CURRENT NOTES. 35 



account for the variation of certain groups or species, should 

 be done with extreme caution, but the main hne of argument 

 on which Mr. Tutt continues his series of papers on ' Melanism 

 and Melanchroism in British Lepidoptera ' is well supported 

 by the same natural causes and effects in New Zealand. Where 

 the variation of any species in a given direction develops under 

 certain conditions, we may safely assume that it is due to 

 certain natural causes operating in the direction the form of 

 variation assumes. The result of my experience with variable 

 New Zealand lepidoptera so far favours the moisture theory of 

 melanism" {In litt., Feb. 25, i8gi). 



( To be continued.) 



Querent notes. 



The " Special Index," which we have been at much trouble and 

 expense to produce, and which our subscribers d > not seem to under- 

 stand is very comprehensive and complete, will be a distinct financial 

 failure unless our subscribers take it up more generally. It consists of 

 24 pp., contains every reference to each species mentioned in the 

 volume, and has occupied a great amount of time in its production. It 

 will be sent free for 12 stamps by Mr. A. J. Hodges, 2, Highbury 

 Place, N. 



The Annual Exhibition of the South London Society reflected great 

 credit on the Society, and brought together a number of rare species 

 and instructive exhibit?. A photograph of the committee of manage- 

 ment appeared in the Sporting and Dramatic News for April 25th. 



Another of the very old collections (that of the late Mr. W. Bennett) 

 came under the hammer on April 29th. Chrysophanus dispar nrought 

 the following prices :— male, £,2 15s. ; male, £2 los. ; female (nearly 

 perfect), ^3; pair (damaged), ^3 los. ; pair (much damaged), £1; 

 male (underside), £,2. A dark van of Venilia niaciilata with the yellow 

 spots only on the outer margin, was sold for i8s. 



Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell has, we hear, been appointed Curator of the 

 Museum of the Institute of Jamaica, at Kingston, Jamaica, and leaves 

 us in about three months. 



The Report of the South London Entomological Society for 1888 

 and 1889 has now been published, and those entomologists who are 

 not members of the Society cannot do better than send 3s. 6d. to the 

 Secretary. They will find a great deal of interesting and useful matter. 

 It is to be hoped that those few members of the Council called the 

 " Report Committee " will soon justify their existence by commencing 

 on the 1890 Report. 



