ACCOUNT OF GENERAL MEETINGS AND ANNUAL MEETING. 131 
in water. Their diameter is estimated at .000006 millimetre. 
They are in a state of perpetual motion. Owing to their exceed- 
ing minuteness, they can only be detected when illuminated in a 
certain way. 
Mr. White, F.L.S., exhibited a specimen of Utricularia 
ncglecta, which he gathered at Tadham Moor last year. He 
first discovered it as an inhabitant of the Somerset peat moors, 
near Shapwick, in 1902. Mr. Griffiths, F.Z.S., exhibited speci- 
mens of the wood argus butterfly (Parargc cegcria) with their 
bright green pupae. 
The chief business of the evening followed, Mr. C. T. Giming- 
ham's paper on " Henri Fabre, Entomologist and Poet," in 
which he dealt with the career and work of that eminent French 
naturalist, who is still living at the age of 90, having been born 
near Laon in 1823. He was descended from small farmers, but 
poverty compelled his parents to forsake the country when he 
was twelve years old, and to keep cafes in one small town after 
another. Henri Fabre had a hard time, but managed to acquire 
a knowledge of grammar, mathematics and Latin, and in 1844 he 
passed the licentiate examination in mathematics and physics at 
Avignon. He then settled at Ajaccio, in Corsica, as a teacher. 
There he studied botany, and a year or two later passed the 
licentiate examination in natural history. He then began his 
wonderful discoveries in connection with the life history and 
habits of certain species of sand wasps, of which the lecturer 
gave a very interesting account. Fabre then settled at Avignon, 
where he held a position in the University, which he eventually 
resigned owing to the jealousy of his colleagues. He enjoyed 
the friendship of John Stuart Mill, and corresponded with 
Darwin, but he refuses to accept the Darwinian theory of evolu- 
tion, or to formulate anything of the origin of species. He has 
written many books on natural history, combining scientific 
accuracy with poetical feeling. He still works among insects, 
studying their habits in his wild garden. The lecturer exhibited 
cases containing some of the insects mentioned in his address. 
Miss Roper thanked Mr. Gimingham for his scholarly paper. 
She added that not a single one of Fabre's works was to be found 
in the' Bristol public libraries. Several members then spoke. 
Dr. Rudge stated that Fabre denied the existence of mimicry 
among insects. 
THE 441ST GENERAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY. 
April 2nd, 19 14. 
(Bristol Times and Mirror, April 4th, 1914). 
A general meeting of the Bristol Naturalists' Society was held 
in the University Medical Library on Thursday, when Miss 
