40 THE entomologist's record. 



were then left for a day or two to dry. He also drew attention to the 

 importance of not over-distending the skin, and proposed a vote of 

 thanks to Mr. Quail for his paper. 



Mr. Simes seconded this resolution, and suggested that the plants 

 should be selected with some partly eaten leaves, so as to show the 

 way the larvae fed. 



Mr. Southey stated that he always starved his larvag for about a day 

 before preserving them, and killed them by immersion in benzine, in 

 which they should be left until they ceased to move, when they may be 

 taken out, and rolled in the usual way. This system seemed to con- 

 tract the larva, and prevented the skin from stretching unduly, while it 

 fixed the hairs much more firmly than the cyanide bottle. Mr. Milton 

 and Dr. Buckell also made some remarks on the subject, and the vote 

 of thanks to Mr. Quail was unanimously passed. 



Mr. Milton mentioned that he had obtained eggs during the past 

 season of Saturnia carpini and Arctia villica, and in both cases noticed 

 that those first deposited were fertile, while the others were infertile. 

 Several similar cases were noted of other species. Mr. Battley stated 

 that the eggs of the honey-bee were fertilized as they passed into the 

 ovipositor, and the fertilizing fluid sometimes became exhausted before 

 all the eggs were deposited, the remainder being, therefore, unfertilized. 

 He suggested that this was probably a parallel case to those mentioned 

 by Mr. Milton and others. 



Thursday, 21st J^anuary, 1892. — Exhibits: — Mr. Southey, a variable 

 series of Apatnea gemina from Hampstead. Mr. Smith, female 

 specimens of Lycczna corydon, showing variation in the amount of blue 

 coloration ; also Meianippe fliictuata from the Lake district, with the 

 band much more complete than the southern forms. Mr. Quail, 

 variable forms of AIia?ia strigilis and M. furuncula, from the London 

 district, Wicken, Margate, etc., one of the sirigilis being the dark form, 

 with a red central band (var. virgata). Mr. Battley, various species of 

 Pterophori ; and a series of Diurncea fagella from several localities, 

 those from districts near the metropolis exhibiting the darkest ground 

 colour. Mr. Simes, a male Bombyx neusiria, with the two transverse 

 lines confluent on one side. He called attention to a similar variety of 

 Bombyx rubi exhibited at a meeting of the Society on i8th September, 

 1890 {Ent. Rec, vol. i., p. 189). He also exhibited cocoons of this 

 species containing two and three pupae respectively. Mr. Tutt, two 

 cabinet drawers containing all, except four, of the British species of 

 Pterophorina. Mr. Fox, three larvae feeding on tomato which had been 

 imported from Teneriffe, where this fruit is extensively cultivated. 

 These larvae seemed to possess affinities with Diafitha'cia, and Mr. Tutt 

 thought it probable that they might prove to be Prodenia li/toralis, 

 Bdv., a specimen of which was exhibited by Mr. Boden at the Society's 

 meeting on 15th October, 1891 {Ent. Pec, vol. ii., p. 260). This insect 

 is common in the Canary Isles, and on the north-west coast of Africa. 

 Two of these larvae were pea-green, with three darker green longitudinal 

 lines, those on the side being suffused with rusty red. The surface of 

 the body was covered with whitish tubercles, studded with short hairs. 

 Head, pea-green. The third specimen was similar in markings, but had 

 the ground colour whitish green, and the tubercles black. Coleop- 

 tera : — Mr. Heasler, a series of Rhizophagus perforahis. Mr. Milton, 



