Joiininl of Proreedim/s. Ixxix 



Mr. J. A. Finzi exliibited under the microscope some young larvae of 

 Noctuae, whicli he had mounted in balsam in order to test the statements 

 contained in Mr. Meklola's paper [Trans, ii. li).] Many species in the 

 newly-hatched stages were found to bo very geometriform, and this was 

 especially well shown in the case of the larva of the pretty moth Gosmia 



The President made some remarks upon the interesting nature of the 

 facts demonstrated by the specimens Mr. Finzi had shown them, and he 

 hoped that their entomological members would work at the subject. 



Mr. B. G. Cole exhibited, as an instance of the extreme mildness of 

 the weather, a fine specimen of the Copper Butterfly {Polyonunatiis 

 PJtheas) which he had caught flying near Fairmead Bottom on November 

 18th. Mr. W. Cole remarked that on the same day he had noticed twelve 

 or fifteen sp)ecies of common wild plants in vigorous bloom. 



Mr. F. H. Varley exhibited two specimens of the " Swallow-tailed " 

 Butterfly (Fapiliu MacJiauit) bred from puptb found attached to the 

 stems of an Umbelliferous plant (possibly Feucedanuin) growing near the 

 banks of the Thames between Southend and Tilbury, Essex, in October, 

 1868. Five pupae were found, three of which emerged as butterflies in 

 April of the following year. 



The President remarked that these specimens were of great interest, 

 as they were veritable Essex " swallow-tails." The members were well 

 aware that the insect still bred in the fen districts of Cambridgeshire and 

 elsewhere, but it was thought to be extinct in Essex. It was a curious 

 fact that in this country the butterfly was very rarely seen far away 

 from its congenial fen-lands, but on the Continent it was a common 

 garden insect in many places, and occurred in perfectly dry districts. 



Mr. W. Cole called attention to a statement by the late Edward 

 Newman, that P. Machaon was found commonly as near London as 

 Tottenham, in the early part of this century. Mr. Newman wrote in his 

 'Natural History of all the British Butterflies,' published in 'Young 

 England,' that when at school at Tottenham [probably before 1812] 

 he had found the beautiful caterpillars of the butterfly feeding upon 

 rue. A member of the Club, Mr. G. H. Eaynor, had recorded the 

 occurrence of Machaon at Maldon, in ' Entomologist ' for October, 1872 

 (vol. vi. 223). It was caught by Mr. Gutteridge, Surgeon, in Maldon, 

 about the beginning of August, 1872. The writer adds : — " It does not 

 seem possible that the insect could be a bred one escaped, as there is 

 but one entomologist in the town who does not plead guilty to having 

 had any Machaon pup® this year. The marshy nature of the sur- 

 rounding district renders it not improbable that Machaon may breed 

 regularly in some sequestered nook near here." In a letter to the 

 Secretary, dated November 12th, 1881, Mr. Eaynor comments upon 

 this : — " I had only just gone to live at Maldon then, and did not 

 know much about the Essex marshes, which I have since examined 

 more thoroughly. I do not now think it probable that Machaon breeds 



