THE NATURALISTS' JOURNAL. 
I70 
an interesting account of a curious habit of some ducks in killing toads during 
the breeding season by dexterously slitting their abdomens.— H y. J. Turner 
(H on. Report Sec.) 
The South London Entomological and Natural History Society. 
At the meeting on 8th March, Mr. R. Adkin, exhibited a series of Erebia 
epiphron var. cassiope, from Inverness, which were said to be of the type form 
(1 epiphron ). He had ho vvever failed to detect the white pupil to the ocellated 
spots which was the typical character. Mr. Weir said that the British form 
had no trace of the white pupil. Mr. Routledge, specimens of Selenia biliinaria 
which had laid over the summer of 1892, emerging in April 1893. Also 
individuals bred from a pair of the latter, which had emerged at intervals from 
August 1893 to February 1894, an d were all of the small fonn, although some 
had the pigment well developed. He also brought a series of Aporophyla 
lutulenta, captured in Cumberland, among which were both the var. sedi, and 
the var. luneburgensis. Mr. South exceedingly large specimens of Ocneria 
dispar, formerly in the possession of the late! Mr. Standish. Mr. Frohawk a 
third brood of Pararge megera , ten males and ten females, bred by himself 
from ova deposited on August 2nd, 1893. ^ r - Billups, three species of rare 
Ichneumonidae, viz .—Microgaster russatus, taken at High Beech in 1884, 
Hyperacmus crassicomis of which only one recorded specimen was known, 
taken at Oxshot in 1892 ; and Euryproctus nemoralis, taken at the same place 
last July. Mr. Filer, a series of Hybernia leucophearia , Schiff, taken at 
Richmond and Epping among which were some exceptionally dark melanic 
forms. Mr. W. A. Pearce, specimens of Attacus lima, and Citheronia recalls, 
from Wilkinsburg, U.S.A. Mr. Jenner Weir, male and female Heteronympha 
merope, and stated that the sexes were so totally unlike as to be deemed 
different species untli quite recently. He also mentioned that the chrysalis 
was said to be contained in a frail network on the ground. Mr. Williams the 
local snake, Coronella Icevis, taken at Camberley, W. Surrey in 1883. Mr. 
Auld, on behalf of Dr. Knaggs, a working model of the decoy and net described 
in the Entomologist,” 1893, and a considerable discussion ensued. Mr. 
Step stated that he had found that the flowers of the butcher’s broom ( Ruscus 
aculeatus L.) were produced in pairs on the phylloclade, but only one bud 
opened at a time.—IT. J. Turner, Hon. Report Sec.) 
Anstruther Naturalists’ Society.— A Naturalists’ Society was formed 
for Anstruther, Fife, at a meeting held in the Council Chamber, Anstruther, 
on March 23rd. Among those present were Bailie Sim, Crail ; Dr. Ferguson, 
Anstruther; Dr. Pirie, Pittenweem ; Mr. Wm. Berwick, Strathvithe ; Mr. D. 
M’Gregor, St. Andrews ; Messrs A. Foster, J. Ross, Brownie, Jackson, H. 
Watson, and W. Dunlop. Mr. Alexander Foster was called to the chair, and 
shortly stated the object of the meeting. He held that there was ample scope 
for the pursuit of natural history in the district, and whether it was by the sea¬ 
shore or in the fields, in the highways or byways, in ponds or ditches, the nat¬ 
uralist would find plenty to interest him. He hoped the Society would be 
formed. Bailie Sim and some others spoke in favour of forming a Society. It 
was decided to form the Society to be called the “ East of Fife Naturalists’ 
Society,” and to make the annual subscription 2/6. The office-bearers elected 
were Mr. A. Foster, president; Bailie Sim, vice-president; and Dr. Pirie, 
secretary and treasurer. All the others present were elected members of Com¬ 
mittee, and were authorised to draw up a code ot rules to be submitted to a 
meeting to be held on March 30th. 
The Practical Naturalists’ Society. — The papers in the Entomolo¬ 
gical Circulator, include one on the Euchelidce, illustrated with coloured draw¬ 
ings (among which is one of the lutescens variety of Calimorpha Hera), and 
another on “ Some Coleopterous Leaf-mining Larvae.” Some useful books (a 
list of which will be found in the next “ Occasional Paper,”) have been pre¬ 
sented to the library by W. Hawker Smith, Esq. and Miss Edwards. 
