said to have been taken 

 at Swanley last year; also Endromis versicolor, Diphtheria orion, and Plnsia festuccB. 

 Coleoptera;- — Mr. Burrows, Loricera pulicornis, Dromius qiiadrimaculahis, D. meridioyialis, 

 Stenus himaciilatum . Mr. Lewcock, a number of species of British Coccinellidae ; also 

 exhibits of Coccinellidae on behalf of Mr. W. E. Sharp, of Chester, Rev. W. F. 

 Johnson, of Armagh, and Mr. H. G. Cuthbert, of Dublin. Messrs. Heasler, Elliman 

 and Cripps also exhibited Coccinellidae. The paper on the subject then read by Mr. 

 Lewcock. In the course of the discussion which followed, Mr. Tutt called attention 

 to the variability of the group, and remarked that, from what he had seen, he 

 thought the colours of the spDts were not interchangeable, and that the ground 

 colour (red) appeared as spots from the spread of the black markings over the elytra. 

 Messirs. Heasler and Cripps of Mr. lutt Mr. Lewcock, however, was of opinion 

 that the red spots sometimes replaced the black. On the motion of Messrs. 

 Tremayne and Tutt, a vote of thanks was accorded to Mr, Lewcock for his paper. 

 Mr. Clark announced that a specimen of the Dunlin (Tringa variabilis) had been shot 

 on Tottenham Marshes by Mr. Skertchley. He als5 announced the decision of the 

 Council to charge members i - for second copies of the "Transactions for i8gi," 

 and non-members 2,-. 



■March ijth, 1S92. — -Mr. Hodges, varieties of Polia fiavicincta from Portland and 

 Guernsey, and some fine banded forms of Agriopis aprilina from Durham. Mr. 

 Gates, a living specimen of Melanippe montanata, bred from larvae previously exhibited 

 on 17th December, 1891. Mr. Gurney, A mphidasys prodrornaria, Phigalia pilosaria, 

 Sec, from Epping Forest, at Wood Street. Mr. Tremayne, a very light specimen of 

 Hybernia lencophceavia from West Wickham. Mr. Prout, bred series of Coreniia 

 unidentaria and C fcrrugata. Mr. Nicholson, bred specimens oi Hemerophila abntptaria, 

 second brood. He pointed out that these were smaller and darker than the spring 

 brood. Mr. Sykes, a specimen of Leucania impura, approaching the var. punctilinea, 

 Tutt, taken at Enfield. Messrs. Clark, Tutt, Hodges, Battley, Southey, Milton, and 

 Dr. Buckell exhibited their series of the genus Hadena. Coleoptera : Mr. Heasler, a 

 specimen of Plinthus calignosus, taken at Greenwich. Mr. Milton, various beetles ; 

 and in Hymenoptera, Abia fasciata, Cerceris arenaria, Gorytes mystaceus, and Ammophila 

 Intaria. Mr. Riches, flowers of Polygonatum multiflorum (Solomon's Seal), and Dicentra 

 spectabilis. Mr. Tutt then read his paper on the genus Hadena. The discussion was 

 continued by Messrs. Battley, Lewcock, Buckell, Milton, Southey, Tremayne, and 

 others, and a vote of thanks was unanimously accorded to Mr. Tutt for his paper. 



LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



March i^th. — The president, Mr. S. J. Capper, F.L.S., F.E.S., in the chair. 

 Messrs. H. Locke, of Birkenhead, and G. Norel Deville, of Grosby, were elected 

 members. The president referred to the loss the society and naturalists generally 

 had sustained by the death of Francis Archer. Mr. William Webster, of St. Helens, 

 read a paper entitled " Was Shakespeare an Entomologist.-" The author stated he 

 had examined the works of the poet, and found 207 references to insects, and as far 

 as could be ascertained, mention of 30 kinds of insects, and showed by numerous 

 quotations, that Shakespeare not only possessed a fair knowledge of entomology but 

 that he was a philosophical observer of nature. Mr. Willoughby Gardner, F.R.G.S., 

 read a short note on the " Popular names of insects about Shakespeare's time" 

 some few of which still existed in country places. Mr. Webster exhibited Papilio 

 xcalmoxis. The president, Messrs. Stott, Harker and the Hon Secretary, long and 

 variable series of Noctua festiva and conflua, Messrs. Harker and Jones British and 

 continental ioxms oi Lycacna icaru;. — F. N. Pierce, Hon. Sec, 143 Smithdown Lane 

 Liverpool. _-^-^==«_ 



