134 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



[June 



living reptiles, mollusca and insects, interesting collections of botanical specimens 

 and Mr. A. E. Pearce's water-colour studies of British plants. The microscopical 

 exhibits were as interesting as on former occasions, among the more important 

 exhibits being those of Mr. T. D. Ersser who showed the circulation of the blood in 

 a gold carp, a most interesting subject Mr. J. H. Stanley, spawn of perch ; Mr. H. 

 Grove, the circulation of sap in water plant, Nitella ; Mr. R. Nacer, heads and eyes 

 of various species of Arachnida ; Mr. W. West, fresh-water Polyzoa ; Mr. E. 

 Hinton, preparations of the Hydroids including the beautiful Sea Pen, all killed with 

 the tentacles fully extended; Mr. W. B. Medland, pulsation in the heart of a snail ; 

 Mr }. B. Medland, a section of a Mole's jaw with teeth in sitn, polarized. Among 

 the other exhibits were those of Mr. C. S. Cooper who exhibited an almost com- 

 plete herbarium of British wild flowers and leaves ; the Lambeth Field Club, their 

 collection of Mollusca ; Mr. J. T. Carrington, land shells from the Riviera arranged 

 so as to show variation. Messrs. C. H. and D. W. Collings, British and Australian 

 birds eggs. Messrs. H. |. Turner and D. J. Rice, birds nests and eggs, the latter 

 gentleman having a curious double nest of Pants major. Mr. J. A. Cooper, birds 

 nest and eggs being much admired, one of the principal objects of this exhibit being 

 to show the variation in different clutches of one species, this was particularly 

 noticeable in those of the Red-backed Shrike.* Mr. Step, collection of living 

 Mollusca was very interesting, comprising 40 species collected mainly in Surrey, and 

 were shown in separate glass globes, each species being named. — H. W. Barker 

 and A. Short, Hon. Sees. 



LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



May 9th.— The president, Mr. S. J. Capper, in the chair. Mr. Samuel Hoyie, of 

 Sale, was elected a member. The Rev. H. H. Higgins, M. A., read a paper entitled, 

 " Butterfly life before ledving the egg," in which, after describing the formation of 

 the egg, he traced the gradual growth of the nucleus through the various stages until 

 the tiny caterpillar was complete in all its parts and ready to leave the egg. The 

 paper was illustrated by various eggs of lepidoptera shown under microscopes. Mr. 

 Higgins also showed some Brazilian lepidoptera, and pointed out a strong case of 

 mimicry. The president exhibited the rare Crambns myelins from Perth ; Mr. Stott, 

 a case of educational entomology, on behalf of Mr. Rigby, Natural History Museum, 

 Nottingham, containing the life history of eriogaster lanestvis ; Mr. Jones, recently- 

 bred lepidoptera, and a fine variety of asphalia flaviconiis. — F. H Pierce Hon Sec, 

 143 Smithdown Lane, Liverpool. 



BUTTERFLY LIFE BEFORE LEAVING THE EGG.f 



BY REV. H. H. HIGGINS, M.A. 



It might not be easy, on the spur of the moment, to select two 

 small natural objects more unlike one another than a butterfly and its 

 egg. Yet the Hfe in the egg is the very same life which subsequently 

 animates the winged and perfect form of the insect. There are certain 

 phenomena m the life of a butterfly which might, on first thoughts, 



* See note on this exhibit on p. 124. 



t Read before the Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society. 



