260 the entomologist. 



Experiments on Heredity in Selenia tetralunaria. — 

 For the purpose of pursuing to the best advantage some ex- 

 periments I am making with Selenia tetralunaria (ilkistraria) , 

 I should be greatly obliged by receiving, and should be happy to 

 pa}'' for — or exchange — living specimens of it, captured in widely 

 different places, especially in Scotland, Wales, Northern England, 

 or any part of continental Europe. My object is to breed from 

 them, and I do not require large numbers ; for example, a dozen 

 or a score of eggs from a brood, or the same number of larvae 

 or pupse, would be generally sufficient, as of course would a 

 single fertile female moth. — F. Merrifield ; 24, Vernon Terrace, 

 Brighton, September 12, 1888. 



[The interesting experiments which Mr. Merrifield is con- 

 ducting, with a view to examining the results of heredity, should 

 receive the best support, and we trust our readers will have 

 opportunity of furnishing the material required. — J. T. C] 



SOCIETIES. 



Entomological Society of London. — September 5th, 1888. 

 Dr. D. Sharp, F.L.S., President, in the chair. Mr. M. Stanger 

 Higgs, of St. Leonard's, Gloucester, was elected a Fellow of the 

 Society. Dr. Sharp mentioned that he had received, through 

 Prof. Newton, a collection of Coleoptera from St. Kilda, con- 

 sisting of Carabus catenulatus (I), Nebria brevicollis (12), A^. 

 gyllenhalii (3), Calathus cisteloides (20), Pristonychus terricola 

 (1), Pterostichus nigrita (71), P. niger (31), Amara aulica (4), 

 Ocypus olens (1). The species being nearly all large Geodephaga, 

 he thought probably that many other Coleoptera inhabited the 

 island. He remarked that these specimens showed no signs of 

 depauperation, but were scarcely distinguishable from ordinary 

 English specimens. Mr. South exhibited a melanic Aplecta 

 nebulosa from Rotherham, bred with five others of ordinary form, 

 and an albino of the same species from Devonshire ; a very 

 curious dark variety of Plusia gamma ; two dark vars. of Eubolia 

 limitata from Durham ; Dicrorhampha consortana from North 

 Devon. Mr. Champion exhibited Harpalus cupreus, Leptusa 

 testacea, and Catliormiocerus maritimus from Sandown, Isle of 

 Wight. Mr. Elisha exliibited interesting Micro-Lepidoptera. Mr. 



