SOCIETIES. 249 



the bulb on hairs of Leucoma salicis, or any other species that I have 

 yet examined. They are present in F. riKniacha and P. iliapar in the 

 1st skin onlij. The upper part of the biilbed hairs is frequently bent 

 at a sharp angle, just above the bulb. In the 2nd skin, I noticed 

 that the 5th abdominal segment is weak, both it and the 3rd thoracic 

 are pale and have smaller tubercles than the other segments (this is not 

 the case with P. dispar). In 3rd skin, the head becomes grey mottled 

 with black. The anterior trapezoidals still very small, but bearing five or 

 six small hairs. In the 4th skin, the tubercles and hairs smaller, in 

 proportion to the size of the larva. In the 5th skin, as in the fourth. I 

 could trace no further moults in P. nionacha, but I think P. diapar 

 sometimes has a fifth moult. There is a tendency for the eversible 

 and small glands on the abdominal segments, 1 to 4, to dwindle 

 in the later stages of P. monacha, but this does not occur in P. dispar. 

 Larv^ of p. monacha vary greatly in coloration. In one of my 

 '94 broods (all from same parent) they varied from a form with a large 

 amount of white in its coloration, to nearly black with hardly a trace 

 of white. I consider that the larva? when young are protected by their 

 resemblance to a bird's dropping, and in later stages by their lichen- 

 like coloration, the darker forms being difficult to detect, even on the 

 smooth bare bark of cherry twigs from a London garden. Poethesia 

 siMiLis. — This species spins a large thin transparent cocoon, in which 

 it changes its skin, it then spins a smaller and much denser cocoon, 

 occupying about half, or not quite half, the space of the old one, and 

 in this inner cocoon it passes the winter, leaving its cast skin in the 

 outer chamber." 



South London ENTOJioLOGicAii and Natural History Society. — 

 October 8th, 1896. — Setting moths in natural mode of resting. — 

 Mr. Ficklin exhibited several species of Lepidoptera — Catocala (8 

 species), IHpteiyijia scabriuxcula, Cahx-ampa retmta, etc., set in their 

 natural positions of rest, thus showing the pattern of the transverse 

 markings which adapted them to their surroundings. Aberrations of 

 butterflies. — Mr. Carpenter : a male specimen of Polyomwatus ivarus, 

 with a completely bleached hind-wing, from Folkestone ; several 

 female examples of P'araiys vieyaera, bred from Ranmore Common, 

 having a tendency to form a broad black median band ; and a bred 

 series of Chry.wphanus phlocas, from Abbot's Wood, having well- 

 developed blue spots on the secondaries. Uxotic Orthoptera. — Mr. 

 H. Moore : two large species of Orthoptera, from Florida, viz., 

 Rouialea microptera and Ci/rtacantliacns suhdttaca. A new British 

 Noctuid. — Mr. J. T. Carrington : Calophasia plati/ptera, a species of 

 moth new to Britain, taken by himself between Shoreham and 

 Brighton, on September 14th, 1896. The species is closely allied to 

 the " shark " moths, and is a native of Central and Southern Europe. 

 The larva feeds upon toadflax (Linaria). Rare Coleoptera. — Mr. Ash- 

 down : a specimen of the rare Coleopteron, Molochua minor, from Mickle- 

 ham, and a black ab. of Toxutus weridianns, from Surrey. Scotch Calo- 

 CAMPA vetusta. — Mr. Adkin : a bred series of Calncampa veUista, from 

 Sutherland, and a bred second brood of Acidcdia riryxdaria {incanaria), 

 from Brockley. Remarkable aberration of Pyrameis atalanta. — 

 Mr. Lucas : a hitherto unnoted variety of Pijrawcif< atalanta, having 

 the indistinct deep black blotches, which are interior to the red 

 marginal band of the hind-wings, with well-marked blue centres. It 

 was captured at Claygate by Mr. H. L. Hearsum, of Kingston. Cocoon 



