THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER. 
55 
respecting the best method of killing 
beetles with delicately coloured scales. 
The following is the plan I adopt with 
perfect success : — As soon as captured I 
throw the insect into a bottle, in which 
is a small fragment (not larger than a 
pea) of cyanide of potassium (the same as 
used for photographic purposes) wrapped 
up iu a piece of blotting paper. The ob- 
ject of the blotting-paper is to absorb the 
moisture caused by the deliquescence of 
the salt. This kills the beetles instanta- 
neously, without injuring them, and pre- 
serves their limbs in a relaxed state, so 
that they are easily set. — Ibid. 
Cambridge Entomological Society. 
The October meeting of this Society 
was held on Friday, the 30th ult., at the 
Secretary’s rooms. 
G. C. Babington, Esq., the President, 
in the chair. 
H. T. Stainton, Esq., and Charles 
Bvee, Esq., were elected corresponding 
members. 
Mr. Dunning, one of the vice-presi- 
dents, then read a paper, the object of 
which was to point out the difficulties 
which usually beset a beginner in the 
study of Entomology, and how those 
difficulties may be overcome. After some 
preliminary remarks on classification in 
general and on the basis of classification, 
viz. the idea of natural affinity ; and 
after touching upon the question of what 
constitutes a species, and what a natural 
order, he proceeded to pass in review the 
six great orders of insects, enumerating 
the peculiarities of each, mentioning 
some of the various forms, habits and 
haunts of the larvae, pupae and perfect in- 
sects of the principal groups, and pointing 
out some of the different methods of col- 
lecting and preparing specimens for the 
cabinet. 
Mr. Dunning exhibited specimens of 
Phlogophora Empyrea and Litkocollctis 
Aucupariella ( Surli P), bred from larvae 
in the leaves of the mountain ash. 
Mr. Hall exhibited a box of Scotch 
insects, including Scop. Alpinalis and 
Stilbia Anomala. 
Mr. Farren exhibited several species 
of Lithocolletis larvae. 
Mr. T. Brown exhibited G. ilicifolia, 
Pionea margaritalis, Tortrix uliginosana 
and clumelana. 
Mr. Preston exhibited a large box of 
Micro-Lepidoptera. 
Mr. Sealy exhibited several boxes of 
insects, the result of a collecting tour in 
Hampshire and Dorset: the chief of 
these were: — P. Aclceon, E. cribrum, 
N. trepicla , D. Orion , II. caliginosa, Cry- 
modes templi (taken at Ventnor), Agrotis 
Saucia and lunigera , H. hispidus (one 
specimen, taken at Ventnor), Cleora gla- 
braria and Viduaria, Agdistes Bennetlii. 
The next meeting will be held on 
Friday, November 27, at eight o’clock. — 
A.F. Sealy, M.A., Hon. Sec., 70, Trump- 
ing ton Street , Cambridge ; November 3. 
to the editor of the ‘intelli- 
gencer.’ 
Sir, — Mr. Wollaston has written a very 
interesting book on the ‘ Variation of 
Species.’ Now would you believe that, 
in the splendid Library of the British 
Museum, this book is entered in the 
Catalogue as a treatise on the “Varia- 
tion of Speeches”? Yet so it is. 
Moreover, I am often pained to see 
the word Entomology written in these 
Catalogues Etijmology. A friend of mine 
says that this is the only reason why he 
does not print and publish his poem (?) 
intituled “ The Temptations of St. An- 
tennae,” because he fears that when a 
copy is sent to the British Museum it 
will appear in the Catalogue as “ The 
Temptations of St. Anthony” and thus 
take the cream off the joke. 
But, seriously speaking, these pre- 
venlible errors should not appear in such 
