358 THE ENTOMOLOGIST* S RECORD. 



autumn. He had himself encountered hosts of Corcuietlidae, princi- 

 pally Coccinella 1 -punctata, but intermixed with a considerable number of 

 C. hipunctata both in Essex and in Yorkshire. Bates and McLachlan 

 observed that, in this case, there was no need to have recourse to the 

 hypothesis of immigration, as, previously to the appearance of the 

 beetles, an unusual quantity of larvfe of CoirincUidac had been observed 

 in the southern counties of England. The simultaneous hatching of 

 a large number in one locality caused a scarcity of food there, and 

 compelled them to move elsewhere ; arriving at the sea-coast the 

 majority was stopped, whilst some, attempting to go further, fell into 

 the sea, and were washed back with the tide. The littoral phenomena 

 of the swarms were thus sufficiently accounted for. 



^ A R I A T I N . 



Aberrations of Melanargia galathea. — Two peculiar aberrations 

 of Melanan/ia r/alathea, which I have had for a considerable time in 

 my collection, are reproduced on Plate viii., figs. 3, 4, of this magazine. 

 They were both taken whilst I was collecting at Abbott's Wood, in 

 1891, and their peculiarities may be described as follows : — (1) Fig. 3 

 is a, 3 , captured at Abbott's Wood, July 12th, 1891. It is of a pale 

 creamy colour, in fact, very similar to the ordinary J as obtained in this 

 country. It is, however, remarkable in having the central part of the pale 

 transverse band of spots crossing the forewings, reduced, so that the two 

 normal spots in this position resemble very strongly the Koman numeral 

 VII. This marking is very conspicuous and fairly well exhibited in the 

 figure. (2) Fig.4isalsoa 3 ,capturedat Abbott's Wood, but on July 19th, 

 1891. Its ground colour is white, rather of the normal 5 coloration on 

 the upper side. The peculiarity, as will be seen from the figure, is 

 that the greater part of the right hind wing is deeply sufi'used, a strongly 

 developed black patch occupying the greater part of the wing. This 

 is due to a striking development of black scales that covers the ground 

 colour. The ordinary ocellar development on the outer margin of the 

 hindwing is here absent. The underside of this wing is, strangely 

 enough, without any of the normal black markings, the whole area of 

 the wing is slightly suflused, as if the black scales were spread over 

 the general surface instead of being collected around the usual 

 ocellated spots. There is a strong suggestion when one carefully 

 studies this peculiarity that it has arisen from a slight failure of 

 development, the whole wing bearing the trace of not being very fully 

 nurtured. As a matter of fact, had it not been for this abnornal dark 

 patch, the specimen might be considered as distinctly lighter than 

 usual. — J. A. Clark, F.E.S., 57, Weston Park, Crouch End. 



Aberration of Diloba c^ruleocephala. Amongst the moths 

 attracted into the house by light on the 17th of this month were two 

 or three Diloha cacrnleovephala. Not having any wild, but only bred, 

 specimens of this moth in my collection, I kept one which in lamp- 

 light looked like an ordinary typical male. By the way, all that have 

 come to light have been males. When I came to set it I was pleased 

 to find that 1 had taken a nice aberration, the figure-of-eight marks 

 being yellow instead of white. I should be glad to know if this 

 aberration has a name, and if it is of common occurrence. — J. F. 

 Bird, " The Lodge," Cowfold, Sussex. Ortahi'v 24f/(, 1901. 



