32 THE KNTOMOLOGIST S RECORD. 



the variety is more abundant in such localities. The Harz mountains are 

 mentioned as affording typical instances of the form. On the plains 

 where Turritis glabra grows more sparingly, transition forms between 

 it and the type occur. The editor, Hr. Hoffmann, considers that the 

 diffei-ence between this form and A. cardamines at all stages of the life- 

 history, is suificient to establish its specific distinctness, and proposes 

 for it the name Anihocharis alherti. From the above it would appear 

 that the supposed new form is what the late Mr. Walsh called a phy- 

 tophagic variety or species. It is probable that collectors are 

 familiar with this variety, but it has not yet been correlated with its 

 peculiar food-plant. The new form is as large as A. cardamines, and is 

 not identical with the var. turritis. 



In the same publication, there is an interesting contribution under 

 the title " Where are butterflies to be found on rainy days ? " A col- 

 lector in Teplitz, whose June holidays were spoiled by wet weather, 

 nevertheless persisted in his search for butterflies, but found nothing 

 on the wing. His perseverance was, however, rewarded by the discovery 

 of Arqi/nnis aylaia, A. selene and Erebia li<jea, sitting on grass, quite 

 close to the ground. They were easily taken by hand, and seemed too 

 stiff to fly up on being approached. The same collector found that 

 Melanargia galatea took shelter in a field of oats on the ajjproach of 

 nitrht, and lie obtained a number of specimens from the stems close to 

 the ground. It would seem that butterflies seek similar sheltering 

 places upon the advent of a storm or the apjjroach of night, and a study 

 of the night-habit — the roosting places as one may say — of the different 

 species, might be attended with satisfactory results to the collector, 

 who might thus be spared much of that frantic exertion, which has so 

 often been humorously described, both by the actors and by outside 

 observers. 



The City of London Entomological and Natural History Society will 

 hold a Conversazione in the Library of the London Institution, Finsbury 

 Circus, B.C., on Tuesday, February 5th, 1895, from 7.30 to 10.30 p.m. 

 An exhibition of entomological and natural history specimens will take 

 place ; there will be music at intervals during the evening, and tea and 

 coffee will be provided. Admission is free by ticket, to be obtained from 

 Mr. C. Nicholson, 202, Evering Eoad, N.E. The President and mem- 

 bers of the Council ask the cordial co-operation of naturalists outside the 

 Society by the exhibition of interesting natural history specimens of all 

 orders, and invite friends to spend what is hoped will be a very pleasant 

 evenino- with them. The Society (one of the oldest Natural History 

 Societies in the country) is to be congratulated on its energy, and de- 

 serves, as we have no doubt it will attain, an unqualified success in this 

 new departure. 



Scientific notes & observations. 



Perils of egg life. — While searching some sallow bushes near 

 Hickling Broad last July, I found three or four batches of eggs on the 

 underside of the leaves. They were, I believe, eggs of Arctia caia, or 

 of some nearly related species. One batch was already of the livid hue 

 which generally precedes hatching, and the others underwent the changes 

 usual in fertile eggs during the ensuing week. As they did not hatch, I 

 put the box on one side, and did not look into it again for two or thre 



