At this time of the year I never noticed these flying-fish "on the wing;" doubtless they were too heavy, but at other times I have, of course, observed thousands in various seas, and my experience respecting their flight entirely coincides with that so admirably expressed by Mr. Mathew. Not even the frigate-bird was ever seen by me to swoop at, much less to catch, one on the wing, and in South Sea Bubbles' either "the Earl" or "the Doctor" ridicules the very idea of any bird being able to do so, expressing at the same time his ardent wish that it were possible to train a frigate-bird or a tropic-bird (I quote from memory), and adding with a burst of enthusiasm, "What hawking I would have!" That there may be no mistake about the species, I may observe that I possess one of the largest "wings" procured on that occasion, dried and spread out in a book: it just goes in a large octavo volume, but is too large for ordinary octavo.-Howard Saunders.

Small Lumpsucker.-I have just received alive the smallest lumpsucker I ever saw or heard of. It measures barely three inches in length, and is of the usual dull leaden blue of this fish when not in first-class condition. It was taken in the open sea in about twelve fathoms water, and is exactly like its parents.-Thomas Cornish; Penzance, November 20, 1873.

Greater Forkbeard off Looe, Cornwall. On Saturday, the 29th of November, a forkbeard was brought to me, which had been taken in a herring-net the night before. This being the only specimen I have ever seen, I sought for information in Couch's British Fishes,' by which I found my specimen did not correspond with either of the figures given in that work, but that it bore resemblance to both the greater and blennoid forkbeards, having the gill-covers, eyes, beards and colour of the latter, with the pectoral, dorsal, anal fins and tail of the former, whilst the body was not so deep as in the figure of the greater, nor so slender as the figure of the blennoid. Not feeling satisfied as to its identification, I sent it on to Mr. Cornish, of Penzance, requesting his opinion, and in reply he says, "Your fish is the greater forkbeard. I have had it twice, and in 1864 I had a specimen which corresponded with Couch's blennoid forkbeard. Mr. Couch. and I wrote each other about it; and the conclusion I came to was that he was mistaken in supposing the fish to be of a distinct species, and that the blennoid forkbeard was merely a common one out of condition." Although Mr. Couch gives a figure and description of the so-called blennoid fork beard I think it is quite evident that he was doubtful as to its being a distinct species, and that he was inclined to defer to the opinions of Cuvier and Dr. Günther; but without presuming to offer an opinion, I would suggest that such a specimen as I have described would tend to bear out their opinions. Stephen Clogg; Looe, December 9, 1873.

Food of the Salmon.-Is it not said that the salmon feeds upon other fishes, as herrings, &c., when in salt water? but when in our rivers has it the same depraved appetite? I have sometimes seen these noble fishes

"scouring" in the gravel of the Avon during the winter preparatory to depositing their ova; and as the year advanced I have seen numbers of the pretty little fry, and it has often struck me that if the parent fishes live upon other members of the finny tribes during their sojourn in fresh water, their depredations must be considerable. Insect fare is, I imagine, a portion at least of their means of sustenance when in fresh water, when such food is obtainable; and certain it is that the angler takes advantage of this weakness, and often deceives the unwary fish by his adaptation of silk, feathers, &c., in the formation of an artificial fly, if the success attending the use of the "Christchurch charmer" in the Avon is to be taken as an example.-G. B. Corbin.

Proceedings of the Entomological Society.

November 17, 1873.-Prof. WESTWOOD, M.A., F.L.S., President, in the chair.

This being the first Meeting of the Session, the President adverted to the recent vote of the Council of the Linnean Society, by which they kindly granted the use of their meeting-room to the Members of this Society during the present Session. It was resolved that the thanks of the Members be conveyed to the Council of the Linnean Society.

Donations to the Library.

The following donations were announced, and thanks voted to the donors: The Transactions of the Linnean Society of London,' vol. xxviii. pt. 3 vol. xxix. pt. 2; Proceedings, Session 1872-73; presented by the Society. Mémoires de la Société de Physique et d'Histoire Naturelle. de Genève,' t. xxii. and xxiii. pt. 1; by the Society. Annales de la Société Linnéenne de Lyon, Année 1872;' by the Society. 'Annali del Museo civico di Storia naturale di Genova publicati per curu di Giacomo Doria,' tome i.-iii.; by the Museum. Proceedings of the Royal Society,' nos. 145 and 146; by the Society. Bulletino della Società Entomologica Italiana,' t. v. trim. 2 and 3; by the Society. 'Bullettin de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou, Année 1873,' No. 1; by the Society. 'The Journal of the Quekett Microscopical Club,' No. 24; by the Club. 'Coleopterologische Hefte,' pt. xi.; by the Editor, Baron E. v. Harold. 'Cistula Entomologica,' pars vii.; by E. W. Janson. The Canadian Entomologist,' vol. v. nos. 6-9; by the Editor. The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine' for August-November; by the Editors. The Zoologist' and 'Newman's Entomologist' for August-November; by the Editor. L'Abeille, 1873,' livr. 7-11; by the Editor. Iconographie et Description de Chenilles et Lépidoptères inédits,' par P. Millière, tome iii.

livr. 30-33; by J. W. Dunning, Esq. Remarks on Synonyms of European Spiders,' No. 4; by the Author, T. Thorell. 'Lepidoptera Exotica, or Descriptions and Illustrations of Exotic Lepidoptera,' by Arthur Gardiner Butler, F.L.S., &c., pt. xviii.; by E. W. Janson. 'Exotic Butterflies,' part 88. The Transactions of the Entomological Society of New South Wales,' vol. ii. pt. 5; by the Society. Stettiner Entomologische Zeitung,' vol. xxxiv. nos. 7-9; by the Entomological Society of Stettin. The Natural History of the Tineina,' vol. xiii.; by the Author, H. T. Stainton, Esq. Mémoire sur les Cléonides;' 'Description de quelques espèces nouvelles de Coléoptères de Syrie;' by the Author, M. A. Chevrolat. 'L'Attacus Atlas le Géant des Papillons, son Introduction en France, par M. A. Braine; son Histoire et son Habitat, par M. Maurice Girard;'Etudes sur les Insectes Carnassiers utiles à introduire dans les Jardins et à Protèger contre la Destruction,' par M. Maurice Girard; by M. Girard. Ueber Parthenogenesis der Artemia salina;' by the Author, C. v. Siebold. 'Contributions to Entomological Bibliography up to 1862, no. 2; by the Author, Albert Müller, Esq. 'Troisièmes Additions au Synopsis des Gomphines;' 'Troisièmes Additions au Synopsis des Caloptérygines;' by the Author, M. E. de Selys-Longchamps. A Catalogue of the Neuropterous Insects of New Zealand, with Notes and Descriptions of New Forms;' by the Author, R. M'Lachlan, Esq. 'The Ancestry of Insects: Chapter XIII. of "Our Common Insects;"' by the Author, A. S. Packard, jun. The Gall Midge of the Yew (Cecidomyia Taxi, Inchbald);' 'Apion apricans, Herbst, a Weevil injurious in the Kitchen Garden;' 'Review of the Take-all (the Corn Disease of Australia), scientifically considered, by Dr. Carl Mücke: Prize Essay, published under the authority of the Board of Agriculture of Victoria, Melbourne, 1870;' by the Author, Albert Müller, Esq. On the Amount of Substance-waste undergone by Insects in the Pupal State; with Remarks on Papilio Ajax,' by Raphael Meldola, F.C.S.; by the Author. Synopsis of the Histerida of the United States;' Revision of the Genera of the Tribe Hydrobiini;' 'Revision of the Species of several Genera of Meloide of the United States;' by the Author, George H. Horn, M.D. Descriptions of North American Noctuidæ,' no. 3, by Aug. R. Grote; by the Author. 'A Contribution towards a Monograph of the Indian Passalidæ,' by Dr. F. Stoliczka: by the Author. On Rhopalorhynchus Kröyeri, a new Genus and Species of Pycnogonida;' Note on certain Species of Phasmida hitherto referred to the Genus Bacillus;' by the Author, James Wood Mason, Esq. Mittheilungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft,' vol. iv. nos. 1 and 2; by the Society.

By purchase: Hymenoptera Scandinaviæ,' auctore C. G. Thomson, tom. ii. 'Bericht ueber die wissenschaftlichen Leishingen im Gebicte der Entomologie wähund des Jahres 1870, von Friedrich Brauer, und wahund

der Jahre 1869 und 1870, von Dr. A. Gerstaecker.' 'Die Cetoniden der Philippinischen Inseln,' Beschrieben von Dr. Otto Mohnike.

Election of Member.

Mr. C. W. Dale, of Glanville's Wootton, Dorsetshire, was balloted for and elected a Member of the Society.

Exhibitions, &c.

Mr. Higgins exhibited two bred specimens of Deilephila Euphorbia (one a remarkable variety), and a Sphinx Pinastri, taken near Harwich in June, 1872, when several specimens of the former were found in the larva state.

Mr. Champion exhibited a bred specimen of Pachnobia alpina from Braemar; also Harpalus quadripunctatus, Dej., from Braemar; Anisotoma macropus, Rye, from Claremont; A. pallens, Germ., from Deal; Liosomus troglodytes, Rye, from Faversham; and L. oblongulus, Boh., from Caterham.

Mr. W. C. Boyd exhibited living larvæ of Brachycentrus subnubilus, which had been reared from the eggs. They fed upon Confervæ, and the cases constructed by them were clearly quadrangular (though the angles were not prominent), and very diaphanous, so that the movements of the larvæ could be discerned within.

Mr. Bond exhibited fine specimens of Chilo gigantellus from Horning Fen. Mr. Vaughan exhibited Pempelia Davisella reared from larvæ, feeding in a web, upon shoots of Ulex.

Mr. Stevens exhibited Leucania L-album and Cerastes erythrocephala, said to have been taken at Canterbury by Mr. G. Parry. Also Acontia solaris taken near Dover in 1872, and a curious variety of Arge Galathea taken in 1871 on the South coast.

Mr. Müller remarked that at a meeting of the Scientific Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society, on the 12th instant, Dr. Masters had exhibited some galls found at Wimbledon on the roots of Deodara. That gentleman had since submitted to him further specimens of this gall, which he had found to agree, in external and internal structure, with those of Biorhiza aptera, Fab., usually occurring on roots of oak. Mr. Müller stated that he had since bred several specimens of Biorhiza aptera from these Deodara galls, and that he believed it to be the first instance where a true Cynips had been known to transfer its attacks from oak to a species of Conifer.

Papers read, dc.

Mr. W. H. Miskin, of Queensland, communicated some remarks on Mynes Guerini, described by Mr. A. R. Wallace in the Transactions of the Entomological Society,' 1869, p. 77, but which he considered to be identical with Mynes Geoffroyi, Guer., from the Malayan islands. alluded to a singular peculiarity in the economy of the insect, namely, that

He

the larvae, which were gregarious in their habits, preserved their social instincts even to their assuming the pupa state-the chrysalides being found collected together in groups of three or four individuals, united at the tails.

A paper was read entitled "Notes on the Habits of Papilio Merope, with a Description of its Larva and Pupa," by J. P. Mansel Weale, B.A.

Mr. Roland Trimen communicated some "Observations on Papilio Merope, Auct., with an Account of the various known Forms of that Butterfly."

Mr. E. W. Janson announced the approaching visit to this country of Dr. G. H. Horn, the well-known Coleopterist from Philadelphia.

December 1, 1873.-H. T. STAINTON, F.R.S., &c., Vice-President, in the chair.

Donations to the Library.

The following donations were announced, and thanks voted to the donors: Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift,' 1873, 1-2; presented by the Society. 'Beitrag zur Lepidopteren-Fauna Transkaukasiens und Beschreibung Zwei neuer Arten;' by the Author, Gustav von Emich. The Object and Method of Zoological Nomenclature;' by the Author, David Sharp, M.B. Contributions to Entomological Bibliography up to 1862,' No. 3; Review of the "Fifth Annual Report on the Noxious, Beneficial and other Insects of the State of Missouri, made to the State Board of Agriculture, pursuant to an Appropriation for this purpose from the Legislature of the State," by Charles V. Riley, State Entomologist, Jefferson City, 1873;' by the Author, Albert Müller. 'The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine' for December; by the Editors. 'Newman's Entomologist' and 'The Zoologist' for December; by the Editor. 'Stettiner Entomologische Zeitung, 1873,' Nos. 10-12; by the Society. By purchase Beschreibungen europäischer Dipteren,' Band iii.

Election of Member, &c.

Mr. Frederick Newell Arber, of Islip, Northamptonshire, was balloted for and elected a Member of the Society.

Mr. John George Marsh, of 842, Old Kent-road, was balloted for and elected a Subscriber to the Society.

Exhibitions, &c.

Mr. Bond exhibited a hybrid specimen between Clostera curtula and C. reclusa, partaking of the characters of both parents.