TRANSACTIONS. OUR
MEMBERS.
THE primary object of any Scientific Society is a concatenation of brains, a galaxy of knowledge, that in common illumines a subject to its utmost limits at any given period of time. Existent political exigencies interdict personal Meetings just now ; so the Editor has selected, from the mass of copy that has accumulated by our enforced reduction of publication, two communal comital papers for this Transactions. Also, to mitigate our dissemination as far as may be, he has spread before him a goodly array of correspondence and trusts some extracts will facilitate Members' intercommunication, though not ' in the flesh ' as the Birdists say.—Recalled to the Army last Sept. and am with the British Expedition in France (H. F. Allen, 28 April); now in Norfolk. Since vou were here in June, repeated attempts have fired forty acres of young Conifers in Wilverlev Inclosure (Henry Andrews, Norlevwood, New Forest, 6 Oct.). I have again taken Sphinx pinastri at Reydon (G. J. Baker, 13 Oct.). Mr. Edward Barrs is deceased : of his achievements (gestes) we are horribly ignorant.—We have enough cash in hand to issue this year's Transactions on the lines of the last (John Bedwell, v.v. Mrs. Bedwell, 8 Oct.). T h e British Natural History Museum got one or more incendiary bombs on 8th that have practically wiped out the Botanical Gallerv, though the fire did not penetrate below that, but the Geological basement even had water Streaming down the walls. I am told there was another bomb last night, behind the same block. And another has just rattled the whole building, probably a delayed-action one, so I had better send back your box of Beetles while the going is good (Dr. Blair, 11 Sept.). Later we had further trouble, for the—
148
OUR MEMBERS.
practically cmpty—Shell Gallery roof was burnt out ; a certain amount of water-damage carae to the Oberthur Room, containing only duplicates, I bclieve ; several other incendiary and a few high-explosive bombs arrived, but with relatively little damage (idem, 22 Oct.). Mr. W. T . B. Block is moved to 1 Arivela-road, Felixstow. T h e Misses Bond and Henderson have vacated Reydon along with St. Felix School.—In happier days perhaps we shall have niore delightful expeditions and petrol (Naomi Browne). Come over on 6 June and see our new Canadian-pine house here (Col. and Mrs. Hawley, Amber Cottage, Bodenham). Mr. Bright has resigned.—I am slecping most nights at Holton Rectory (P. J. Burton). Enclosed are Insects 1 want named (GeoiT. Burton, 20 Sept.). Most of my fifty A. villica larvae died (Eric Butters, 14 Oct.). We must resign for the duration of the war (Revd. and Mrs. Chapman). Mrs. Collings and I left Southwold on 25 June, with all we could take in our car, and came to mv relative Miss Goss at T h e Bungalow, Bouchiers Hill, North Tawton, Devon. We were much grieved at having to leave both our houses ; Southwold Museum is closed, and we trust it will not be burned. This country is very hilly and takes some getting accustomed to by one who used to be younger ; I have seen but few Insects or Birds as yet (President Dudlev W . Collings, 0 Julv). We have had no reply from Mr. Cook tili November. Mr. Cribb and Mr. Fowler are going strong. Mrs. A. J. Critten and her spacious-minded swain are again shouldering the Southwold mavoralty.—Because of your outstanding work on lchneumonid^e, I hope you can inform me . . . (G. F. Erikson, 125 Shearer-street, Palmer, Mass., U.S.A. ; 1 Feb.). Thanks a lot for Scythropia erat age IIa from New Forest. I have becn out with Tony Borrow in Benacre woods (Jack Goddard). If you do not come tomorrow, we shall expect you both on 23 Julv, to try a capture of S. Pilleratia at Linwood ; I suppose you have taken no more Cicadetta montana (Dr. Haines). We were at Cowes in the s u m m e r ; and there is no sign of Gothic House now, though the summer-house on the garden wall is still there. Ncar the steamer-pier, whcre your sister Daisy [our Member, Mrs. Gripper] and you met me in August 1888, an
OUR
149
MEMBERS.
e n o r m o u s pile of flats has h e e n erected for t h e N e w Rieh ( C a p t . Willy Hill, 24 D e c . 1939).
M r . C . G . J o n e s ' a d d r e s s is Iken Hall,
where h e invited u s to collect in A u g u s t . heard
nothing.—What
Of M r . Last we h a v e
a wonderful summer,
and
autumn
to
inatch : we are still having luneh a n d tea in t h e g a r d e n every day ( H . R. L i n g w o o d , 2 O c t . ) . — U n e maladie grave m ' o b l i g e a e n t r e r en
clinique
chirurgicale
pour
longtemps.
Veuillez, je
vous
prie, t r a n s m e t t r e ä M . L e P r e s i d e n t ma deinission de M e m b r e de la Suffolk N a t u r a l i s t s ' Society ( M . I I . M a n e v a l , T a u l h a c p r e s le P u y ; 23 aout). Nightshade,
I have only twice in my life c o m e across D e a d l y
Atropa
belladona
(A. M a v f i e l d ,
12 M a r c h ) .
M i t t o n has r e t u r n e d to his family at K e t t e r i n g . Morley
and
enquiries !
I are b o t h
particularly
Mrs.
fit, t h a n k
you
Mr.
Claude
for
A n d always glad to w e l c o m e M e m b e r s at
Monks
S o h a m (31 O c t . ) . — G r c a t l y pleased to reeeive t h e usual gift of Dec.
the
Transactions
1939).
Have
(W. Rait-Smith, Anglesey
been
15 Sept.).
before being
Morton,
unwell,
but
Xmas
Edinburgh; am
22
recovering
I expect to s p e n d t h r e e weeks in up
for t h e
Army : bother
it !
A m s e n d i n g a few Flies, Bcetles
for n a m e s ( F r a n k Stanley, 10 Oct.).
to b e in H a m p s h i r e ! 20 J u n e ) .
verv
called
( F . W . S i m p s o n , 3 July). Micro-moths
(Kenneth
kind
and
Happy man,
M a n y t h a n k s for t h e Insects ( C a n o n W a l l e r ,
T h r e e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s have b r o u g h t no replv f r o m
P a s t - p r e s i d e n t D r . V i n t e r tili late O c t . ; b u t w e hear f r o m his sister t h a t he has hired his usual ' shoot ' (v.v., 8 Oct.).
Miss
W a t s o n h a s fled f r o m M a r g a t e , alias ' Hell C o r n e r , ' to t h e w i l d s of
Derbyshire
(Station
Cottage,
Tissington,
Ashborne,
1
J u l y ) . — O n l y s o m e h a l f - d o z e n N e w M e m b e r s , as o n e m i g h t e x p e c t , have been elected d u r i n g 1940 b y t h e O f f i c e r s ; t h e n a m e s will be c o n f i r m e d at t h e Society's next G e n e r a l M e e t i n g , t h e d a t e of w h i c h will b e a n n o u n c e d as soon as t h e g o d s p e r m i t .