158 THE entomologist's record. 



Mr. C. A. Briggs ; a specimen of Lycaend argiolus, in which some of 

 the sjwts on the underside were lengthened into streaks ; also, a speci- 

 men of Vanessa io in which the eye was only partially developed. Mr. 

 Dennis ; one specimen of Vanessa urticae with a perfect and others 

 with an imjierfect band on the upper wing. Mr. Adkin ; a long and 

 variable series of Boarmia cinctaria bred from ova obtained from County 

 Cork ; an extreme variety had only a broad marginal dark band, a 

 central light band and basal dark patch. Mr. Hamm ; a striking form 

 of Ajiarnea unnnimis, in which there was a light grey cloud extending 

 from the apex of the fore-wings along the hind and inner margins to 

 the base ; also a sj^ecimen of Lithosia griseola of a brown instead of a 

 leaden hue. Mr. BillujDS ; the following new and rare Diptera : — 

 Chortophila setaria, Mg., from Dulwich ; Blepharoptera inscripta, Mg., 

 from Oxshott and Bromley ; Heteromyza atricornis, Mg., and Hypostena 

 medorina, Schnr., from Oxshott ; Lepsis punctiim, F., and Callomyia 

 amaena, Mg., from Bromley. Mr. Turner ; two specimens of the rare 

 Homopteron, Centrotus cornntus, taken by Mr. Lewcock at Seal Chart; 

 also Helix lapirida, from Box Hill. 



We are glad to introduce to our readers the Herts Natural History 

 Society and Field Club, which has its head-quarters at Watford, but 

 which is to some extent peripatetic, meeting frequently at St. Alban's, 

 and occasionally at Hertford and other places. The President of the 

 Society is Dr. Stradling, F.Z.S., and its Secretaries Messrs. John 

 Hopkinson, F.L.S., F.G.S., of The Grange, St. Albans, and F. M. 

 Campbell, F.L.S., F.Z.S., of Eose Hill, Hoddesdon. Owing to the 

 fortunate circumstance that one of its most active members, Mr. A. E. 

 Gibbs, F.L.S., F.E.S., is one of the proprietors of The Herts Advertiser 

 and St. Alban's Times, its proceedings are very fully reported in this 

 county paper (in a copy before us the report occupies four columns), 

 and thus its educational influence as regards Natural History matters, 

 is very widely diffused. The 181st meeting of the Society was held on 

 April 17th, and was devoted to the readings of carefully compiled sum- 

 maries of the observations of a great many naturalists in various parts 

 of the county during 1893. Mr. A. E. Gibbs dealt with the Lepidoptera. 

 Sugar during the early j^art of the year was generally unattractive, but 

 yielded better results in the autumn. Larvse were very abundant, but 

 pupa-digging was unproductive. One member reported that old sacks, 

 boxes, &c. placed about the garden, j^roved fertile traps ; several good 

 things being taken by their means. As elsewhere, the season was an 

 early one, many species emerging about a month before their usual time. 

 The following species, which had not previously appeared in any of the 

 county lists, were reported : Setina irrorella, by Mr. John Bowden from 

 East Barnet ; Bomhyx castrensis and Pygaera pigra by Col. Gillum, from 

 the same place ; Agrotis puta, Hadena dissimilis, Selenia tetralunaria, 

 Cheimatobia boreata and Eupithecia minutata, by Mr. S. H. Spencer, jun., 

 from Watford. Butterflies were plentiful, especially in the early 

 summer months ; of Colias edusa, whose abundance was one of the great 

 entomological features of 1892, there is only a single record in 1893, and 

 that from Harpenden, where a few specimens were seen ; the Vanessas 

 were more abundant in the larval than in the imaginal stage, while 

 exactly the reverse was the case with the Whites. Euchloe cardamines 

 was more abundant than usual ; one member stated that all the specimens 

 he captured were of a small size ; Vanessa polychloros was getting 



