98 



Mr. Newman exhibited an aberration of Agriades tJietis, of which 

 several had been taken by him in Kent during the past season. 

 The specimen was a male, in which the whole of the wings were 

 suffused with a dark leaden colour. It was probably the rare form 

 known as ab. nigra. Mr. Newman said that he only knew of a few 

 of such aberrations having been taken in this country. 



Dr. Chapman exhibited considerable series of grasshoppers, taken 

 by him on the southern slopes of the North Downs, east and west 

 of Box Hill, and contributed the following note : — 



" A few years ago I sent Mr. Lucas some grasshoppers 

 from Buckland Hill, two of which he (Mr. Lucas) said were 

 in his experience rather scarce, and he should like to see 

 some more. The opportunity to go into the matter occurred 

 this autumn, with the result that one of these species, 

 Stenobothrus lineatus, was found to occur wherever sought 

 for on the slopes of the North Downs, between Eeigate Hill and 

 Pickett's Hole, most abundantly along the lower part of the drive 

 in the- Denbies estate, more sparingly elsewhere. The other species 

 GuDiphocerus rufus seemed to be absent in places, it occurred on 

 Colley Hill and was most abundant on the slope above Pickett's 

 Hole. It seemed to be absent (certainly very rare) on Box Hill, 

 where Gomplwcerns niaciilatKs, a very pretty little grasshopper when 

 alive, was very abundant, but though a very common species was 

 not seen on any other part of the slope examined. G. ru/iis, and 

 less markedly S. lineatus, were most abundant in places where 

 Agriadea thetis {hellargiis) occurred, i.e., where Hippocrejiis grew. 

 This may have some meaning or may be mere coincidence. At the 

 beginning of September nearly all S. lineatus were mature at Dork- 

 ing, but a few days later (September 7th) barely a majority had 

 reached the imago state on Colley Hill. 



"I exhibit specimens of these and of Chorthipinis parallelus and 

 Staiir()deru.s bicolor, two species that were not uncommon in the same 

 localities. It is worth noting again, as something having a reason 

 behind it that I have not discovered, that Gowplwceriia macidottis 

 occurs abundantly only on the one portion of the slopes examined, 

 from which G. rufus appeared to be absent, but was not found else- 

 where, that the two species appear to be, in fact, on these slopes, 

 mutually exclusive." 



In reference to G. riifiis, Mr. Lucas said that as a rule he had 

 found it among grass in much damper situations than that in which 

 it occurred in Dr. Chapman's experience. 



