THE YOUNG NATURALIST. [August 



rather cold blooded to shoot so tame a little bird, but I had no other 

 means of finding out what it was, so I hardend my heart and brought 

 it to bag. The second one rose out of some reeds in a corner of the 

 Null. This one, too, was rather tame, for it did not rise until I got 

 quite close tho' I had fired several shots only a hundred yards or so 

 off. 



This bird is said to be usually found on weedy or grassy tanks, 

 and in moderate sized flocks. It is also said to be a very swift flyer 

 and to take a severe blow to bring it down. It breeds in the plains of 

 India and never migrates to colder climes. It is not much esteemed 

 for the table, and is, I believe, seldom shot by good sportsmen. 



I might here mention that on one or two occasions I saw large 

 flocks of real wild geese, but I never succeeded in shooting any and 

 do not know to what species they belonged. 



REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 



CITY OF LONDON ENTOMOLOGICAL AND NATURAL 

 HISTORY SOCIETY. 



July yd, 1890. — Mr. G. A. Lewcock in the chair. Mr. Lusby exhibited fine 

 varieties of Syrichthus alveolus, one specimen having the white spots on the forewing 

 formed into a band, the hind wings black with a single white blotch in the centre ; 

 ssveral other varieties ware alsD nuacsible in thi s 3:133. Mr. Rain3, male spscimens 

 of Liparis dispar, with the dark markings very strongly defined and nearly black ; also 

 preserved larvae of Ehdromis versicolor, &c. Mr. Battley, a series of Ephyra trilinearia 

 from Epping Forest ; one specimen with a white spot on the hind wing very clearly 

 marked and outlined with a darker tint than the ground colour of the wing. Mr. 

 Gurney, a very large specimen of Phorodesma smamgdaria, bred that day from larvse 

 found on the Essex marshes last autumn. Mr. Manley, two specimens of Sphinx 

 ligustri, the centre band of body quite black, and the wings suffused with same tint. 

 Mr. Gates, fall-fed larvse of C. vinula. Mr. Battley, Triphana pronuba, with the 

 band on hind wings interrupted and more resembling that of T. orbona. Mr. Quail 

 also exhibited a case of life-histories of various species of Lepidoptera. 



Coleoptera : — Mr. Cripps' box contained Melanocus rufipes, Polyopsix prausta, and a 

 series of Athous vittatus, all from Brockenhurst ; Mr. Heasler, Donacise from Deal, 

 die.-, including D. menyanthidis, D. nigra, D. thalassina. D. lemncs, D. typhce, &c. 

 Mr. Lewcock made observations respecting two specimens of Silpha ^-punctata, taken 

 recently by Mr. Raine at Wood Street, Walthamstow, and gave some descriptions 

 of the habits of the beetle. The same member also referred to the new Exchange 



