22 THE entomologist's record. 



were also more or less deformed, and since the darkening and deformity 

 went together, there must be some connection, and he suggested that 

 the cold stayed the complete development of the pigment. Mr. Fenn 

 supported Mr. Tutt's statement as to the darkening and crippling going 

 together. Mr. Adkin exhibited Petasia Jiubeciilosa., Mr. Tugwell some 

 melanic specimens of what he considered Eupithecia saiyrata. Messrs. 

 Barrett, Tutt and Fenn disagreed with this, and trisignata and vir- 

 gaiireata were suggested as the species. Mr. H. Williams, $ 's of 

 Hybemia aurafitiarta. If. defoliaria, etc. Mr. Mansbridge sent a note 

 relating to the Tinea, which he first obtamed from imported guano, and 

 which was referred by Mr. Tutt at the time as probably Tinea biseliella, 

 and stating that the name suggested by Mr. Tutt was probably correct. 

 Mr. Tutt remarked that the specimens were larger and brighter than 

 typical biseliella, but that he could see no other difference, although he 

 had bred a considerable number, and the species were probably speci- 

 fically identical. Mr. Tugwell then exhibited a box of Scotch insects 

 collected by Mr. Raid this year, and commented on the wretched 

 season in Scotland, stating that sugar had been utterly useless. Among 

 other species, he exhibited a Platyptilia bred by Mr. Reid from the 

 leaves of " ragwort," and the true Retinia duplana. Mr. Barrett re- 

 marked on the fact that no Platyptilia was as yet known to feed on 

 ragwort (Senecio), and that the method of feeding on the leaves differed 

 from the method of feeding of other British Platyptilia. Mr. Tutt 

 stated that Mr. Reid first brought up the subject in the Record 

 " Exchange Club " book, that there the matter was discussed, and that 

 although it was then hinted that this was a new species, it was so like 

 ochrodactyla in the perfect state that the matter was allowed to drop 

 until fuller information about the larval stage could be obtained. He 

 also mentioned that he had received similar specimens bred by Mr. 

 Christopher Eales from ragwort, the larva having been taken near Carlisle. 

 Mr. Barrett then referred to Retinia dupla7ia, and stated that the true 

 duplana was first captured by the Messrs. Salvage, and that those called 

 duplana previously were small R. turionana. Mr. Fenn asked if they 

 were not what Mr. Warren determined as R. posticana, and Mr. Barrett 

 stated that this was so. Mr. Adkin stated that R. duplana occurred 

 very early. Mr. Edwards exhibited some rare exotic Papilios. Mr. 

 Carpenter, a fine series of Plusia festucce from Cambridge. Mr. C. G. 

 Barrett, a fine lot of varieties belonging to and captured by Mr. Percy 

 Russ, at Sligo {vide Ent. Rec, vol. ii., p. 299). He remarked on the 

 fact that light and pale forms of the same species occurred in the same 

 locality, and instanced Agrotis cursoria and A. valligera. Mr. Tutt 

 said that it was to be expected in a locality where any variable species 

 was common that extremes would be occasionally met with. At Deal, 

 there were very pale and occasionally black specimens of A. iritici, but 

 the very dark ones were rare. At Aberdeen, on the other hand, the 

 black was the commonest form, and at Sligo, by far the greater number 

 were distinctly brown. A. valligera and others varied in the same way, 

 but whilst each locality exhibited a general tendency in a certain 

 direction, occasional extreme forms could always be selected. — Ed. 



Birmingham Entomological Society. — December ^th, 1891. — Mr. 

 Bradley exhibited a box of Lepidoptera taken during the year at Sutton. 

 Mr. C. J. Wainwright showed Asteroscopus sphinx {cassinea), from Han- 



