1895.] 79 



Birmingham Entomological Society: January \Uh, 1895. — Mr. G. n. 

 Kenrick, President, in the Chair. 



Dr. F. A. Dixey, of Oxford, delivered a lecture, entitled, " The Growth of 

 Mimetic Patterns in Butterflies." He firstly showed, with the aid of lantern slides, 

 what he believed to be the course of the development of the Pieridce, from an 

 original uniformly neulral-coloured ancestor ; and then, with the aid of diagrams, 

 showed the probable process of change from a typical Pierid to one closely mimicking 

 a Jleliconius, all the intermediate forms being apparently natural and of use. He 

 also dealt with other details and difficulties of the theory of mimicry, advancing 

 probable explanations. 



February Uh, 1895 : Annual Meeting. — Mr. G. T. Bethune-Bakee, Vice- 

 President, in the Chair. 



The Annual Reports of the Council, the Treasurer and the Librarian were pre- 

 sented, and the Officers for the ensuing year were elected, as follows: — President, 

 Mr. G. H. Kenrick, F.E.S. ; Vice-President, Mr. G. T. Bethune-Baker, F.L.S., F E.S. ; 

 Treasurer, Mr. R. C. Bradley ; Librarian, Mr. A. H. Martineau ; Secretary, Mr. 

 Colbran J. Wainwright, 147, Hall Road, Handsworth, Birmingham ; and other 

 Members of the Council, Messrs. P. W. Abbott and W. Harrison. 



Mr. P. W. Abbott exhibited Vanessa poJychloros, bred specimens, one of which 

 was unusually pale.- -Colbran J. VTain weight, Hon. Secretary. 



Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society : February Wth, 1895. 

 —Mr. S. J. Capper, F.L.S., F.E.S., President, in the Chair. 



Messrs. D. Walker, Herbert Massey, and Harold Milne were elected Members. 



Dr. H. H. Corbett, of Doncaster, read " Remarks on some varieties of Xoctuina 

 from Doncaster," in which he described a number of local forms occurring at Don- 

 caster, illustrated by specimens, conspicuous among which were a fine series of 

 mclanic Calocampa exoleta, and a fine variety of Asphalia flavicornis, in which the 

 dark transverse lines were very strongly marked. Mr. Mason exhibited a long series 

 of Caradrina ambigua from Freshwater, a gynandromorphous specimen of Argynnis 

 Paphia from the New Forest, a striking variety of Agrotis agathina, having the 

 ground colour rosy, from Penmaenmawr, specimens of Cloantha solidaginis, Xofo- 

 donta cliaoiiia, and Aplecta herbida from Delamcre, and a dark series of Vanessa 

 cardui bred from larvae obtained at Wallasey. Mr. Sharp exhibited a number of 

 European Silphidee, calling attention to the forms brunnea and subrotundata of 

 Silpha atrata, which he considered were distinct species. — F. N. Pierce and H. 

 B. Jones, Ron. Secretaries, 7, The Elms, Dingle, Liverpool. 



The South London Entomological and Natural History Society : 

 January 2Uh, 1895 ; ANNUAL General Meeting.— T. W. Hall, Esq., F.E.S., 

 Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The Council's and Treasurer's Reports were read, and the Officers and Council 

 for the vear were elected, as follows : —President, T. W. Hall, F.E.S. ; Vice- 



