264 
REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
Nov., 1891. 
Objects.” It comprised a series of photographs, all bearing on natural 
history, and included most interesting pictures of rural scenery, 
mostly local, though some were taken in Dovedale and the 
Cheltenham district; a maple covered with mistletoe, and old oaks in 
Packington Park, birds, flowers, fruits, ferns, grasses, hoar-frost 
effects, shells and other objects. 
BIRMINGHAM ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—September 
2lst, 1891. Mr. R. C. Bradley in the chair. Mr. P. W. Abbott 
showed Tceniocavipa opima and gracilis , and Nyssia zonaria from 
Wallasey ; also Argynnis paphia v. valesina from the New Forest. Mr. 
G. W. Wynn showed Sesia culiciformis from Wyre Forest. Mr. W. 
Harrison showed a bred series of Selidosema ericetaria from the New 
Forest. Mr. R. C. Bradley showed four specimens of Pteropoecilia lamed 
from Sutton, which he said Mr. Yerrall had confirmed. Mr. C. J. 
Wainwright showed Plusia orichalcea and Arctophila mussitans from 
North Cornwall. Mr. W. Harrison showed a box of beautifully pre¬ 
served larvae. He had managed to retain the green colours in Saturnia 
carpini and others by inflating them and allowing them to dry naturally, 
without heat, which takes only about twenty minutes.—October 5th, 
1891. Mr. W. G. Blatch, president, in the chair. Mr. R. C. Bradley 
showed a long series of Spilographa Zoe from Moseley. This species 
is usually found singly, but Mr. Bradley succeeded in taking it freely 
from the undersides of leaves at Moseley. Mr. G. W. Wynn showed a 
box full of large American Bombyces ; also Xylophasia hepatica , which 
he had bred from pupae found underneath the bark of poplars at 
Cleeve Prior. They were in cocoons and situations which exactly 
resembled those of Acronycta megacephala. Mr. W. Harrison showed 
Papilio machaon from Wicken. Mr. W. G. Blatch showed the following 
beetles :— llybius aencscens from Tysoe, Warwickshire ; Homalota 
crassicornis from Bewdley; Oxytelus fulvipes, Henoticus serratus 
(a series), Micropeplus tesserula (a series), and Lampronia luzella , all 
from Knowie. 
OXFORD NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.—October 22nd.— 
The first meeting of the session was held in the Geological Lecture 
Room, when Professor A. H. Green read a paper on “ The Malverns 
and their Surroundings.” He described the splendid view obtained of 
the Malverns on approaching them by rail, especially when nearing 
Worcester. Looking at them from a distance, an idea of their height 
is gained ; standing out as they do from the surrounding flat country, 
the peaks look almost mountainous. The hills are composed of hard 
rock, crystalline schist, and are probably very old indeed. In the 
plain eastward are found soft rock, lias. On climbing Bredon Hill, 
and looking eastward, a lovely view of gentle undulating country is 
obtained : the vale of the Severn, with its charm of beautiful timber 
and hedges, and, beyond that, the Cotswolds, which, like the high hills 
of the Malverns eastward, are capped with Oolite, and are a very good 
illustration of denudation. Towards Ledbury, looking west, quite 
another view is obtained of charming country ; the hills there are 
Silurian, and the May Hill beds are sandstone. The sand is coarse, 
and in some places almost shingle. As Ledbury is neared, the Silurian 
rocks end, and the red shale, which stretches nearly all over Wales, 
commences. Near May Hill is seen the Oolite of the colliery of Dean, 
and of Dean Forest. 
