i8 93 .] THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 185 



Reports of Societies. 



CITY OF LONDON ENTOMOLOGICAL AND NATURAL 



HISTORY SOCIETY. 



August 1st, 1893. — Exhibits : Dr. Buckell, a copy of the original edition of 

 Doubleday's " List of British Lepidoptera," published in 1850 ; the List was kindly 

 lent to him by Mr. John E. Robson. Mr. Smith, examples of Macroglossa fuciformis 

 and M. bombylifiormis from the New Forest. Mr. Gates, series of Batrachaedra 

 prceangusta, Dictyopteryx contaminana and Halonota brunmchiana , from Hammersmith. 

 Dr. Sequeira, series of Iodis vemaria, Nemoria viridata and Psendoterpna cytisaria 

 from the New Forest ; also dwarf forms of Thecla betide?, Notodonta ziczac, 

 Dicranura furcula, Amphipyva pyramided and Catocala sponsa, from various localities 

 (mostly bred). Mr. Nicholson, an abnormally large 0 specimen of Ocneria dispar, 

 bred this season ; also very fine var. of SmerintJms til/a which had been bred from a 

 larva taken at Clapton ; the insect was of the reddish form but had no signs of the 

 central band. Mr. Riches, a fine batch of full fed larvae of Smerinthus tilia, and also 

 examples of the pitcher-shaped leaves of the Side-saddle flower (Sarracenia) and 

 specimens of both flowers and leaves of the Pitcher plant {Nepenthes). Mr. Riches 

 expressed his doubts as to the reported carnivorous propensities of this genus ; but 

 upon reference we find that these were established many years ago by Sir J. D. 

 Hooker, who in his address to the British Association at the Belfast Meeting in 

 1874, recorded many experiments shewing that the acid juice secreted at the base of 

 the 1 pitchers ' is capable of killing insects and digesting meat and other soluble 

 nitrogenous matter. Mr. Battley exhibited a long series of Zygana trifolii from 

 Broxbourne; the variation ranging from the type through nearly all possible inter- 

 mediates to the var. conflua. Capt. Thompson read some very interesting notes on 

 his exhibit, which consisted of a fine series of Tapinostola elymi bred from pupas 

 obtained by Miss Inchbald and Mr. P. Inchbald, f.l.s., also pupa cases of this 

 species in situ. Mr. Heasler, a strange var. of Philonthus splendidulus taken at Beck- 

 enham ; the curious point about the insect being the absence of the dorsal series of 

 punctures on each side of the thorax, which are so characteristic of the species of 

 this genus. 



August 15th, 1893. — Exhibits: Mr. Oldham, a series of the males of Odonestis 

 potatoria, varying from dark brown to yellow, some being paler than the ordinary 

 females ; also Triphana fimbria, T. orbona, and Cosmia affinis, from Woodford. He 

 also brought some ova of Strcnia clathrata tor distribution. Mr. Nicholson, a bred 

 series of Thecla betulce from Epping Forest. He remarked upon the large preponder- 

 ance of females in this species. Mr. Clark, Triphana fimbria, Lycana agon, L. argiolus, 

 Ccrostoma radiatella, and Crambus adipellus, all from the New Forest. Mr. Battley, 

 living larvae of Polyommatus phlceas. Dr. Buckell, larvae and pupae of Euthcmonia 

 russula. He stated that a few larvae out of a brood of this species had fed up rapidly 

 and passed into pupa, but the remainder appeared to be about to hibernate. He 

 also exhibited a series of Agrotis puta from Freshwater. Mr. Bloomfield, a specimen 

 Gonepteryx rhamni from the New Forest, intermediate in colour between the two 

 sexes. Mr. Gates, Arctia mendica, Hecatera sevena , Tanagra cheer ophyllata, Pterophorus 

 trigonodactylus, Cemiostoma labuvnella, Lithocolletis tristrigella, Argyrestliia gcedartella, cvc., 

 all from Shepherds Bush. Mr. Bacot, a bred series of Vanessa polychloros from the 

 New Forest. Mr. Huckett, a bred series of Ennomos angularia. lie remarked that 

 these had begun to emerge from the pupa during June. Mr. Southey, a bred series 

 of Cerura v inula. 



Coleoptera : Mr. Heasler, Oodes helopoiodes and Pcedcrus riparius, both from 

 Hanwell, Mr. Clark stated that while sugaring in the New Forest he noticed a 



