126 THE ENTOMOLOGISY. 
preliminary notes ou, some hundreds of Lepidoptera, representative of a 
collection of some 5000 specimens recently made in five weeks, by Mr. W. 
Doherty, in the South-west of Celebes. ‘The collection included species of 
Nectaria, Ideopsis, Saletaria, Limnias, Radena, Tirumala, Euplea, Lethe, 
Melanitis, Micalesis, Yphthima, Elymnias, Amathusia, Pseudamathusia, 
Discophora, Acrea, Ergolis, Cethosia, Cynthia, Cupha, Terinos, Cirrho- 
chroa, Junonia, Precis, Rhinopalpa, Xoma, Cyrestes, Hypolimnas, Euripus, 
Rohana, Parthenos, Neptis, Athyma, Symphedra, Huthalia, Limenitis, 
Abisara, Huphina, Catopsilia, Eronia, Appias, Ornithoptera, Papilio, &c., 
and several species of Hesperide. Many of the species were new, and 
others very rare. Mr. Elwes, Colonel Swinhoe and Mr. 8. Stevens com- 
mented on the interesting nature of this collection, and a vote of thanks to 
Mr. Rothschild for exhibiting it was passed by the meeting. Mr. E. B. 
Poulton gave a lecture “ On the denudation of the Scales in certain Species 
of Lepidoptera, and illustrated it by a large number of photographs shown 
by means of the oxy-hydrogen lantern. Mr. G. F. Hampson, Mr. Elwes 
and Mr. Poulton took part in the discussion which ensued.—H. Goss, 
Hon. Secretary. 
South Lonpon EnromotocicaL anD Naturat History Socrety.— 
March 24th, 1892.—Mr. C. G. Barrett, F.E.S., President, in the chair. 
Mr. J. R. Burt, of Streatham, was elected a member. Mr. Merrifield 
exhibited examples of Selenia illustraria, S. illunaria, S. lunaria, Vanessa 
urtice, Platypteryx falcataria, Chelonia caia, Bombyx quercus and var. 
callun@, to illustrate the effects of temperature on these species. Mr. 
Merrifield prefaced his remarks on the experiments he had made by 
referring to those of Weisman and Edwards, which were made on 
seasonally dimorphic species. He said the results obtained by him were 
consistent with those of these gentlemen; but he went further than they 
did, and he found, by subjecting the pup to certain temperatures, he 
invariably, in the majority of the specimens, obtained certain results, a lower 
temperature generally producing examples which were darker and more 
intense in colour than those subjected to higher temperatures. In illustraria, 
a brood divided into two portions, and one, placed at a temperature of about 
80°, produced normal specimens, while the other portion, placed at a tem- 
perature of from 50° to 60°, were strikingly darker in colour; the same 
results were obtained with illunaria, lunaria, and EF’. autumnaria, but in 
the last-named species they were not quite so pronounced. LP. falcataria, 
B. quercus, its var. callune, C. caia, and V. urtice were similarly affected, 
but in a lesser degree than the species of Selenia ; in V. urtiee some of the 
examples closely approached the var. polaris, the specimens subjected to 
the lower temperatures being generally darker, and the blue crescents were 
more intense in colour. In conclusion, Mr. Merrifield said a temperature 
of 47° seemed to stunt the size, and produced a large proportion of 
cripples; higher temperature than this seemed more conducive to health 
and vigour. It had been suggested that the results he had obtained were 
attributable to the unhealthy condition to which the pupe were exposed, 
but this was not at all a correct explanation. In the 172 specimens which 
he exhibited, 150 were not cripples; extreme temperatures produced 
crippling, but moderate temperatures were quite sufficient to account for 
the extreme difference of colouring. Mr. k'enn said he had, since 1859, 
paid great attention to the earlier stages of Lepidoptera, and he assumed 
that variation was either natural or artificial; that natural variation 
