SOCIETIES. 



23 



showing a wide range of variation, including three fine melanic forms 

 = al). ohsciira, Tutt, and several examples, apparently of Anthuocera 

 HippocREPiDis, Stphs., showing six spots on the upper-wings. The ex- 

 hibitor remarked that these latter were bred by him from cocoons found 

 on the ground, and not as in the case of the others from those taken 

 on ling, &c. — Dr. G. C. Hodgson. Locust and Prey : The President 

 showed two photographs of an African locust which had apparently 

 caught a mouse and was preying upon it. The specimen was found 

 in the Congo State. Eest attitude of Hyria auroraria : " During 

 the past summer I had the opportunity of studying the habits of this 

 species in the field near Glastonbury, Somersetshire. I first met with 

 it on July 2nd, and after a rainy interval saw it again on July 10th, 

 11th and 12th. The moth frequented a small patch of ground about 

 80 yards square, covered with heath and ling, intermingled with bog- 

 myrtle, alder-bushes, and birch-trees. The insect was on the wing in 

 bright sunlight from 10.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. The rest-attitude was 

 first observed on July 10th, when following a moth that was flying 

 about four or five feet from the ground. I saw it settle upon the ling 

 a little ahead of me and become invisible. However, on closer inspec- 

 tion I found it had alighted on a thin stem of ling, with the underside 

 of its outspread wings uppermost. When disturbed it again took a 

 short flight of a few yards, and settled in exactly the same manner. 

 This happened during four successive flights of this one insect ; and 

 for the rest of that morning and the following days I was interested 

 to notice that all the others, which I saw settle, invariably did so in 

 this attitude. The interpretation is not far to seek when a comparison 

 is made between the colouring of the upper- and undersides. In the 

 former the bright purple and rich golden markings at once attract the 

 eye and render this little Geometrid a conspicuous object. The under- 

 surface, on the other hand, possesses a perfect cryptic colouring of 

 dark dull purple, combined with a tawny yellow-bistre. It should be 

 noted that, on no occasion, Avas the flower itself selected as a resting- 

 place, but always the leaf or stem, the dull colour of which, combined 

 with the dark shadows in the interior of the plant, formed a back- 

 ground harmonizing in a remarkable manner with the exposed surface 

 of the insect " — Mr. J. C. Moulton. 



South London Entomological Society. — Novoiiher 25th, 1907. — 

 Annual exhibition of varieties, etc. — Hypsipetes sordidata : A 

 very varied bred series from Surrey localities ; Cosmotriche potatoria, 

 two males of the pale female coloration captured at Wicken, Mr. E. 

 C. Goulton. Odontopera bidentata, bred from black Yorkshire 

 parents, from dark Yorkshire parents, and from a very light Wisley 

 female, with numerous collected specimens from many localities 

 for comparison ; Pieris napi, four broods, bred from females from 

 the Klein Scheidegg Pass, Switzerland — Messrs. Harrison and Main. 

 Grapta c-album, a bred scries from ova laid by a female taken by 

 Mr. Barraud in the Wye Valley, Avith notes on the variation, which 

 included var. hittchinsonii. Dipterygia scabriuscula, a series taken 

 in his own garden at Reigate — Mr. Tonga. Abraxas sylvata 

 aberrations, including a broad, dark-banded form, a smoky form 

 almost devoid of mnrkings, forms approaching var. ])antaria, and 

 one in which the ochreous colour was entirely absent — Mr. Scollick. 

 CoLttoPHORA on'osmella and C. bicolorella, from Surrey and Kent 

 localities — Mr. Turner. Mellinia ocellaris, a short series, captured 



