156 



The Naturalist. 



Neckeva crispa, fr. (Clapham). In lepidoptera Mr. G. T. Porritt shewed 

 several specimens of Nonagria hrevilinea, taken by Mr. Fletcher at Ran- 

 worth Fen last year ; a specimen of Pachnohia alpina, taken in Scotland 

 by Mr. F. D. Wheeler ; and a series of Crambus uliginosellus, taken at 

 Darhngton by Mr. Sang. The chairman, a very curious pale variety of 

 Cymatophora flavicornis, taken in the district (Black Fir Wood) two or 

 three weeks previously. The chairman then read a very interesting paper 

 ■entitled ^'Persistence in variation in British Butterflies,""^ illustrated by 

 a, large number of beautifully-coloured drawings. ^ 



Lancashire and Cheshire Entomologic^ Society.\— 'Monthly 

 meeting, March 31st, the president in the chair. A ;^p§r was" read by 

 Mr. Fish, on The objects of the existence of insect life," which gave 

 rise to considerable discussion. The president drew attention of members 

 to a pamphlet by Mr. C. S. Gregson, which was read by the secretary, 

 111 this treatise Mr. Gregson explains the facility afforded by chemistry 

 for the manufacture of spurious varieties of lepidoptera. 



The Leeds Naturalists' Club and Scientific Association. — 326th 

 meeting, March 18th, 1879, Mr. C. H. Bothomley in the chair, who read 

 a short paper on " Quartz," and exhibited a very fine series of illustrative 

 specimens. Various interesting eggs were shown by Mr. Walter Raine, 

 and one of the black swan, from Geelong, by Mr. Roebuck. Mr. Turner 

 «tated that the Roundhay gathering made on the 9th March,- contained 

 Squedra ulva and splendem^ Diatoma vnlgare, and elongaty,m, Fragillaria 

 capucina, AnapMpleuru pellucida, Gomphonema acuminatum^ Nitzschia 

 icenia, lanceolata and sigmoidea, Surirella bifrous and ovata, Cocconeis 

 pediculus, Melosira varians, and a form much like Cymbella ; also in great 

 numbers Cocconema lanceolatum : in all 16 species. 



327'th Meeting, March 25th, Mr. Barwell Turner in the chair. — Mr. 

 John Grassham reported that a fine male merlin {Falco cesalon) was shot 

 near the White Horse, York-road, Leeds, about the 20th of March ; also 

 that he had seen a fine peregrine (F. peregrinus) shot at Malton the 

 preceding week. Mr. W. E, Clarke reported that he saw a chiff-chaff on 

 the beck-side at Meanwood, on the 23rd March, the date being very early 

 for this district. He exhibited a variety of the rough-legged buzzard 

 {Bnteo lagopus) so peculiar in its markings as almost to resemble a Green- 

 land falcon. Mr. Walter Raine showed eggs of the ostrich and emu, and 

 a discussion arose as to their methods of nidification, 



328th Meeting, April 1st, Mr, W. E. Clarke, treasurer, in the chair. — 

 Mr. W. H. Hay exhibited a specimen of rock from Niagara. Among the 

 numerous exhibits by the microscopists, Mr. W. Clarke showed slides of 

 insects' wings of various species, Mr. F. Emsley various local diatoms and 



* We shall xn'int this paper sJioitly. 



