96 TEt entomologist'^s nTEccfiay. 



THE CAUSE OF MELANIS:M IN ScOTCH SPECniKNS 01" TrYPH.ISXA OKBONA," 111 



which he showed, by magazine references, that the area of distribution 

 of the melanic forms of this species by no means corresponded with the 

 coldest portions of the country, and that at Forres the sallows flowered 

 quite as early as in the S. of England. He was of opinion that the 

 variation was wholly brought about by utility, and that the species was 

 protectively coloured. In the subsequent discussion several members 

 considered that the dark variation in this species was a return to an 

 ancestral form, and that every evidence showed that the processes of 

 evolution were still in progress. 



Cambridge Entomological and Natural History Society. — May 

 loth, 1H96. — Mr. Rickart exhibited a case of beetles collected by him- 

 self at the Cape, including the rare genus Lsr/ntostonni. Mr. Fleet 

 exhibited specimens, found at Cambridge, of the larv.e of Plusia 

 moneta ; the young larva is very difterent in form and habit from the 

 adult, and lives in a bunch of terminal leaves of Monkshood fastened 

 together. Dr. Sharp remarked on a work just published in (lermany, 

 by Dr. Standfuss ; this gentleman has made experiments in crossing 

 species and varieties of Lepidopteka, and some of his results are 

 certainly of interest : among other results, he finds that hybridisation 

 between closely allied species produces a remarkable amount of herma- 

 phrodite progeny. He also exhibited one of the basket worms discussed 

 at the last meeting ; the specimen was extracted from its basket, and 

 showed great differences when compared with ordinary caterpillars. 

 He also showed another very exceptional larva from Madagascar, 

 which he believed to be one of the "slug-worms" of N. American 

 naturalists. He then read a paper upon "The Destuuction of 

 Forests and its results." He said that much wanton destruction of 

 natural conditions occurs in all parts of the world, which, in the long 

 run, impoverishes humanity. In connection with this the Californian 

 Academy of Sciences has recently drawn up a report for presentation 

 to the Congress of the United States, protesting against such reduction 

 of forest preserves ; "it being a trespass of an inheritance which should 

 by every legitimate means be preserved by this generation for those 

 who are to come after. It has been conclusively proven that the 

 terrible droughts, floods, and famines in Southern Russia are directly 

 caused by the destruction of timber. It is also a well established 

 fact that the droughts and failures of crops in a large area of France 

 are due to change in climate caused by the destruction of 

 forests since the Revolution." In Britain, this does not interest us 

 so immediately, as we have a sufficient and moderate rainfall without 

 forests, but in our Colonies it is not so. He had information that 

 much unnecessary destruction occurred ; and that in New Zealand 

 much loss had recently been caused by drought. The preservation 

 and management of forests ought to be considered one of the most 

 important duties of Cohmial Governments. F'rom a naturalist's point 

 of view, it was sad to think that this destruction of forests involved the 

 extermination of many of the animals of the world, without our having 

 acquired any knowledge about them, and in many cases without our 

 having even seen them. It appeared from another report, made 

 by the Californian Academy of Sciences, that the only remaining herd 

 of N. American buffaloes in the Yellowstone Park had been wantonly 

 destroyed by hunters or sportsmen, as had also the only colony of 

 beavers in the same district. 



