1897.] 263 



September 23ri, 1897. — The President in the Chair. 



Dr. Chapman, F.E.S., of Elmscroft, Red Hill, was elected a Member. 



Mr. Malcolm Burr presented to the Society's Museum an almost complete 

 collection of British Orthoplera. Mr. Auld exhibited series of Tapino.ttola Bondii 

 fi'om Folkestone ; of Caradrina ambigua, from Devon, where it has been somewhat 

 common this year ; of Dianthceria nana from Shetland ; and of TcBniocampa gothica 

 also from Shetland. Mr. Adkin, a bred series of D. nana from Shetland larvae, 

 showing much variation ; on behalf of Mr. de V. Kane, a specimen of Larentia 

 Jlavicinctata taken in Antrim. Mr. Tutt, on behalf of Mr. Dutton, a very fine and 

 variable series of Abraxas syhata (uhnata) ; a good proportion of the specimens 

 were smoky or partially smoky, and these seemed somewhat thinly scaled, and as 

 they were slightly crumpled and difficult to set, Mr. Dutton had suggested that the 

 aberrations were due to malnutrition. Mr. Tutt also showed three species of 

 Ascalaphun which he had captured in the Southern Alps, together with two species 

 of Ant Lion. Mr. Burr, a specimen of Phyllocrania illudens, a Mantis from Mada- 

 gascar, with the leaves with which it is found ; it is an extraordinary example of 

 adaptation to surroundings, being very difficult to find, even when attention is called 

 to it in a small box. Mr. Turner, specimens of the Hawk Fly, Asilus crabroni- 

 formis, from Seaton, Devon, and a series of the Hemipteron, Enoplops scapha, taken 

 over a very restricted area in the same locality on the leaves of Coltsfoot. A paper 

 was read, entitled, " The British Day Butterflies, and the changes in the wings of 

 Butterflies," communicated by Prof. A. Eadcliffe Grote, A.M., in which he at some 

 length explained his views as to the evolution of the venation, illustrated his remarks 

 by, and applied his theory to, the British Butterflies, criticised the work of Mr. 

 Meyrick, and more fully explained himself to his own critics. 



October \Uh, 1897.— The President in the Chair. 



Mr. Mansbridge exhibited varieties of Abraxas grossulariata bred this season 

 from Horsforth larvae. The line of variation was similar to that observed in former 

 years, viz., a gradual suffusion of the fore-wings with the black (lolour. Mr. South, 

 small specimens of Pieris rapce, taken at Folkestone by Mr. Sabine, having an 

 additional spot on the hind-wings. He noticed a similar peculiarity in some speci- 

 mens of P. napi, and said that the same variation occurred in the allied Chinese 

 Pierids. Two specimens of Callimorpha dominula, v. rossina, from Dover, and a 

 bred series of Acidalia inornata were also exhibited by Mr. South. Mr. H. Mont- 

 gomery, on behalf of Mr. E. Montgomery, a series of bred P. napi, including 

 specimens with traces of an additional spot, and read notes on the variation shown 

 in the series. He also exhibited a uniformly xanthic specimen of Epinephele 

 Tithonus, and a specimen of A. grossulariata, having an additional complete band 

 on the hind-wings. Mr. McArthur, a specimen of Arctia Caja, with perforated 

 wings, which had been caused by the larva changing on the sandy bottom of the 

 cage, a piece of grit piercing the wing-case. Mr. Cockerell communicated a note 

 upon a peculiar case of protective coloration observed by him in Mexico. Mr. 

 Ficklin, a series of Polia flavicincta from Cornwall, small, but brightly marked. 

 Mr. Lucas, an immature form of a locust sent him from Kew Gardens. Mr. West, 

 of Greenwich, series of Acanthosoma tristriatum from juniper bushes at Box Hill, 

 and Pantilius tunicatus beaten from hazel. Mr R. Adkin, specimens of Nonagria 



