VARIATION. 359 



Aberration of Anthrocera fit^ipexdul.e. — From a number of 

 cocoons, collected at Kingly Vale, near Chichester, in July, Mr. Geo. 

 W. Jeffery bred a beautiful aberration, which he kindly presented to me. 

 The lower wings are yellow, suffused and streaked with carmine. The 

 sixth spot and the primaries are of a faint yellowish-pink tint. — J. 

 Anderson, Chichester. 



LiTHosiA sERicEA, Gregs., BON. sp. — May I be permitted to enter a 

 protest against the recording of the above-named insect (Ivnt. Record, 

 xiii., p. 276) as a variety of Jj'thosia couiplana ? So long ago as 1867 

 {Sti'tt. Ent. Zcit., xxviii., p. 125) Speyer pointed out structural differ- 

 ences, not only in the shape of the wings, but also in the size of the 

 costal tuft of scales on the underside of the forewings (not to mention its 

 colour), itc. Until his observations have been seriously challenged, or 

 the characters in question proved inconstant, it seems to me quite 

 imjustitiable to sink L. scricra as a variety. Certainly to the super- 

 ficial observer the ditferences seem considerable enough, and one may 

 venture to doubt whether mere varieties are ever distinguished by such 

 a decided difference in texture and gloss. — Louis B. Prout. Ortoher 

 1st, 1901. 



It has always been one of the greatest puzzles to me why Lithosia 

 srvirra should ever have been considered distinct from L. cnmplana. To 

 those who knowL. cotnplana over a fair part of its area of distribution, 

 thereis no need to enter into details of the great difference in size, and to a 

 less extent in Aving-shape, due probably to a somewhat fuller develop- 

 ment accompanying the larger size, that exists in specimens of this 

 species from various localities. Added to this one finds, as a rare 

 aberration, occasional specimens of L. cnmplana in Kent, with the 

 superficial appearance of scricea very strongly developed. With regard 

 to Speyer's dift'erentiation of the size of the costal tuft of scales on the 

 underside of the forewings, I know nothing, nor have I, at present, 

 time to investigate, but the thought at once arises whether this is more 

 than a slight specialisation, due to the same conditions of environment, 

 that has produced what to me seems nothing more than a well-marked 

 local race of a very widely-distributed species. Cannot a parallel 

 examination of eggs and larvte, both obtainable in Britain, be made for 

 specific differences, if these exist ? Is not the material available for a 

 comparison of the genitalia ? At present I am a sceptic as to the 

 specific claims of sericeo, but my scepticism perhaps is based on very 

 insufficient grounds. There is, I believe, in the Ent. Weekbj Intellii/encer, 

 a trenchant criticism of Speyer's remarks, by one of the Lancashire 

 collectors, who took the insect freely on the mosses in the "fifties." — 

 J. W. Tutt. 



Aberration of Thymelicus traumas. — Last June I captured in Folke- 

 stone Warren a ciwions tihevvation oi Thymelicus thaiDiias {linea). The 

 anterior wings are of a silvery bone-colour, while the posterior wings 

 are shot Avith an iridescent green. — S. G. Hills, Public Library, 

 Folkestone. October Gtli, 1901. 



Some exceptional sizes in lepidoptera. — The following insects 

 captured this year are interesting from the point of view of size : 

 (1) Asthena hiteata, •8125in. in expanse. (2) Bri/oji/iila muralis, 

 •77in. in expanse. (3) .^.s^/ie^a s^Zf««rt, •75in. in expanse. (4) Venusia 

 camhricaria, -76111. in expanse. I also bred an example of Amphi- 

 ilasijs hetiilaria ab. Honbledai/aria, 1-lin. in expanse. — F. C. Wood- 

 forde, F.E.S., Market Drayton. October 21.sf, 1901. 



