THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 37 



Thursday, January 20, 1887. — Mr. Huckett, Yice- President, in the chair. 

 There was a very good attendance of members. About 300 specimens were 

 given by various members to the Cabinet and for distribution. Mr. Hawes 

 exhibited a long series of M. fuciformis from the New Forest. Mr. Pearson 

 exhibited a long series of T. betulce, also pupae cases. Mr. Harper a very nice 

 series of H. paniscus and H. actmon. The discussion on the Life History of 

 T, betulm was introduced by Mr. Huckett, in the continued absence of Mr. 

 J. A. Clark, who undertook to open the discussion. This species he had met 

 with in the old locality (Epping Forest), the ova are laid in the Autumn on 

 blackthorn, when young the larvae are pale green with lines, the best time to 

 procure the larvae is the latter portion of June, he had taken it on the wing 

 in August, but had not met with it anywhere else but Epping Forest. Mr. 

 Pearson entirely agreed with the description given by Mr. Huckett, he had 

 not seen this species on the wing, and thought that the principal locality was 

 certainly Epping Forest, the best way to feed them was to put a few sprigs of 

 the food-plant in a bottle and place the larvse on, he found that they were 

 very difficult to see when once on the food, and drew the attention of the 

 members to the very perfect specimen of a pupae case exhibited by Mr. Russell. 

 The imago he found if left in the cage very soon got damaged. Mr. Ander- 

 son had not bred this species, but had observed it on the wing flying in a 

 very wild fashion and settling on thistles and thought that it was a swifter 

 flyer than Z. quercus. Mr. Gurney had a very limited knowledge of this 

 species, he had bred them from larvae taken at Epping Forest, and once 

 caught a specimen at Chattenden. Mr. Harper remarked that years ago, he 

 had beaten as many as fourteen dozen larvae in one day, and that the scrubby 

 portions always produced the most, the end of June is certainly the best time 

 to take them. He had taken the imago at Darenth, but it seemed to have 

 disappeared from there, and was very sorry to say that they were getting 

 scarce in the Forest. Mr. Pearson thought that Mr. Harper's remarks were 

 quite correct as to the gradual disappearance of this species, but thought that 

 as the authorities were clearing the forest of some of its dense growth, it 

 might in time become common again. — J. Russell, Secretary. 



SOUTH LONDON ENTOMOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY 



SOCIETY. 



January \2>tk } 1887. — R. Adkin, Esq., F.E.S., President, in the chair. 

 Mr. R. Frere was elected a member. 



Mr. Adye exhibited Basycampa rubiginea, and Aclierontia atropos, both 

 taken at Christchurch, 1885 ; Cossus ligniperda, and Boarmia roboraria, 

 from the New Forest, and Saturnia pavonia, from Bournemouth. Mr. J. A, 



