248 THK ENTOMOLOGIST S KECORD. 



became almost unicolorous brown. The other through a series 

 of grey forms, until they culminated in an almost unicolorous 

 fuscous form. Scotch forms of Emmelesia ericetata. — Mr. Tutt 

 then exhibited a series of Knniwlcsia ericetata, also captured by 

 Mr. and Mrs. Tunaley, at Aviemore. These showed considerable 

 variation: — (1) In depth of ground colour, some being much 

 whiter, others greyer. (2) In the amount of ochreous tint. (8) In 

 the width and completeness of the central band (forms with this 

 central band broken just below the centre were very rare). Aberra- 

 tions of Abraxas urossulariata. — Mr. C. May exhibited a marvellous 

 series of aberrations of A. (/rossulariata (about 100 specimens). They 

 had all been bred during the last two years under identical conditions, 

 and showed every phase of variation, from being almost devoid of 

 black markings to being exceedingly suffused, and almost entirely 

 black. A few specimens had lost all trace of the yellow markings, and 

 others were of the semi-transparent sufi'used character, so well-known 

 to breeders of this species. Banded form of Hvrernia aukantiaria. — 

 Mr. May also exhibited a form of H. awantiaria, with two dark 

 bands very distinctly marked, owing to suffusion of the outer and 

 basal areas. Dark aberration of Plusia gamma. — Mr. C. May then 

 exhibited i very suffused aberration of P. (jaiuma, the ground colour 

 being of a dark reddish-brown. Mr. Tutt said that a similar aberra- 

 tion was described in Tlie British Nuctuat' and their Varieties (vol. iv., 

 p. 82). Second brood of Arctia cata. — Mr. Bate exhibited specimens 

 of a second brood of A. caia, Avhich had been bred from eggs laid in 

 June last. The specimens had a tendency to assume a yellowish 

 coloration in the hind-wings, due, perhaps, to the rapidity of feeding- 

 up, and the rapidity with which they came to maturity. Hairs of 

 Leucojia salicis a\d Psilura monacha. — Mr. Bacot exhibited drawings 

 of the hairs of the larvjt (in first skin) of these species. Heliothis 

 ARMiGERA FROM IMPORTED TOMATOES. — Mr. Soutliey exhibited a long 

 series of //. aiiiiii/era, bred from larvae obtained in North London, 

 from tomatoes, which had been imported from Spain and Teneriffe. 

 Second brood of AcmALiA dilutaria (holosericata).- — Mr. W. G. Pearce 

 exhibited a living specimen of A. hohisericata, bred from a Bristol larva 

 which had come from an egg hatched last June. Mr. D. C. Bate read a 

 paper " On the early stages of Psilura vwnacha and its allies." In the 

 course of the discussion that followed, Mr. Bacot made the following 

 remarks :—" The larvae of Psilura inonacha and Vurthetria dispar 

 develop within the egg before the winter. I examined same last 

 January, and found the larvte fully developed, even to the thorns and 

 bulbs on the hairs. In the ova of (hyi/ia antiijiia, no apparent develop- 

 ment had taken place until spring. In the 1st skin of the larva of 

 P. monacha, the 8rd thoracic segment is weak, the tubercles on it 

 smaller than in other segments (this feature is not present in P. dispar). 

 The anterior trapezoidals very small, only bearing one hair ; posterior 

 pair very large, bearing numerous hairs (this is also the case with P. 

 dispar, Avhile with L. salicis it is questionable if the anterior pair are 

 present, as I have, up to the present, been unable to find them). 

 There are, at least, two distinct kinds of hairs present : — (1) Short 

 spines, with slight traces of thorns, and a bulbous swelling, about ^ 

 up from base (the small hairs arising from anterior trapezoidals have 

 this bulb). (2) Long and more slender hairs, many of them very 

 thorny. The hairs in P. disjiar are identical, but there is no trace of 



