Reports of Societies. 



193 



iirticce ; Mr. S. L. Mosley, the stomach of a female jackdaw, containing 

 fibrous roots and the remains of beetles ; and that of a male jackdaw, 

 which was full of beetles ; also of a nightjar, containing parts of beetles 

 and moths ; Mr. F. Ellis, a number of specimens of beetles taken from 

 the dock, also some weavils. 



Meeting June 4th, the president in the chair. — The following 

 specimens were shown : — Festuca ovina, F. duriuscula, Poa pratensis, 

 P. trivialis, Bromus mollis, B. erectus, Aira flexuosa ; Lolium 'perenne, 

 Anthoxanthum odoratiim, Ophioglossum vulgaturriy Fnmaria officinalis, 

 Senecio Saracenicus, GEgopodium podagraria, Lepidium draba, Galeohdolon 

 luteum, Splachnum sphoericujn, and many others. Mr. McKenzie laid on 

 the table a number of seeds from Australia. In entomology Messrs. 

 Ellis, Midgley, and Mosley laid on the table various lepidopcera, inclu- 

 ding Fidonia piniaria and Radeyia glauca. Messrs. Ellis and Midgley 

 also showed two hornets' nests. Mr. G. P. Stather then read a paper on 



Ants." 



Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society. — Monthly 

 meeting, the vice-president, Mr. N. Cooke, in the chair. — Mr. H. H. 

 Corbett, of Cheadle Hume, read a paper on "Some secondary Sexual 

 Characteristics in Common Insects," in which he considered the differences 

 in structure which are often observed in the sexes of insects, generally 

 tending to a higher development of some of the organs in the male sex, 

 such as greater power of locomotion, brighter colors, and a greater 

 devolopment of the antennae, &c. In many cases he explained the 

 reason of this difference in structure. During the conversazione which 

 followed, Mr. N. Cooke exhibited some Scotch insects recently collected 

 by himself ; the Rev. H. H. Higgins exhibited a number of lepidoptera, 

 accompanied by the preserved larva and pupa of each species, collected 

 by Mr. Dunkenfield Jones, at San Paulo, Brazil ; Mr, Johnson, a 

 specimen of Ennomos alniaria : the secretary, Mr. Ellis, a smoky variety 

 of Phigalia pilosaria, from Bradford ; and Mr J. Wall distributed living 

 specimens of Lepisma saccharina, the scales of which are used as test- 

 objects for the microscope. — J. W. Ellis, Hon. Sec. 



Manchester Cryptogamic Society. — Monthly meeting, Monday, 

 June 16th. — Captain Cunliffe, vice-president, in the chair. Mr. W. H. 

 Pearson exhibited specimens of Gymnomitrium crassifolium gathered on 

 Ben Kevis by Mr. W. West ; Jnngermannia laxifolia from Glydr Vaur, 

 collected by himself, and abundant specimens of Nardia alpina recently 

 collected during an excursion to Bowf ell in company with Mr. Geo. Stabler. 

 According to Dr. Gottsche this species had not previously been found 

 in perfect fruit. Mr. Cunliffe exhibited specimens of that rare 

 and critical species, Gymyiostomum sguarrosum, which it is interesting 

 to note was found so near home as Handforth ; also Pleuridium alter- 



