120 THE ENTOMOLOGISTS RECORD. 



inata confluent on one side, but distinct on the other. Mr. Simes, a 

 series of Erastria venustula from Essex, and Dianthcccia carpophaga 

 from the Isle of Man ; also a number of young larvje of Liparh 

 simi/is, which had been bred from ova. Mr. Gates, Dicranu7-a vinida and 

 Hadena pisi hom Barnes. Mr. Bellamy a very fine and variable series 

 of Tmiiocampa instabilis, and a very dark form of T. gracilis ; also T. 

 cruda and PacJmobia rubricosa. Mr. Milton, a series of Bupalus 

 piftiaria from Clevedon and Scotland ; Cidaria corylata from Rannoch 

 and the London district ; also a cocoon of Saturnia pavonia, con- 

 taining two pupae ; also in Coleoptera : Pediculus vesiimentis and 

 Chrysometra hanksi. Mr. Heasler, Hydroporus pictus, H. afigustatus, 

 Agabus conspersiis and A, agilis. Mr. Smith mentioned that two spe- 

 cimens of Thanaos tages and three examples of Anthocharis cardamines 

 had been taken at Dorking last Saturday (April 30th). — A. U, Battlev 

 and J. A. Simes, Hon, Sees. 



Erratum. — Eni. Rec. p. 67, 8 lines from bottom, for " Hampstead 

 Heath," read " Highgate Woods." 



Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society. — Monday, 

 April iilli, 1892. — Mr. J. E. Robson, F.E.S., of Hardepool, Editor of 

 the Brilish Naturalist, read a paper entitled " Melanism and its 

 theories." After reviewing the various theories put forward by previous 

 vt^riters to account for the tendency of the colour of certain species to 

 darken, he stated that it was his belief that no single theory could 

 account for the phenomenon of melanism now going on ; and, while 

 aoreeing with Lord Walsingham that the dark colour of insects in cold ^ 

 and snowy regions was due to that colour being most suitable, he also 

 considered that the increase of smoke and dirt, obscuring the rays of 

 the sun near large towns, would also tend to produce melanism by the 

 laws of "natural selection." The paper was illustrated by numerous 

 examples of melanic forms of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, including 

 Mr. C. A. Briggs' very dark Sphinx ligustri, Mr. Capper's black Boarmia 

 cinctaria, and B. roboraria, and Mr. Robson's very dark Arctia nmi- 

 thastri, Odontopera bidentata and Chortobius paniphilus ; but the little 

 box that attracted most attention contained side by side Mr. Briggs' 

 fine variety of Arctia caia with faint buff-coloured markings on the 

 forewings with black bicolor-\\}f.^ spots occupying the centre ; the hind- 

 wings being entirely red, and Mr. Capper's variety of the same species, 

 the forewings of which are immaculate with the exception of one black 

 spot near the centre, the hind-wings being normal. Mr. Newstead 

 exhibited types of Prosopophora dendrobii, Doug, (a MS. name only), 

 a very remarkable Coccid from Demerara, descriptions of which will 

 shortly appear in the E.M.M. Mr. Collins, on behalf of Messrs. C. R. 

 Billups and J. Dutton of Warrington exhibited a $ and ? of Dytiscus 

 dimidiatus captured in the " Fens " in 1891, after having been lost sight 

 of for eight years, and Silplia atrata var. siibrotundata taken on the 

 East and S.W. coasts of the Isle of Man, in February, 1892. — F. N. 

 Pierce, Hon. Sec. 



^ Lord Walsingham has practically withdrawn from this position, as facts, apart 

 from theories, prove that the countries in cold and snowy regions do not usually have 

 dark local races, 7jide Ent. Record, etc., ii., p. 3, see also Scudder's paper on the 

 subject in his great work, pp. 1285-1288.— Ed. 



