SOCIETIES. 47 



Japanese tephrosias. — Mr. South exhibited a series of Tephvosias 

 allied to T. bistortata, from Japan and other Eastern Asiatic localities, 

 which proved exceedingly interesting. Larva of Aplecta occulta, etc. 

 — Mr. Mc Arthur : a living larva of Aplecta occulta, and a bred series 

 of HeliotJih ixityjera, Vaeiation of Spilosoma lubricipeda. — Mr. 

 Young, of Rotherhani : a very long series of Spilosoma lubricipeda 

 var. zatima, and vth. fasciata, and an ab. very closely resembling ab. 

 deschangei. It was noted that all British entomologists who bred this 

 species obtained intermediate forms freely, while it was not so on the 

 Continent. Tephrosia bistortata and T. crepuscularia. — To illus- 

 trate his paper, Mr. Hewett exhibited very long series of both broods 

 of T. bistortata, and also series of T. crepuu-ularia. These were from 

 some 50 or 60 different localities. Most of the known forms were shown, 

 as well as preserved larvfe. On behalf of Mr. W. F. de V. Kane, the 

 latter species from Irish localities, and both species from Swansea, on 

 behalf of Major Eobertson. He then read a most exhaustive paper on 

 these two species. He first paid a tribute to Mr. Prout's work on the 

 synonymy of these species. Included in the paper were, he said, the 

 observations and experiments of more than fifty well-known ento- 

 mologists, who had been interested in this question. In the discussion 

 which followed, Mr. South asked : (1) Did any character exist by 

 which the species could be separated with absolute certainty ? 

 (2) Which was the commoner species ? To the latter, members 

 agreed that T. crepuscxdaria was very local, while T. biundularia was 

 more common. Mr. Tutt thought that here were examples of recent 

 evolution, in fact, we had species in the making, as in the case of 

 some of the Zygjenas. He insisted that the naming of the two forms, 

 and the consideration of them as distinct, although very closely allied, 

 were matters of convenience, necessitated in our comparisons with 

 Continental and Asiatic representatives. Mr. Bacot stated that there 

 was a distinct difference between the larvae of certain broods that he 

 had had under observation, he could have easily separated 80 per cent, 

 of the larvte, although so closely allied. 



The North London Natural History Society. — Dec. 24th, 1896. 

 — A new British species of Diptera. — Mr. Jennings : Micropalpus 

 pudicm, Rondani, a species new to Britain, taken at the flowers of a tall 

 Umbellifer, in a wood near Colchester, 19th Aug., 1896. He mentioned 

 that there were other reports of captures of the species this season. 

 Moths attracted by electric lights on a ship at sea. — Mr. Bacot 

 read the following extract from a letter from Mr. Quail, written on 

 board the R.M.S. " Ophir," en route for New Zealand: — " Off the 

 coast of Ceylon, about 150 miles from Colombo, the electric lights on 

 board attracted a number of species of Agrionidae (Neuroptera), as well 

 as a number of a species of a clear-winged Sphingid {Macroglossinae). 

 This latter species has a power which is remarkable, and worth 

 recording. It has three distinct anal tufts : that on either side is 

 black, the centre one is yellow. When the insect is settled these tufts 

 cover the extremity of the anal segment, and the abdomen has the 

 appearance of terminating in a somewhat pronounced point. When 

 in flight, or if alarmed, however, the side tufts are extended in a fan-like 

 manner, and form two flat black semicircles at the end of the abdomen. 

 The hairs of the tuft are about ^^ of an inch in length. It would be 

 interesting to know the use of this habit of extension. It is a coin- 



