118 . THE entomologist's RECORD. 



have the foui- transverse bars more or less well developed, though the 

 ground-colour varies very considerably. They range in size from li§ 

 tol^'^ of an inch in expanse of wing. Two others have four black 

 spots on the costal margin — the only indication of the bands. The 

 remaining 10 have no trace whatever of the bands ; they vary in size 

 from 1^^ to Ij^ of an inch, and in colour from black to a dull smoky 

 olive. Two out of six females are black. Another peculiarity is, 

 that all the small dark insects were taken before the 18th. We have 

 occasionally, during the last twenty years, met with dark P. pedarin, 

 but only occasionally. There must, of course, be some cause for this 

 abundance of melanic varieties this year. I can hardly see that the 

 comparatively low temperature at the time of emergence, or the 

 excessively wet weather of last autumn, could produce this result. It 

 seems more likely that unusual conditions during the larval stage are 

 the cause, such as dryness or scarcity of food. What do you think ? — 

 J. E. BuTTERFiELD, B.Sc, 35, Wrottesley Koad, Plumstead, S.E. 

 [The fact that the dark specimens are smaller points distinctly to in- 

 nutritious food, or an insufficient food supply, being a probable factor 

 in this instance. That the scale-determinants in this species have a 

 possible range from olive-green to black, we know, of course ; but our 

 want of experience of the species in nature makes us unable to guess 

 as to the lines utility would take in moulding the aberrations once 

 produced into a definite race, but we assume, from our only visit to 

 Yorkshire, that it would be most distinctly in the direction of main- 

 taining the melanic tendencies once they were set up. — Ed.] . 



Senta maritima ab. bipunctata. — A specimen of this aberration 

 visited my sugar on the evening of June 22nd last. Although the type 

 and theabs. wismariensis and ?w/ro.s«y/rtta have been taken here, I do not 

 remember to have seen any record of the occurrence of ab. bipunctata. 

 — F. G. Whittle, Southend. 



Melanic Triph^na orbona (comes) from Slough. — In June last I 

 bred a few Triphaena orbona, with underwings nearly as dark as those 

 I have from Aberdeen and Paisley, and in marked contrast to those 

 I have bred from Burnham. — J. B. Williamson, 2, Hencroft Street, 

 Slough. 



Aberration or Plusia festuc^. — In the marshes, near Deal, I 

 captured, on July 20th last, a larva of I'lusia festucae, which produced 

 an imago having a decided green tone over the wings, and the metallic 

 blotches much smaller than those I have from the North of England 

 or Scotland. — Ibid. 



Aberrations of Argynnis aglaia and Cidaria populata. — I cap- 

 tured, in July last, a specimen of A. aglaia, in which two or three spots 

 at the anal angle of the fore- wing are confluent. I also took one 

 brown aberration of Cidaria populata. — H. Beadle, Keswick. 



Black aberration of Phigalia pedaria. — I captured an entirely black 

 aberration of this species in fine condition, in Leicester, on Feb. 21st. 

 — F. BousKELL, P.E.S., Sandown Road, Leicester. 



SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 



On the protective covering of eggs in Tepiirosia bistortata. — 

 It has been generally stated that the protective covering which certain 

 female lepidoptera lay about their ova, consists of hairs or scales from 



