114 [April, 



The South London Entomological and Natural History Society .- 

 February 2^th, 1892.— C. G. Barrett, Esq., F.E.S., President, in the Chair. 



Mr. J. W. Larkin, of Streatham, and Mr. A. L. Stephens, of Blackheath, were 

 elected Members. 



Mr. Cooper exhibited specimens of Porthesia chrysorrhcBa, L., received some 

 years ago from Whittlesea Mere, and pointed out that there were a number of black 

 dots on the wings. Mr. J. Jenner Weir exhibited examples of several species, 

 showing the wet and dry season forms of the same insect, and remarked that it had 

 now been placed beyond doubt that many species that were looked upon as perfectly 

 distinct, were wet season and dry season forms ; among the species exhibited were 

 Junonia Asterie, L., J. Almana, L., the wet season form of Melanitis Isinene, Cram., 

 and the dry season form of the same, M. Leda ; and Mr. Weir remarked that the 

 two forms of Melanitis were seasonal varieties, or, as he termed it, horseomorphic, of 

 one species, had been set at rest by direct experiments. Mr. R. Adkin exhibited 

 Lepidoptera from the Scilly Isles, and remarked on the variation, and called attention 

 to the specimens of Pieris napi, L., Lijceena Icarus, Rott., and Cidaria truncata, 

 Hufn., which he said were species known to be liable to somewhat pronounced local 

 variation, and yet those he had received from Scilly were normal. Mr. Adkin also 

 exhibited light and dark cocoons of Eriogaster lanestris, L., and contributed notes. 

 Mr. Tugwell exhibited cocoons of Nola centonalis, Hb., and N. alhulalis, Hb., and 

 referred to some remarks recently made by Mr. Tutt, that the coloration of cocoons 

 was produced by anal excreta ; a discussion followed, relative to these two last 

 exhibits, in which Messrs. Jenner Weir, C. Fenn, W. West, South, C. Gr. Barrett, 

 Carrington, Tugwell, and Adkin, took part. It was pointed out that recent dis- 

 coveries have shown this to be from renal excreta. 



March lOth, 1892.— The President in the Chair. 



Mr. Jenner Weir exhibited pallid forms of the following British Rhopalocera, 

 viz. : Satyrus Semele, $ , Epinephele Janira, $ , E. Hyperanthus, $ , Coenonympha 

 TypJion, S , C- Pamphilus, ? (three specimens), Heodes Phlceas, (?, and remarked 

 that these xanthous specimens were all of them much paler in colour than usual, and 

 regretted that he could not suggest a cause for this want of colour, except in the 

 case of Epinephele Janira : this insect he had taken in the New Forest, during the 

 very wet and cold season of 1879, in a damp wood, the temperature was then so 

 low, that when Argynnis PapJiia was pursued it took refuge in the thick brambles, 

 being too weak to fly far, and A. Euphrosyne had its emergence delayed through 

 July, in some cases even till so late as the 9th of August. His view was that the 

 development of pigment was due to what might almost be termed surplus energy, 

 and that if the vitality of either the larva or chrysalis was lowered by unfavourable 

 environment, then the result might be that the imago would be defective in colour. 

 Mr. H. C. Richter then delivered a lecture on Insects, illustrated by original diagrams 

 and coloured drawings. The discussion on Mr. Weir's exhibit stood over until next 

 meeting. — H. W. Barker, Hon. Secretary. 



