Reports of Societies. 



143 



Wakefield Naturalists' Society. — Meeting February 19th, Mr. 

 J. Wilcock, V.P., in the chair. Master Hall exhibited a double specimen 

 of common mushroom ; Mr. Fogg, Sigillaria lent to the Society by Mr. 

 Fletcher White ; Mr. Sims presented a quantity of fossil ferns. 



Meeting March Hh, Mr. Wilcock in the chair. — Mr. W. D. Roebuck, 

 of Leeds, presented a pamphlet, " The Locusts of Yorkshire " ; Mr. 

 Wrigglesworth, for the museum, two of Baker's Pictorial Charts of Birds ; 

 Mr. Fogg, heron {Ardea cinerea) ; Mr. Spurling, a number of shells from 

 the Red Crag, Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex ; the members of the Ovenden 

 Naturahsts' Society, a fine collection of geological specimens. Votes of 

 thanks were accorded to all. Mr. Sims exhibited four varieties of 

 F. pilosaria and A. prodromaria, bred from several larvae taken in the 

 district ; Mr. Spurling, a quantity of flint arrow heads, spear heads, 

 sling stones, and chippings, found on the Yorkshire wolds ; Mr. Wriggles- 

 worth a case containing 101 species of beetles. — J. W. Shaw, Cor. Sec. 



National Entomological Exhibition at the Royal Aquarium, 

 Westminster. — This exhibition, which was undoubtedly the largest and 

 most successful of its kind ever held, was open from the 9th to the 23rd 

 of March. The project at first originated with Mr. John T. Carrington, 

 naturalist at the Royal Aquarium, and editor of the Entomologist ; and, 

 starting from such a head, its success became almost a certainty. A 

 committee (nominated by the Royal Aquarium Society) of 33 well-known 

 entomologists in all branches of the science, was formed, Messrs. W. 

 Prest, of York, and G. T. Porritt, of Huddersfieid, being the representa- 

 tives of the county of York. The invitation of the committee was most 

 heartily responded to, and the result exceeded even their most sanguine 

 expectations. Every branch and aspect of the science seemed to be 

 represented, though, as was natural, the exhibits in lepidoptera and 

 everything connected with it preponderated over everything else. The 

 exhibits were classified as follows : — 1. Preserved specimens of all orders 

 illustrating the insect fauna of Great Britain and Ireland. 2. Preserved 

 specimens illustrating the life-histories of any species of insects. 3. Col- 

 lections of insects beneficial or injurious to man. 4. Insect productions 

 used in commerce, especially those resulting from sericiculture and 

 apiculture. 5. Collections of preserved larvae and pupse of any order of 

 insects. 6. Books, illustrated or otherwise, appertaining to entomology. 

 7. Apparatus used by entomologists. 8. Cabinets for entomological 

 collections. 9. Microscopic preparations of insects, and microscopes. 

 Yorkshire was well represented ; Messrs. Prest, Dennis, and Jackson, of 

 York, exhibited together a splendid collection of lepidoptera, including 

 hermaphrodite Epione vespertaria ; Eupithecia extensaria, taken near Hull 

 in 1873, the only British example ; Eubolia moeniata, taken in York- 

 shire in 1866, also probably the only British specimen ; a bone-coloured 

 Hesperia linea, taken at York, with many other rarities ; Messrs. Porritt 



