ABERRATIONS OF ABRAXAS SYLVATA (uLMATA) IN YORKSHIRE. 305 



four pupae on the surface, so there is little doubt but that the others that 

 have disappeared into the cocoa fibre have pupated also. There are 

 about ten larvae still feeding, and I think altogether I have not found 

 half-a-dozen dead ones. Not one ' spun a web in the tree ' as stated 

 by Stainton to be the habit of the genus Abraxas." I may add that 

 Dr. Riding fed the larvre on wych-elm. We are now looking forward 

 to the rearing, for the first time, melanic forms of A. sijlvata {uliiiata) 

 from the egg. 



The history of these forms in this locality may prove interesting : 

 Messrs. Head, Walker and myself have each collected in the locality 

 for years, more especially whilst A. si/lvata (ulinata) has been out, and 

 although we have each made special search for aberrations, not one of 

 us had ever observed a melanic specimen in this locality prior to the 

 present year. The simultaneous appearance of a considerable number of 

 this particular aberration in the same locality will, I firmly believe, save 

 this fine aberration from the danger of being swamped by intercrossing, 

 and completely refutes Professor G. J. Romanes' statement, dz., 

 " That the same variation does not occur simultaneously in a number 

 of individuals inhabiting the same area, and that it is mere assumption 

 to say it does." He further adds : "If the assumption were granted 

 there would be an end of the present difficulty," viz., the swamping 

 effects of intercrossing, " for if a sufficient number of individuals were 

 thus simultaneously and similarly modified, there need be no longer 

 any danger of the variety becoming swamped by intercrossing." I do 

 not believe there is any danger of this variety being swamped, but 

 confidently look forward to its occurring in still greater numbers next 

 season, and that intermediate forms will also be much more numerous. 



Melanic forms of this species have only previously been recorded 

 from Edlington Wood, Doncaster, where they are of extremely rare 

 occurrence ; I took one there some six years ago. I am also aware of 

 its occasional occurrence at Drewton Dale, Yorkshire, and have in my 

 collection a specimen of this aberration from that locality, obtained 

 in 1895. Unfortunately, a large proportion of the melanic forms were 

 cripples, or partially so, especially the left fore- and hind-wings. 

 [Recorded also from Bamford Wood, near Rochdale, by Bentley, June 

 22nd, 1880.— Ed.] . 



Aberrations of Abraxas sylvata (ulmata). 



By J. W. TUTT, F.E.S. 



In the Kntom. Record., ix., pp. 268-269, Mr. Dutton records the 

 capture of some aberrations of A. sijlvata. These, I understand, were 

 captured in a well-known locality, for this species, in Yorkshire, some 

 twenty to thirty miles from the city of York. As he sent a picked 

 selection of his captures for me to exhibit at the meetings of the 

 various London Entomological Societies, I made the following notes 

 on the specimens. 



The specimens may be described as follows : (1) Three of the 

 specimens are almost unicolorous, dark slaty-grey in colour, but with 

 typical brown markings ; the bodies are black. (2) Tivo of the speci- 

 mens are uniformly dark slaty-grey, with the brown patch at the anal 

 angle of the hind-wings, the patch on the inner margin of the fore- 

 wing, and the basal area of the fore- wing, replaced by a dull greyish 

 patch, tinged with ochreous ; the bodies are black. (3) One specimen, 

 similar to those first described (1), but with a series of pale longitu- 



