122 THE ENTOMOLOGISTS KECORD. 



var. Imiiiuea, and one striking specimen of var. iufuscata. In 

 another very wet season (1872), a black polyodou was recorded 

 from Sheerness. Again in 1888, at Deal, it was difficult to find 

 anything but dark Agr. corticea. In some seasons, specimens as 

 pale as ordinary $ A.cinerea are not rare, with a fair number of 

 dark and black vars. In 1888 almost all were dark and black, 

 scarcely a pale var. was to be obtained. Beautiful whitish vars. 

 of tritici are not rare in ordinary seasons ; that year they were 

 comparatively rare, and the series I brought home was darker 

 than any I have previously captured. There is no doubt that 

 a succession of seasons like 1888 would intensify these varie- 

 ties, to the almost utter exclusion of the paler forms. I think 

 this illustrates the fact, that meteorological influence has played 

 a great part in the sudden darkening of certain species, and 

 that, given a number of seasons suitable to this particular de- 

 velopment, the dark would altogether outnumber the pale forms. 

 I am not alone in noticing the influence which a wet season 

 has on the sudden development of variation in certain species. 

 In the Entomologist, vol. xxii., pp. 38, 39, Mr. W. W. Smith, 

 of Ashburton, New Zealand, writing of the variation of 

 Argyrophinga antipoditvi, says: — "There can be no question 

 that many species of lepidoptera are greatly influenced in all 

 stages by changes of temperature or by the seasons ; and from 

 notes on the variation of this butterfly in relation to the 

 seasons, made during many years, I am in a position to show 

 that the species exhibits greater variation in some years than 

 others." Mr. Smith then goes on to show that in the dry 

 seasons, 1881-83, there was little variation. He then writes: — 

 " Then followed the wettest winter, and equally wet and coldest 

 summer on record in Nev/ Zealand ; every day of bright sun- 

 shine produced the emergence of some specimens of A. 

 ajitipodnm, and fresh individuals continued to appear until 

 much later in the season than usual. In the same year (the 

 early months of 1884), I collected the most variable forms of 

 both sexes I had hitherto obtained." The years 1885, 1886, 

 and 1887 were drier, and produced less variable specimens, but 

 " last summer (1888), which was preceded by a very wet 

 winter, there was again a greater number of more richly marked 

 and variable forms. From the foregoing notes it will be seen 

 that the variation of the species is most predominant in seasons 

 succeeding wet winters. The same remark applies to Chryso- 

 phaims boldenanan. How the seasons operate in producing 

 this effect requires careful investigation," etc. Mr. Smith then 



