44 The Irish Naturalisl. t^eb., 



FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON THE DEVEEOPMENT 



OF MEEANISM IN MOTHS. 



BY W. F. DE V. KANK, M.A., F.E-S. 



1 DESIRE to record a further corroboration of the arguments 

 contained in my paper dealing with the remarkable instance 

 of melanism in Camptograimna bilhicata {Irish Nat., vol. v., p. 

 74.) I referred therein to three examples of DianthcEcia 

 capsophila taken on the same island off the Kerry coast, in 

 which I discovered the variety isolata oi \h.^ former insect, and 

 stated that they also showed remarkable melanic tendencies. 

 I desire now to record my success in breeding this summer 

 seven examples of D. capsophila from larvae there found. 

 They all are melanic also, one specimen especially being 

 almost a unicolorous black, the hind wings somewhat paler at 

 base. On the fore wings can be distinguished only partial 

 traces of outlines round the stigmata, one or two minute dots 

 on the costa, one on the inner margin, and the chequers of 

 the fringe. It is, therefore, evident that, as I pointed out in 

 the paper above referred to, the local environments other than 

 climatic conditions (which are the same as those of the main- 

 land a few miles distant) have influenced this noctuid as well 

 as the geometer. And as I have bred specimens of D. capso- 

 phila from other islands off the Irish coast — namely, from 

 Inishmore (Aran), and one situated opposite Renvyle, Conne- 

 mara, which are not melanic, it results that some especial 

 peculiarity attaches to the rock-island in question off Kerry. 

 As I have already discussed this, it is not necessary to enter 

 upon it again. 



MK.., 



