SOCIETIES. 301 



defined, as also do the raised points. Both the size and shape of the 

 cells vary greatly. They may be elongated hexagons, ordinary 

 pentagons, or even diamond-shaped. The micropylar cells ai'e very 

 small, they become so rather suddenly, and number usually about fifty, 

 but often less. The rosette appears to consist of eight cells not 

 differing from the others. [Described August 14th, 1905, from ova 

 received from Mr. Henry Turner, who took the $ butterflies at 

 Gavarnie, Hautes-Pyrenees. A few days later I was able to compare 

 these ova side by side with those of Melanar(jia i/alathea, kindly sent 

 by Mr. H. Main.] The ovum of var. jirocida differs in size and shape 

 from that of i/alat/iea, though these differences can scarcely be 

 appreciated by the unaided eye. It is larger and its height is greater 

 than the diameter, while in i/alat/iea the height is a little less than the 

 diameter, the measurements being: height 1-Omm., and diameter 

 l-04mm. The depression at the base of the egg of (jalathea is larger 

 than that of the ovum of var. procida, making, therefore, the former a 

 flatter egg. In other respects the eggs are indistinguishable. — AlfreD' 

 SicH, F.E.S. October 3?7/, 1905. 



Egglaying of Melit^a athalia, etc. — -The female, when oviposit- 

 ing, rested on the underside of a leaf of Plantar/o lanceolata. The one 

 observed rested almost half-an-hour. The abdomen was curved and 

 moved slowly about as the eggs were laid in not very regular masses. 

 (I had a number of females, and the numbei' of eggs in the batches 

 varied from lH-120.) These masses were bounded by the ribs of the 

 plantain. As oviposition proceeded, the wings were occasionally opened 

 out and then closed up. I had 5 s oiM. aurelia and M. jiarthciiie, ovi- 

 positing at the same time, and was astonished at the difference. The ova 

 of M. parthenie were laid in close compact masses, those of M. athalia 

 fairlj' close and irregular, M. aurelia in lines very regularly laid out along 

 the plantain. They varied in size — M. athalia largest, next M. parthenie^ 

 then M. aurelia. Those of M. partJienie turned bright yellow very soon,, 

 those of 2f. athalia remained greenish-white until just before hatching,, 

 when they became greenish-yellow, those of il/. aurelia remained whitish 

 throughout. All three showed the dark heads of the larva; a day or two^ 

 before hatching. I may point out that the ova of M. athalia were not all 

 deposited in one batch, and that oviposition generally took place about 

 mid-day (probably depending on the sun and heat). One female I had, 

 laid a batch on Monday, and, the following days being cloudy, did not 

 continue laying until the Friday following. Generally speaking, but 

 not uniformly so. the batches w^ere laid almost at the base of the leaf. 

 —J. W. H. Harrison, B.Sc. October %id, 1905. 



SOCIETIES. 



Entomological Society of London. — October 5tli, 1901. — Melano- 

 cHKoic specimen OF Catocala nupta : Exhibited by Mr. A. Rose, taken 

 in a garden at Hornsey. The hindwings dull-brown ; the markings of 

 the forewings strongly intensified. Coleoptera in Lundy Island : 

 Mr. Joy captured 163 species in Lundy Island in three days in August 

 last. Of these Melaiinjdithalvia distiiu/ueuda, Com., a species new to- 

 Britain; Stenus ossiuni var. i)isularis, a newly-discovered form, a series 

 of l\s)jlliodes luridipcnnis and L'euthorrhi/nchui contractus var. pallipes, a 

 variety peculiar to the island, were the most interesting of the species 

 exhibited. Argyresthia illuminatella near Hailsham : Four speci- 



