CURRENT NOTES. 279 



It is of no use after this for the British collector to cavil at the 

 change of names ; here he has the whole literature of the subject at 

 disposal so that he can form his own opinions, and the author himself 

 provides the material on which such may challenge him if they disa- 

 gree with his conclusions. " The Catalogue of the Paljearctic Lach- 

 neides " (pp. 225-229), and the " Catalogue of the Palai'arctic Dimor- 

 phides, Bombycides, Brahmfeides, and Attacides," will prove of the 

 utmost use to workers both in the Paljearctic and Nearctic regions, 

 although probably for matters of space the species of the latter 

 district have been excluded. The author asks for a full measure 

 of support from all lepidopterists. He especially appeals to American 

 lepidopterists to support the Avork, claiming that the volumes have a 

 wider basis than their title would suggest, and pointing out that 

 the basis of work is general, and, therefore, of as much importance 

 to American as to European lepidopterists. — H.E.P. 



drURRENT NOTES. 



At the British Association Belfast meeting several papers were 

 read before section D (Zoology), dealing with entomological subjects, 

 Professor Poulton was responsible for three communications, with 

 exhibition of specimens, c/c, "Notes on the habits of the predaceous 

 flies of the family Asilida-," " Illustrations of British insects in 

 their natural attitudes," and " Three-colour slides of mimicry, protec- 

 tive resemblance, seasonal forms of butterflies, etc." This last paper 

 was intended to lead the way to a discussion on the interpretation of 

 such phenomena by the theory of natural selection. Mr. Nelson 

 Annandale contributed a paper with lantern illustrations on " Flower- 

 like insects from the Malay peninsula," and Mr. H. C. Robinson 

 another on "Protective resemblance in the ]\Ialay peninsula." The 

 Saturday night lecture to working-men was given by Professor Miall, 

 who selected for his subject "Gnats and mosquitoes." The life-history 

 of these insects was described in detail, and by means of some beautiful 

 experiments the lecturer showed how the larva? of the gnat were able, 

 by making use of the film on the surface of water, to keep themselves 

 suspended at the surface, despite the fact that the specific gravity of 

 their bodies is greater than that of water ; the last portion of the 

 lecture was devoted to an account of the work of Major Ross, on the 

 connection between malarial fever and mosquitoes, one of the most 

 interesting and important pieces of biological research work which has 

 been carried out for some years. In moving a vote of thanks to the 

 lecturer, Professor McKendrick said that the lesson he drew from the 

 lecture was that no object in the animal or vegetable kingdom was so 

 little or so humble that it did not repay careful study, and the observa- 

 tions made by naturalists of the habits of some of the lower forms of 

 life might by and by have very important practical eft'ects regarding 

 the human race ; words of wisdom to be borne in mind by every 

 entomologist. 



Mr. Gillmer appears [Zcitsi. J'iir Entotii., vii., p. 375) to have been 

 just in time to make a synonym of his Ainorpha jioindi ab. siibjiara, 

 which falls before A. popidi ah. pallida {Brit. Lepidiyptera, iii., p. 469). 



The late season will make notes of collecting from various parts of 



