HETEROGENEA (LIMACODES) ASELLA IN DEVON.-Whilst out beating for larvæ with a friend, on the afternoon of June 20th, in the Plym Valley, I was surprised to find in my umbrella a male and female of the above species in cop. According to Newman, Westwood and Humphrey, and Stainton's Manual,' this species has only been taken in Hampshire.* If this be still the case this species is new to the Western counties.-F. J. BRIGGS; Fursdon, Egg Buckland.

NOTE ON CRABRO INTERRUPTUs.—I am happy to say this wasp has again appeared in the garden here, driving holes in the old elm stump in which it took up its abode last year, and in another old elm stump about one hundred yards away. It is a curious sight to see the wasps carrying bluebottle flies, which seem to be their principal, or at any rate, favourite diet, into their borings. The fleshy parts of the bodies are the parts fed upon, and the wings and hard external parts are thrown out of the borings, and may be seen amongst the heap of wood-dust outside. Last year the Crabro was present in fair numbers about the latter end of August and September, and judging from the quantity of wood-dust now being thrown out in making the borings, I should think it will be plentiful again this year. I am in doubt whether the insects have one common nest, and whether the various borings converge on one point, or whether each Crabro and its family have their own habitation; but certainly more than one Crabro, even at this period of the year, enter the same hole, and there seems to be one principal entrance larger than the others; moreover they are using some of the holes made by their ancestors last year. Perhaps some of your correspondents acquainted with the insect's habits will kindly give me this information. From the report in the Entomologist' of last December of the Entomological Society's meeting, held on November 6th last, at which a specimen caught by me was exhibited, it would appear that the Crabro exhibited was a solitary specimen found by me in "a hole in a log;" but this is not so, as I merely caught the specimen exhibited for the purpose of having the species identified, and I could have captured a good many had I so desired.— FRANCIS C. WOODBRIDGE; "Old Bank" House, Uxbridge, July 17, 1890.

INO GERYON IN BERKSHIRE.-Amongst moths captured here, within the last few days, a male specimen of Ino (Procris) geryon has been taken; and a nearly full-grown larva of Dasychira fascelina was found on an oak.— J. M. BACON; Eagle House, Sandhurst, Berks, June 2, 1890.

SIREX GIGAS NEAR PLYMOUTH.-To-day I secured a fine female of the above species, which flew into a greenhouse in the garden here. I thought at first that it was a hornet, from the loud buzzing noise it made, but soon saw that I was mistaken. I had never previously taken or seen it here.— F. J. BRIGGS; Fursdon, Egg Buckland, June 22, 1890.

HESPERIA LINEOLA.-The third excursion of the South London Entomological and Natural History Society was to Leigh, in Essex, where, conducted by Mr. Carrington, the party, twenty in number, had a good time with Hesperia lineola, the newest English thing in the way of butterflies. The individual "takes" varied from twenty specimens to a single example. So far as I could learn there was only one gentleman who failed to secure the coveted species. Although he netted a good number of "skippers," they all proved, on inspection, to be H. thaumas.-R. S.

* [Stainton gives Lyndhurst and Worthing.-ED.]

SOCIETIES.

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.—July 2nd, 1890.-Prof. J. O. Westwood, M.A., F.L.S., Hon. Life-President, in the chair. Mr. J. B. Hodgkinson, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston, Lancashire, and Mrs. Bazett, Springfield, Reading, were elected Fellows; and Mr. Henn was admitted into the Society. Lord Walsingham exhibited some rare Micro-Lepidoptera collected by himself at Cannes, including Eudemis helichrysana, Conchylis rubricana, Millière; a new Depressaria from Opoponax cheironium, which is about to be described by M. A. Constant, and Bucculatrix helichrysella; and also a volume of drawings of larvæ of the genus Eupithecia, by Mr. Buckler, which formerly belonged to the late Rev. H. Harpur Crewe. Mr. M'Lachlan exhibited larvæ and cocoons of Mecyna deprivalis, Walk., sent by Mr. W. W. Smith, of Ashburton, New Zealand; the species feeds commonly on Genista capensis, an introduced plant. Mr. M'Lachlan remarked on the curious nature of the larva, and suggested that as the species was so closely allied to M. polygonalis, so extremely rare in this country, they might be interesting to British lepidopterists. Mr. Jacoby exhibited abnormal specimens of a phytophagous beetle, Metaxonycha tridentata, Jac., in which one side of the thorax was furnished with teeth as in the type, whereas the other side was quite simple, and presented no trace of teeth. The Secretary, on behalf of Mr. J. Edwards, exhibited specimens of Gyrinus colymbus, Er., with specimens of G. elongatus, Aube, for comparison; he also exhibited drawings of the deagus of both species proving their distinctness. Mr. Bower exhibited Phoxopteryx upupana, bred from larvæ feeding between united birch leaves at Chiselhurst, Sept., 1889; and Scardia picarella, bred from fungus collected in Durham in May, 1870. Mr. S. Stevens, in speaking of a tour which he had lately made in Devonshire, remarked ou the extreme scarcity of insects on the coast of that county as compared with the coasts of Kent and Sussex; there were very few larvæ, and the vegetation was very luxuriant and very little eaten; he thought it possible that the reason of the scarcity was the heavy rainfall of South Devon, which washed off and destroyed the young larvæ. Mr. Barrett said that his experience had been the same, and that he put it down to the violence of the winds, which beat the insects from the trees. Mr. Blandford remarked that he had found Coleoptera abundant on the Braunton Burrows, near Barnstaple, but very scarce in other localities. Mr. Mason and others took part in the discussion which followed. Mr. Stevens further said that when at Exeter he visited the Museum, and was pleased to see the original specimen of Plusia ni in the late Mr. H. Dorville's collection, taken at Alphington, near Exeter, in August, 1868, and a specimen of Callimorpha hera, taken also at Alphington in August, 1871, which is about six miles from the locality in which the latter insect is now said to occur; both the specimens are in fine condition. Prof. Westwood read a paper on a species of Aphis, received from Mr. E. Ernest Green, of Ceylon, affecting the bread-fruit tree, which he had named Siphonophora artocarpi; at the conclusion of his paper he alluded to the use of Paris-green as a destructive agent for insects. Mr. Blandford then made some remarks as to the use of London-purple (another arsenic compound) as an insecticide in the place of Paris-green; he stated that the compound was a waste product and one-tenth the cost of Paris-green, and further that it was more soluble and more easily applied; he was also of opinion that arsenic compounds do ENTOM.-AUGUST, 1890.

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not greatly affect sucking insects, such as Aphides, the ordinary kerosene preparations being more suitable for their destruction. Several Fellows took part in the discussion that followed.-W. W. FOWLER, Hon. Sec.

THE SOUTH LONDON ENTOMOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. -June 26th, 1890.-J. T. Carrington, F.L.S., President, in the chair. Mr. Hawes exhibited larvæ of Thecla rubi, L., feeding on broom, upon which Mr. Hawes stated he saw the ova deposited. Mr. R. Adkin, a bred series of Epione advenaria, Hb., &c. Mr. Turner, the gracilis form of Taniocampa stabilis, View. Mr. Robinson, a long series of Sesia sphegiformis, Fb., from Sussex, about half of them having been taken by "assembling," the remainder being bred by him. Mr. Mansbridge, a fine variety of Canonympha pamphilus, L. Mr. South, on behalf of Mr. Leech, a number of Micro-Lepidoptera collected in Normandy, and commented on the fact that, with one exception, all the species occurred in this country. Mr. C. Fenn, two dark specimens of Eupithecia rectangulata, L.; also Tortrices taken and bred by him this year, from the South of London, including a fine series of Tortrix branderiana, St. Mr. Cockerell, a larva of Taniocampa incerta, Hufn., found feeding on the leaves of mulberry. Mr. Billups, on behalf of Mr. Leech, types of forty species of Coleoptera, one of Ichneumonidæ, one of Diptera, and one of Homoptera, from Normandy, nearly the whole of which were represented in this country. Mr. Billups' other exhibits were twenty-nine species of Diptera, twenty-three of Hymenoptera, five of Coleoptera, two of Hemiptera, and one each of Homoptera and Neuroptera,-in all 104 insects, representing ten families, taken at the Society's excursion to Mickleham, on the 21st of June. (See list of species, ante p. 256). Mr. Mansbridge, Leptida brevipennis, Mils., and in reply to Mr. Billups said he believed there were some wicker baskets stored where they were captured. Mr. Billups said that the specimens had probably been brought here in these; some years before a number of Dutch baskets were stored in the Borough Market, and from these a quantity of the species now exhibited were bred. Mr. Tugwell showed a collection of plants from the North. A discussion on the effect of temperature affecting the emergences of Lepidoptera, in which Messrs. Carrington, Fenn, Tutt, Tugwell, South and Adkin took part, brought the meeting to a close.

July 10th, 1890.—Mr. W. H. Tugwell, Vice-President, in the chair. The Rev. C. Thornewill, Rev. E. C. Dobrée-Fox, and Mr. B. A. Bristowe, were elected members. Mr. Wellman exhibited a variable series of one hundred examples of Eupithecia rectangulata, L., taken at Streatham Hill, from six apple trees; Dianthacia cucubali, Fues., Liverpool; D. carpophaga, Bork., var. capsophila, Dup., from Isle of Man and S. Scotland; D. nana, Rott., from Surrey and Ireland. Mr. Jäger, also D. carpophaga, from South Wales, and the variety capsophila, from the Isle of Man, and D. casia, Bork., from the same locality. Mr. R. Adkin, Coremia designata, Hufn., from Surrey, varying in width and density of coloration of central band; also Eupithecia nanata, Hb., from Hants and Surrey; and called attention to the extreme variability of the species. Some observations were made on the latter exhibit of Mr. Adkin, in the course of which Mr. C. G. Barrett and Mr. Tutt expressed opinions that curzoni was only an extreme form of E. saturata. Mr. Gerrard showed Emydia cribrum, L., and case of Psyche villosella, Och., from the New Forest. Mr. Mansbridge, Xylophasia rurea, Fb., var. combusta, Dup. Mr. Dennis, a pale specimen Mr. Croker, Nola cucullatella,

mnis euphrosyne, L., from Dorking.

L., from Kent. Mr. E. Joy, Meliana flammea, Curt., and Nascia cilialis, Hb., from Wicken Fen. Mr. Howard Vaughan, Melitaa aurinia, Roth., Canonympha typhon, Roth., Nemeophila russula, L., Crambus sylvellus, Hb., Scoparia ambigua, Tr., and var. atomalis, from North Knapdale; S. ambigualis var. atomalis, Hypsipetes trifasciata, Bork., and Coremia designata, &c., from Kilmartin parish, Argyllshire; dark forms of Larentia viridaria, Fb., and two male Procris which differed considerably from P. statices, and upon the identity of which the members did not hazard an opinion. Mr. Vaughan remarked that they appeared to him to be intermediate between statices and globularia. Adverting to Colonel Blathwart's communication to the Entomologist's Monthly Magazine' for the month of April last, p. 109, Mr. Jenner Weir exhibited specimens of the two forms of Volucella bombylans which mimicked Bombus lapidarius and Bombus terrestris respectively, stating that he fully concurred with the Colonel in considering that this remarkable dimorphic condition of the Volucella assisted it to become parasitic upon two species of Bombus differing both in colour and markings. He also exhibited a specimen of the Volucella which he had recently taken at Bournemouth, in which the mimicking was imperfect, inasmuch as the arrangement of the colour resembled that of Bombus lapidarius, but instead of the hairs at the end of the abdomen being red they were of a yellowish colour, as in the mimic of Bombus terrestris. He showed also a specimen of the large worker of Formica rufa to the antenna of which was attached, by the closed jaws, the head and part of the thorax of another ant with which no doubt it had fought and destroyed the abdomen and most of the thorax of its adversary, but could not detach the head.

CITY OF LONDON ENTOMOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.July 17th.-Mr. J. A. Clark, President, in the chair. Mr. A. H. C. Hamilton, of Cheverton Road, N., was elected a member of the Society. Mr. Lewcock exhibited Philonthus decorum, from Highgate; and Liophlous nubilus, from Claygate; also, on behalf of Mr. Cripps, Grammoptera præusta, Toxotus meridianus, and Silpha 4-punctata, taken on hawthorn at Brockenhurst during Whitsuntide. Mr. Heasler, Harpalus servus, Calathus fuscus, Panagaus 4-pustulatus, Amara ovata, and numerous other species of Coleoptera from Deal sandhills. Mr. Clark, a box containing beetles captured at sugar at Brockenhurst, including Carabus catenulatus, Pterostichus niger, Anchomenus junceus, &c. Lepidoptera: Mr. Clark exhibited Emmelesia decolorata, Hb., bred from larvæ received from north of Ireland, and a variety of Ematurga atomaria, L., from Brockenhurst. Mr. Bellamy, Thyatira batis, L., Miana arcuosa, L., aud vars. of Abraxas grossulariata, L. Mr. Gurney announced that since last meeting he had bred several more Phorodesma smaragdaria, Fb. Mr. Battley, while sugaring at Southwell, had captured some three dozen species, incuding Nola cucullatella, L. (on the wing between 12 and 1 at night), and several Miana arcuosa, L. latter insect first appeared at 9.30, crawling up the stems of grass, remaining there until 11.30; flight then took place for about an hour, when it again sought the grass stems. Mr. Lewcock read portions of a letter received from Mr. P. W. Jarvis (of Cape Town), referring to the method of capturing certain species of Cicindelidæ in South Africa. The beetles referred to inhabit the coast, and are found just above high-water mark. Having procured a piece of a whale's rib-bone about a foot long (common in these parts), a certain sandhill is selected for operations, which are commenced by carefully scraping the sand away, taking but a thin

The

shave at a time, and continuing until a depth of four or five inches is reached; if nothing is found, a move is made a few feet further, and the scraping again proceeds. If fortunate, out runs a fine amber-coloured tiger beetle; if two are found in a sandhill, operations are carried on until the whole of the surface is removed, and all the beetles are captured. Cicindela capensis, a pretty tiger beetle about the size of the British C. campestris, but brown, with longitudinal irregular lines, is frequently found in this manner on the South African coast.-G. A. LEWCOCK and E. HANES, Hon. Secs.

BIRMINGHAM ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.-June 16, 1890.-Mr. W. G. Blatch, President, in the chair. Mr. Herbert Stone presented a number of dried plants to form the basis of a herbarium for the Society's use. Mr. E. C. Tye showed larvæ of Lobophora viretata. Mr. R. C. Bradley showed a long and variable series of Selenia tetralunaria. Mr. W. G. Blatch exhibited the following Coleoptera from Bewdley, all being new to the locality-Perileptus areolatus, Homalota longula, H. subtilissima, Scopaus

sp.? (same as the one exhibited on June 2nd, and taken at Ludlow), Thinobius longipennis, Calodera umbrosa, Trogophlæus subtilis, and Actidium concolor; the last two species being also new to the Midlands. Dr. P. B. Mason then exhibited his Icelandic insects, and made remarks on them. He described the country and the difficulties of collecting there; he related all that had hitherto been known of Icelandic Entomology, and he gave a complete list of the insects he had taken, and made many interesting remarks on them. The list has already appeared in the Ent. Mo. Mag. for July. The great peculiarity about the insect fauna is the entire absence of Rhopalocera and Orthoptera.-COLBRAN J. WAINWRIGHT, Hon. Sec.

REVIEW.

The Lepidopterous Fauna of Lancashire and Cheshire. By JOHN W. ELLIS, M.B.(Vic.), F.E.S. 8vo, pp. 136. Leeds, 1890.

A most useful annotated list of the lepidopterous insects found in Lancashire and Cheshire. Of the 2079 species known to occur in Britain the author enumerates 1355 as found in his district.

The arrangement of the Macro-lepidoptera is in accordance with that adopted by Kirby in European Butterflies and Moths,' whilst the Microlepidoptera are arranged as in Dr. M. Wocke's portion of the Catalog der Lepidopteren des Europäischen Faunengebiets."

OBITUARY.

WITH very great regret we have to record the death of WILLIAM CLAYTON, of Wadworth Wood House, who died on June 9th, 1890, at the early age of twenty-one years. Mr. John N. Young, of Rotherham, writes of the deceased as follows;-"Living at the edge of the wood, he had a grand opportunity of working up the insect fauna of the district, and of this he was not slow to avail himself. He was always most willing to give information and assistance to entomologists visiting the wood at any time. The frequent visits of myself and other brethren of the net were always a source of real pleasure to him. Always a pleasant companion, a sincere friend, and a most enthusiastic collector, he will be sorely missed, not only by his sorrowing parents and family, but by his entomological friends and correspondents."