RETROSPECT OF A LEPIDOPTERIST FOR 1902. 81 



nwrpheus, Mawcatm dentina, Olivia (Miana) xtrifjilu, Afirotia rnrticea, 

 Xi/lf)ia fiiibli(st)-is, Pi/ryJn'a umbra, Stenia pitnctalis, etc. But my 

 most astonishing experiences were in Scotland, where the May and 

 June insects were still in evidence, often even in good condition, np 

 to the beginning of Angust, e.i/., Xi/lena riirea, Olii/ia fim-iinicula, Apmiiea 

 linnina, A. haailinea, TIcliDpInla {Lenrama) conmia, etc., lasted on Avell 

 into August ; tAVO BuHina uinbratu-a {tencbroHo) were noticed on July 

 31st ; a very fair Enpithecia sati/rata on July 30th ; a fresh Pliarcfra 

 t'liphoybiac var. myrivac on July 31st ; an equally fresh Diaiit/iotria 

 consjK'rsa on August 3rd ; and many other striking dates could easily 

 be mentioned. 



For only a few species has the year 1902 been an exceptionally 

 good one. I may mention Plitsia bractea in Scotland and Ireland, 

 Afiornphi/lti aiistralis in the Isle of Wight, A. niijra in several parts, 

 (h'liroili's liclicnaria in Devonshire; Ci/nt/iia rardui and Pliisia 

 (laiiiiiia — unlike most of the migrants — have also abounded in the 

 South of England. 



Of interesting scientific work done during the year, I must refer to 

 some further experiments in hybridisation — a held of research of 

 which we are only just beginning to realise the importance. Prof. 

 Standfuss has at last succeeded in obtaining the reciprocal cross to 

 the well-known hybr. hi/bridii.^ of Sjiwrint/iiis oct'llata-popiili, namely, a 

 pairing of Amorpha pajmli ^ with Siiicrinthiis nailata J , though he 

 has only as yet succeeded, after much pains, in rearing two moths 

 therefrom. One awaits also details from Mr. Newman of Bexley, 

 who has, I understand, been carrying out extensive and successful 

 hybridisation experiments on these and other species. It is con- 

 fidently anticipated that he will at least give us a statement of 

 results. ]\Ir. ]>acot is still persevering with the Malacosoma species, 

 and not without his reward. Mr. Adkin has recently paired 

 Kutrapela bilunaria S with K. tifrahuiaria J , and exhibited one of 

 .the three resultant specimens (all (J s) before the Entomological 

 Society of London. 



The Societies, by the way, have done a great deal of work of interest 

 to lepidopterists. The premier Society, with the advent again of 

 Professor Poulton to a prominent position (as a Vice-President), has 

 awakened to new activity in its exhibits, etc., he having made some 

 of the meetings very popular and attractive with his lantern exhibitions 

 by the Sanger- Shepherd three-colour process. Needless to say, the 

 subject has been the Professor's pet hobby of protective coloration, 

 etc., and with him as President for 1903 we may look for further 

 prominence during the coming year of this interesting subject. 

 Mr. W. J. Kaye has also contributed valuable exhibits illustrative of 

 Miillerian mimicry, Mr. Merrifield has shown us a photograph of the 

 peculiar protective posture of the larvae of 1 lii<ivnrhroa fujrim/an'a, and 

 Mr. C. P. Pickett has been well to the fore with his exhibits of good 

 aberrations of British species. Amongst the papers, too, there has 

 been much of value to the lepidopterist. A long and excellent paper 

 by Guy A. K. Marshall and E. B. Poulton, illustrated with many 

 plates (7V<7u.s. Knt. S<>r. Loud., pp. 2S7-584, pis. ix-xxiii), on " The 

 Bionomics of South African Insects, chiefly directed to the Investiga- 

 tion of Mimicry and Warning Colours," strikes one as being alone 

 worth much more than one's annual subscription to the Society, and 



