10 
immanata, Pyrausta punicealis and Botys flavalis ; also the following 
Coleoptera :—Phosophilus edwardsii , Zeugophora flctvicollis , Trachy- 
phlozus spinimanus and J. elandrya caraboides. Mr. Heasier, Cicones 
variegatus (taken under beech bark), Megacronus inclinans , Agathidium 
Durians , Bembidium mannerheimi , Tachinus subterraneus , Coryphium 
angusticollis , etc., all from Loughton. Mr. Battley said that he had 
been to Richmond Park, and taken ^ 4 . leucophcearia , 7 /i defoliaria , 
( 7 . brumata , P. pilosaria , and one specimen of iV. liispidaria . He also 
drew the members’ attention to the new part of Epping Forest 
(Higham Park) which had just then been thrown open to the public. 
Mr. Milton had been to Richmond and Enfield, and taken several of 
the spring insects. He remarked that specimens of H. defoliaria were 
still to be obtained in good condition, their emergence having probably 
been retarded by the long frost. The Secretary read a paper by Mr. J. 
E. Robson on Abraxas pantaria , in which he expressed his opinion 
that this species, Abraxas ulmata , A. leopardina , and many other 
Asiatic forms, were but varieties of one species. To prove this, he 
minutely described the markings of A. ulmata , as compared with 
A . pa?itaria , and showed that the same markings and colours were 
present in both species, but that in A. pantaria they were less pro¬ 
nounced both in size and colour, whilst even in the var. cataria , 
which had scarcely any markings, the peculiarities could still be 
observed. The paper was illustrated by various specimens from 
different countries. In the discussion which followed, Messrs. Clark 
and Boden stated that they had formerly taken A. ulmata near 
Croydon. A vote of thanks, proposed by Mr. Hodges, and seconded 
by Mr. Smith, was unanimously accorded to Mr. Robson for his kind¬ 
ness in sending the paper. 
March 5 th } 1S91.—Exhibits : Mr. Clark, various species of British bees 
and wasps. Mr. Milton, Hybernia rupicapraria , H. leucophczaria , and 
Ennomos autuninaria; the following Coleoptera also, Dytiscus punc- 
tulatus , D. circumflexus , Pocadius ferrugineus , Salpingus castaneus , 
Hypophoeus bicolor , and Mycetophagus 4-pustulatus . Mr. Heasler, 
Tetratoma fungorum , and a specimen of Dorcus parallelopipedus taken 
on February 21st, the usual time of appearance of this species being 
June. Mr. Battley, a glass case containing living bees, with their 
queen, to illustrate his paper. 
Mr. Battley read a paper on “The Honey-Bee and Modern Bee¬ 
keeping.” He first remarked on the great antiquity of bee-keeping, 
and contrasted the old wasteful methods with the modern system. 
He then described the varieties of the honey-bee domesticated in 
Britain—the black bee (Apis mellifica ) being taken as the type, and 
the Ligurian, Syrian, Cyprian, and Carniolian bees compared to it in 
markings and habits. These races interbreed freely with the black 
bees, and the hybrids are fertile, but always spiteful, thus showing a 
reversion to the wild bee. He explained the structure of the comb 
and the theory of the hexagonal cell showing that the cells on the 
edges of the comb were circular, and that the hexagonal form was 
obtained by the mutual pressure of other cells. He then gave an 
account of the life-history of the bees. The workers are imperfect 
females, and attain the perfect state in twenty-one days from the 
