144 THE entomologist's record. 



in exhibiting vars. of Vanessa urticae from Sutherland and Ireland, 

 called attention to their similarity to the Japanese form called V. coimexa, 

 Bute. Mr. Williams : a series of Enchlo'e cardatnines, with forms which 

 seemed referable to the newl^^-named E. alberti. 



The North London Natural History Society paid a visit on Feb. 

 9th to the Horniman Museum, Forest Hill. A fine collection of exotic 

 insects of all orders and a small but almost complete collection of 

 British Lepidoptera were found in the long gallery. The collection of 

 butterflies of tlie genus Ornithoptera from Polynesia is very fine, several 

 of the specimens being unique, others very rare. A case on the tables 

 contains a few examples of mimicr}^ and protective coloration among 

 insects. 



On Jan. 14th, 1895, Dr. F. A. Uixey of Oxford, delivered a lecture 

 to the members of the Bikmingham Entomological Society on " The 

 growth of mimetic patterns in butterflies." He first of all showed, 

 with the aid of lantern slides, what he believed to be the line of the 

 development of the Pieridne from an original uniformly neutral-tinted 

 ancestor ; then, with the aid of diagrams, Dr. Dixey indicated the 

 probable process of change from a typical Pierid to one closely mimick- 

 ing a Heliconins, and dealt Avith many of the difSculties surrounding 



the theory of mimicry, suggesting some probable explanations. 



The annual meeting was held on Feb. 4th, 1895. Mr. G. H. Kenrick was 

 re-elected President, and Mr. C. J. Wainwright, 147, Hall Road, 

 Handsworth, Secretary. Mr. P. W. Abbott exhibited a bred specimen 

 of Vanessa polychloros, which Avas unusually pale, the border veiy pale, 

 and which had several unusual pale blotches on the disc. 



At the Lancashire and Cheshihe Entomological Society, on Feb. 

 11th, Dr. H. H. Corbett of Doncaster, made some "Remarks on some 

 varieties of Noctuina from Doncaster," and exhibited illustrative speci- 

 mens, conspicuous among which were a fine series of melanic Calo- 

 cainpa exoleta, and a fine variety of Asphalia Jiamcornis with the dark 

 transverse lines very strongly marked. Mr. Mason exhibited a striking 

 var. of Agrotis aijathina, in which the ground-colour was rosy. Mr, H. 

 Bickerton Jones has joined Mr. Pierce as Secretary. 



City of London Entomological and Natural History Society, 

 — Jan. \5tli, 1895. — Exhibits: — Mr. Oldham: Eiqjtthecia stibfulrata horn 

 Epping Forrest, Folia chi from N. Wales, and dark Cidaria riissata from 

 Wisbech. Mr. Southey : varieties of Arctia caia ; one having much 

 brown on the fore-wings and yellow hind-wings, and two having the 

 fore- wings almost entirely brown. Mr. Bacot : a young alligator from 

 the Mississippi, which had lately died in caj^tivity ; it was about a foot 

 long. He asked whether anyone could tell him if what he had heard 

 was true, namely, that alligators in captivity will only grow to a certain 

 size if kept in a small pond, but if removed to a larger one they proceed 

 to grow again up to a limit and then stop again, rej^eating the process 

 if repeatedly reuKA'ed to larger ponds, presumably, till full-grown. Mr. 

 Clark drew attention to the flap-arrangement in the mouth of the 

 specimen exhibited, which could, at the will of the reptile, be shut over 

 the entrance to the throat, thus effectually preventing the ingress of 

 water when the creature had a large animal in its jaws. Mr. May : 

 Xylophasia monoghjp)ha from Tooting Bee Common, two of them taken 

 last year being somewhat unusually dark ; he also showed a moderately 

 dark Scotch specimen for comparison. 



