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THK ENTOMOLOGIST S KECORD. 



its place. I venture to ihink, however, that the present views of the 

 coloration problems will hold the field until some general theory is 

 promul,2;ated by the opponents, into which as many of the known facts 

 dovetail as neatly as they do with the present theories. In considering 

 special cases of difficulty such as Bourbon and Mauritius, there is a 

 tendency to lose sight of the striking fact that the present theories, 

 wherever applied throughout the globe have furnished a ready explana- 

 tion of the phenomena presenting themselves in the particular area 

 considered, and that without curtailment or modification. They have 

 been found to be as general as the application of Newton's laws. 

 Further, that nearly the whole of the known facts and evidence fall 

 into orderly arrangement and logical sequence under the theories. 



It has been found by past scientific experience, in practically every 

 field, that attempted special explanations assigning a particular cause 

 or set of causes to each phenomenon isolated, and bearing no proper 

 relation to the cause or causes producing analogous phenomena, have, 

 in the long run, been found to be unsound. 



If the opponents merely say that they oppose the application of 

 the theories to lepidopterons imagines, for I cannot see how they can 

 contest the application of the theories to the other Orders and larval 

 stages, do they want two theories where one will do ? 



Such an instance of duplicated general laws of nature is not within 

 my own limited knowledge. 



In plain English, can the opponents of the theories explain the 

 facts by anything but the theories ? I trow not. 



(I have to acknowledge the kind assistance of Prof. Poulton, who 

 read the above and made a number of helpful suggestions. — W.P.C.) 



Addendum. — Extract from the Bird Diary of E. H. Curtis, under 

 •date April 5th, 1913: — At Break Hill, Canford, Dorset. — In the fir 

 wood between the schneuideus marsh and the motor road we (.sc. 

 E. H. C. and W. P. C.) saw a Sitta caenia fly to the foot of a fir tree 

 and work up to abDut fifteen feet from the ground ; it made a sudden 

 run up the trunk and nailed a large grey yDCtna (probably Xylocaiiiya 

 ■areola). It took the moth in its beak and beat it against the bark. 

 It then took the moth up to a cracked limb in the small branches of 

 another tree about 50 yards away, and dislodged a forewing by 

 jambing the insect in the crevice and plucking at it. By this time the 

 insect was fairly " bald," but the result not being satisfactory, he took 

 it out and rubbed the insect about on the bough and stuffed it into 

 another split. Two more wings flew off, and after a little more 

 pecking he swallowed the body and thorax of the insect, wiped the 

 fluff oft' his beak, and called up his mate, and both departed. The 

 wind was so high that we lost sight of the insect's wings, and it was 

 impossible to recover them." With regard to this it may be noted 

 that the insect was at rest and the bird was searchim^. — W. P. C. 



The Season of 1912 in the Abertillery district of Monmouthshire. 



By W. RAIT SMITH, F.E.S. 

 It is somewhat late in the day to give an account of one's doings 

 in 1912, but, as the season was such an extraordinary one everywhere, 

 it will be as well to have a few notes on the little worth recording from 

 this part of the country. 



