272 THE entomologist's record. 



derasa, etc. ; also from Wyre Forest, Eucosmia undulata^ Fhorodesma 

 bajularia, etc. Mr. A. H. Martineau read a paper upon the "Social 

 Ants," in which he gave some account of the various species, and the 

 most interesting facts in their life-histories, habits, etc. He showed 

 nests of Lasius niger, L. flavus, and Myrtnica ruginoides, with many 

 individuals in each, also mounted specimens of several other species. — 

 CoLBRAN J. Wainwright, Hon. Sec. 



The South London Entomological Society. — October 13///, 1892. — 

 Mr. C. G. Barrett exhibited a variety of Argynnis euphrasy ne from 

 Godalming, the basal areas of both the fore and hind wings being very 

 much suffused. Mr. Frohawk, Sesia sphegifor7nis from Tilgate Forest, 

 with the empty pupa case in situ in a stick of alder. Mr. Barker, 

 Lyccena icarus and Z. bellargus, also Colias edusa var. helice, and forms 

 intermediate between this variety and the type. Mr. R. Adkin, speci- 

 mens of two broods of Grapta c-album, of which species eggs had 

 been laid by two hybernated females. The larvae hatched and fed on 

 red-currant, pupating by June 29th. Imagines emerged from June 29th 

 to July 23rd. Considerable interest attached to a ? specimen of the 

 spring brood having the normal darker underside coloration of the autumn 

 brood. Mr. B. Adkin, a series of Satyrus janira from the Scilly Isles, 

 the females having the pale central patch divided by a transverse fuscous 

 band. Two of the females had the ocelli, near the apex of the forewings, 

 bipupillate. A series of DiantJuvcia najia from Scilly were almost 

 typical in colour, those from North Devon were of the form known as 

 var. ochrea, whilst the Irish specimens were somewhat intermediate. 

 Mr. Fenn exhibited Liihosia nmscerda, captured near Sandwich. Mr. 

 Tugwell exhibited a varied series of Hypsipetes riiberata, whilst Mr. 

 Barrett had Eugonia angidaria and Syrichthiis alveus. A discussion 

 took place on Colias edusa, Mr. Adye reading a note to the effect that 

 the species was exterminated by cutting the clover, the browsing of 

 sheep, etc., as soon as the eggs were laid. Mr. Adkin pointed out that 

 the species was found abundantly in such years as the present in many 

 other localities where these operations were not in action ; Mr. Fenn 

 also pointed out that it was very abundant in other localities. Mr. 

 Tutt stated that in his opinion the failure of C. edusa to establish itself 

 permanently lay in climatic causes. In those localities on the Continent 

 where C. edusa regularly occurred, the winter usually came on rather 

 suddenly, and appeared to drive the butterflies at once into hybernation. 

 These appeared to emerge and lay their eggs the following spring, and it 

 was the flight of these spring specimens that sometimes spread over 

 parts of the Continent, not usually frequented by the species, of which 

 countries Britain was one. Our August moths laid their eggs at once 

 and these either produced imagines the same season or otherwise died 

 off in the larval or pupal stages. If we had severe weather come on 

 in September he should expect the moths to be driven into hybernation, 

 and the species to be abundant the next year. Under ordinary circum- 

 stances, however, in Britain another partial brood was produced, the 

 females (impregnated or otherwise) did not go into hybernation and 

 hence the extinction of the species was rapidly if not immediately 

 brought about. Mr. Frohawk supported this view, and said that larvae 

 which he had from the August parents would only feed in warm weather, 

 and he did not expect they would hybernate in that stage. — Ed. 



