xlvi Journal of Proceedings. 



fields and marshes, they retreat to the seaside, shelter themselves 

 among the weeds, and live upon what they can pick up from the Alg:s, 

 &c., between high and low water mark. Our friend remarks, that 

 the time of their appearance in Essex coincides with that of their 

 leaving the inland counties ; the same observation has been made in 

 Hampshire. " — Ed.] 



Mr. English also exhibited a fine specimen of the rare Fungus 

 Thelephora vmltizonata from Epping Forest. Since he had discovered 

 the species in the Forest he had found seventeen specimens in about 

 nine years. He believed that two examples had been gathered in 

 Hereford, but as far as he knew, these were the only specimens 

 recorded. 



IVIr. W. Cole exhibited some remarkably dwarf specimens of Lepidop- 

 tera all taken at large in the Forest district, Chingford and Buckhurst 

 Hill. The species were A. cardaviines, Cvocallis elinguaria, Ennor.ios angu- 

 l via, and Abraxas grossulariata. Some of these diminutive insects were 

 less than half the normal size of the species. 



The President showed some specimens of Exotic butterflies for the 

 purpose of illustrating some interesting remarks made by him on the 

 phenomena of Protective resemblance amongst insects. The specimens 

 well demonstrated the existence of two classes of cases — one in which the 

 insects derived protection from their enemies by reason of their resem- 

 blance to living or dead leaves, twigs or flowers. This case is well 

 illustrated by the Indian Leaf Butterfly Kallima Inachis, and by many 

 moths and caterpillars in England. The other class of cases, including 

 those rarer species which find protection by " mimicing " some 

 commoner species, which may itself be protected by some special 

 quality, such as nauseous taste or odour, from the attacks of birds 

 or other enemies. This class Mr. Meldola illustrated by Diadema 

 misippus, the female of which very closely resembles the common 

 Danais chrysippus. Among English species it may be noted that the 

 comparatively scarce little Geometrideous moth Acidalia subsericeata, 

 closely mimics the common A sthena candidata ; and many examples of 

 these phenomena could probably be found in British insects. 



Mr. Cole mentioned that his brother had seen a specimen of Cynthia 

 Cardui at Ramsgate, hovering over and settling upon some artificial 

 flowers in a lady's hat. The observation was worth recording, as it 

 tended to show that the colour and form of flowers were the chief 

 attraction to insects. 



Mr. N. F. Robarts, F.G.S., wished to call attention to the Deer in 

 Epping Forest, in the hope of eliciting some information with respect 

 to their peculiarities. When compared with the ordinary Fallow-deer 

 of our parks, he thought they presented noticeable differences, and 

 they appeared to be a separate race. He also wished to know whether 

 the cause of the mortality of the Shrew-mouse {Sorcx araneus) was 



