SCIENTIFrC NOTKS AND OBSERVATIONS. 237 



them, or oven partially so ? (4). Do two broods of T. orpusrularia oc- 

 cur, and, if so, what is the usual date for the second brood to occur ; 

 and do the specimens of the second brood dilier from the first in size, 

 colour and markings? (5). Is there a melanic form of either species, and, 

 if so, in what proportion does it occur to the type, and has the melanic 

 form increased of late years ? (6). Do both species ever occur at the same 

 time and place, that is, do late specimens of T. crcpuscnlaria ever 

 occur with early specimens of T. bmndularia, and, if so, have they 

 ever been known to pair, and were the hybrid eggs fertile or sterile ? 

 (7). Do intermediate aberrations occur which imperceptibly unite both 

 species, or in each spGcies in any of its forms readily distinguished 

 from the other. (8). If both species have been bred, whether any 

 ditt'erence was noticed in the colour or markings of the larvie, and on 

 what were they fed ? (9). Have both forms remained distinct for a lono- 

 period of time? (10). Are T. biumhdaiia and T. crepmcularia partial 

 to any particular tree (or trees), and, if so, which ? (11). At what height 

 above the sea-level does either species occur, and what is the average 

 temperature of the district ? Information as to the geographical 

 distribution of these species is much wanted, especially from Irish, 

 Scotch and Welsh entomologists. — William Hewett, Howard Street, 

 York. [We trust as many lepidopterists as possible will assist Mr. 

 Hewett, as far as lies in their power, by giving answers to these ques- 

 tions, as he is preparing an exhaustive paper on this subject for pub- 

 lication in this magazine. - Ed.] . 



^^ ARI A T I N. 



Syrichthus MAiiV^ AB. TARAs. — Ou June 14th, near Wokingham, 

 Berks, I had the pleasure of taking a very fine specimen of 

 Si/richthus malme ab. tanis. It Avas rather remarkable that it was the 

 only specimen of that species seen on that day, in fact, the last I have 

 seen. — A. H. Hamm, 24, Hatherley Eoad, Reading. 



Local races of Hypsipetes sordidata. — There is a wide difterence 

 in the forms of //. sonUdata (elutata), found in Forres and Aviemore. 

 The former resembles more our southern green form, but the latter 

 is varied — red, brown and grey of dilierent shades. Of course, 

 Forres, lying low, is pastoral, a green country. At Aviemore you have 

 every colour of environment, in the lichens, mosses, stones and trees. 

 Given initial variation, with few selective agents, or little eliminatino- 

 force, and a wide range of forms is preserved. — H. Tunalky, F.E.S. 

 Aviemore, Inverness-shire. Oct., 1896. 



Aberration of Melampias epiphron. — I captured a very pretty 

 variety of Mdanipias epiphrun this season. It is a dark male specinum, 

 with a sharply defined very pale band on fore-wings, instead of the 

 usual dark red band. — H. A. Beadle, G, Station Street, Keswick 

 October IQth, 1896. 



Coenonympha tiphon vai:. philoxenus in Scotland. — Whilst the sub- 

 ject of the variation of Ciicn(i}ii/)iipha tiphon is before the entomological 

 public again, it may be well to remind entomologists that in Kirkcud- 

 brightshire (Cobend), Dr. Buchanan White found the Engli.sh form, 

 var. philo.cenus, on Cloak Moss, in 1870 {K. 21.21., viii., p. 66). It may 

 also be advisable to note that the distribution of the varieties of 

 this species in the Scotch counties, south of the Clyde and Forth is 

 very imperfectly known. — J. W. Tutt. 



