138 



Mr. C. L. Withycombe made the following communication, and 

 exhibited some of the species referred to by him : — 



" In the Neuroptera there often appears to be a tendency to 

 reduction of the hindwings. Whereas this is also seen in other 

 orders, the tendency is as a rule to complete reduction. In the 

 Neuroptera the hindwings are generally reduced in breadth but 

 increased in length. The most strongly reduced foi'm is seen in 

 CvDce, where the hindwing is represented merely by a slender fila- 

 ment. The forewings are used in flight, the hindwings trailed." 



The following forms were exhibited, showing different stages in 

 reduction and elongation of hindwings : — 



Glennleon indecision, Banks (Queensland, Australia), a fairly 

 typical ant-lion, but with the hindwings elongated and narrowed 

 slightly. 



Ci/iiiothales (Glenitnis) sp. (W. Africa), with hindwings still more 

 narrowed and elongated. 



Chasmoptera sheppardi, Kirby (Taurus Mts., Asia Minor), a 

 Nemopterid with hindwings expanded distally. 



Neiiioptera bipennis, Illiger (Spain), with very long and narrow 

 hindwings, only slightly expanded distally. 



Larvae of Croce filipeniiis, Westw., were also exhibited alive, from 

 Pusa, India. This form has not quite so long a neck as the larva of 

 Neiiinptera ; also the mandibles are not toothed. The larva lives in 

 dust on floors of outhouses, preying upon bedbugs, Psocids, etc. 



Mr. Robert Adkin exhibited a number of Zygaenids reared from 

 pupae sent to him by Lord Rothschild. He said that they had been 

 collected indiscriminately on the Chilterns, in the neighbourhood of 

 Trmg, and to all appearances the cocoons were exactly alike, both 

 in construction and in their position on the grass stems to which 

 they were attached; but they produced 57 specimens of a six-spotted 

 species which was clearly referable to Z. fHipenJidae, and 16 speci- 

 mens of a five-spotted species. He found that when left to them- 

 selves the six-spotted species readily selected and paired with the 

 like, as did also the five-spotted with the five-spotted, but there was 

 no cross pairing. He said tbat it had been suggested that these 

 five-spotted forms occurring indiscriminately among noruuil Z. 

 filipendiilae might be a five-spotted form of that species; he thought, 

 however, that were that so there would not have been the careful 

 selection in pairing that he had already referred to. Moreover, in 

 apparently five-spotted specimens of Z. fiUpendulae that he had very 

 rarely bred, there was always some indication of the sixth spot to 



