264 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



in their relationship to each other aud in their geographical distribution, 

 which extended from the Canaries on the west to the valley of the Indus 

 on the east. The author's theories as to the causes of the present distri- 

 bution of the group, which were based on geological data, were discussed 

 by Capt. Elwes, Mr. M'Lachlan, Mr. Distant, and Mr. Stainton. The 

 Chairman read a paper entitled, " On the genus Argynnis," which gave rise 

 to a discussion in which Mr. Distant, Mr. Jenner Weir, and Prof. Riley 

 took part. — H. Goss, Hon. Secretary. 



The South London Entomological and Natural History Socikty. 

 — August 22)id, 1889. J. T. Carrington, Vice-President, in the chair. 

 Mr. Wellraan exhibited a number of Abraxas grossulariata, showing 

 considerable variation, and Scoparla angustea, from Folkestone. Mr. 

 Skinner, a bleached example of Eplnephele ianira, taken at Box Hill. 

 Mr. Carrington, on behalf of Mr. Lewcock, some 300 specimens of 

 Coleoptera taken during the season, being some of the larger aquatic 

 species, a few Donacias, Malacoderma, Heteromera, &c., mainly from 

 Chattenden, Epphig, Woking, and Farnham. 



September 12th, 1889. — T. R. Billups, President, in the chair. Mr. 

 Jenner Weir exhibited desquamated upper wings of the male of Argynnis 

 paphia, in order to show that the apparent thickening of the median 

 nervules and sub-median uervure, in that sex of the species, was due to 

 the dense covering of broad scales, bent over and concealing some very 

 narrow, clavate, black scales or audrocouia ; these appeared to be of a 

 different substance to the ordinary scales of the wings, so that when, by 

 the Waterhouse process, he had denuded the wings of the ordinary scales, 

 the androconia remained intact, and were removed by the use of the 

 camel's-hair brush, considerable friction being necessary. Mr. Weir 

 remarked that he had been induced to bring this matter before the Society, 

 because he found that some British entomologists appeared to think that, 

 in the restricted genus Argynnis, there was a real dilatation of some of the 

 median nervules, and occasionally of the sub-meJian nervure, but a 

 reference to Mr. Scudder's work on the ' Butterflies of the Eastern United 

 States and Canada,' and to the ' Exotische Schraetterlinge von Dr. 

 Staudinger und Dr. Schatz,' would show that neither the American nor 

 German entomologists named had fallen into such an error. Mr. Weir 

 exhibited some specimens of Vanessa urtlca bred from larvae taken at 

 Lewes; these, although bred from one locality, showed great variation in 

 tlie amount of yellow on the fore wings : in one instance that colour 

 formed almost a band across the wings, and in one of the specimens the 

 costa was unusually dark, and the red of the lower wings very much 

 reduced in extent. Mr. Wellnmn, Bryophila muralis, Lobophora poly- 

 coinmata, and dark forms of Gnoplios obscuraria, from Folkestone. Mr. 

 Croker, G. obscuraria from the New Forest, and a variety of Tceniocainpa 

 gothica, closely approaching var. gutkacina, taken at West Wickham. Mr. 

 Fenn mentioned that he had taken a similar variety at Lewisham. Mr. 

 Auld, a long series of Cidaria truncata, bred from a female captured in the 

 New Forest. Mr. Turner, a pink variety of Hypsipetes sordidata, also dark 

 forms of Boarmia gemmaria from Ashdown Forest, and specimens of 

 Cabera rotundaria. A discussion ensued as to whether this was a distinct 

 species or only a variety of C. pusaria. — H. W. Barkek, Hon. Sec. 



