THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



217 



opinion that the Hessian Ely had been recently introduced into this country. 

 Its presence here had not been recorded by Sir J oseph Banks, by Curtis (who 

 paid great attention to farm insects), by Prof. Westwood, by the late Mr. 

 Kirby, or by any other entomologist in this country who had given especial 

 attention to economic entomology. It seemed highly improbable, if this 

 insect had been here so many years, that its presence should have so long 

 remained undetected both by entomologists and agriculturists. It had been 

 stated that the insect was introduced into America by the Hessian troops in 

 1777, but this was impossible, as its existence at that date was unknown in 

 Hesse. 



Mr. M'Lachlan, Mr. Elwes, Mr. Verrall, Mr. Jacoby, and Dr. Sharp con- 

 tinued the discussion. 



Mr. James Edwards communicated the second and concluding part of his 

 Synopsis of British Romoptera-Cicadina" 



Prof. Westwood contributed " Notes on the life-history of various speeies 

 of the Neuropterous genus Ascalaphus." 



Mr. Elwes read a paper " On the Butterflies of the Pyrenees," and exhibited 

 a large number of species which he had recently collected there. 



Mr. M'Lachlan said he spent some weeks in the Pyrenees in 1886, and 

 was able to confirm Mr. Elwes' statements as to the abundance of butterflies. 

 He remarked on the occurrence of Spanish forms in the district, and on the 

 absence, as a rule, of the peat-bogs so common in the Swiss Alps. The 

 discussion was continued by Mr. Distant, Mr. White, Dr. Sharp, and others. 

 — H. Gqss, Hon. Secretary. 



CITY OF LONDON ENTOMOLOGICAL AND NATURAL 

 HISTORY SOCIETY. 



The opening meeting of this Society took place of October 6th, and was 

 very numerously attended. The President in a few well chosen words wel- 

 comed the members to their new meeting place, and also announced that 

 Lord Walsingbam had consented to become a patron of the Society. 



Among the many interesting exhibits Which circulated round the room, 

 may be mentioned the following : — A very fine series of B. abietaria and a 

 variety of S. janira by Mr. Barker ; a long series of A. lunosa, C. spartiata 

 and others by Mr. Hanes ; bred specimens of N. plantaginis, X. rhizolitha 

 and D. mruleocephala by Mr. Pearson ; while Mr. J. A. Clark again exhibited 

 a very beautiful selection of L. cesculi. Varieties of A. grossulariata, and 

 some nice S. dubitata and P. bajularia were in Mr. Goldthwaite's box, and 

 Mr. Levett contributed a very interesting selection of varieties of S. tilice, 

 some having the markings on the two anterior wings very different from each 



