96 THE entomologist's record. 



hear lectures by Mr. Tutt and Dr. T. A. Chapman on Plebeim ar(jus 

 {aegon) and P. argijrognomon, two superficially similar blue butterflies 

 that are usually supposed to be difficult to distinguish, and one of 

 which is common in Britain. The lectures were to be followed by a 

 discussion. 



Mr. Tutt discussed in detail the synonymy, the variation and local 

 races, and the distribution of the species, concluding with a comparison 

 of the differences in the species that are most patent to the ordinary 

 observer with the naked eye, or by simple microscopic preparation. 

 Besides the races of P. argns (aegon) inhabiting central and northern 

 Europe and the British Islands, divided chiefly into plain, mountain, 

 heath, and moorland forms, he dealt at length with the Spanish races 

 hypochiona, Ramb., bejarensis, Chapm., casaictis, Chapm., braiiHelasensis, 

 n. var., vigensis, n. var., comparing them with the eastern races 

 koreana (a giant form like bejarensis), micrargus, and pseudaegon : he then 

 considered the Pyrenean forms, including var. pgrenaica, n. var. (<? 

 well-banded), and its ab. hypochionoides, n. ab. (^ with narrow 

 marginal bands) occurring together at Gavarnie, etc.; he compared 

 var. Corsica, Bell., with the British moorland form var. niasseyi, Tutt, and 

 then dealt with eastern and central Asiatic forms, including orientalis, n. 

 var. (with its ab. bella, H.-Sch.), sifanica, Gr.-Cir., etc. Among other 

 important items he noticed the misapplication of the name aegidion, 

 Meissn. [=philonowus, Bergstr.), to P. argyrognowon, aegidion being 

 undoubtedly a form of P. argas (aegon), 



Mr. Tutt was followed by Dr. Chapman, who exhibited a large 

 number of excellent lantern slides, made by Mr. P. Noad Clark from 

 his (Dr. Chapman's) microscopical preparations. The remarkable 

 "tibial" spine of P. argiis (aegon), and the variable (yet wonderful 

 characteristic) ancillary appendages of the same species, were compared 

 with the same structures in P. argyrognomon (and those of half 

 a dozen other allied species) ; the structure of the newly-hatched 

 larvae of both species, and the structure of the eggs, etc., all 

 pointed to a difference not only of species, but to differences that 

 might in some respects, almost suggest the bulk of the Plebeiids to 

 fall between them, although we believe the diflerences may be explained 

 in other ways. Altogether, Dr. Chapman's illustrated discourse 

 probably provided more facts for digestion, and mental pabulum for 

 consideration, than any lecture that has been given in the Society's 

 rooms for a very long time. It was 10 p.m. before the lecturers had 

 finished, and the discussion (if any) was adjourned to the next 

 meeting. 



At the same meeting Mr. A. Janet (Paris) and Mr. G. Severin 

 (Brussels) were present; these gentlemen, with Dr. Horn (Berlin), 

 having come to London to deliberate with the President, and certain 

 Fellows of the Entomological Society, concerning the International 

 Entomological Congress that it is proposed to hold in Brussels next 

 year. 



In the Entom. News (p. 59), Mr. F. X. Williams gives some 

 interesting details of the life-history of a species called " Pterophorus 

 baccharides." Larvae were found en Baccharis piltdaris, in San 

 Francisco, boring a smooth cylindrical passage in the stem, terminated 

 by an oblique opening, from which a quantity of pale-coloured frass was 

 extruded ; the galleries may be in the smaller stems or in the main 



