( xxxii ) 



A discussion followed on melanism and its causes, Mr. G. 

 T. PoRRiTT pointing out that in this case the tendency could 

 hardly be attributed to carbon deposited from a smoky atmo- 

 sphere, while it was a well-known fact that in some of the 

 most marked cases of melanism observed in Yorkshire, that the 

 dark forms of species such as Acroni/cta rnenyanthidis were 

 found in localities unaffected by smoke. Dr. F. A. Dixey 

 suggested that melanism undoubtedly occurs as a "sport" in 

 some creatures, and may under certain circumstances be 

 selected. The President took the view that there are probably 

 several entirely different and at present undetermined causes 

 at work to produce the effect in question. 



Wednesday, April 4th, 1906. 



Mr. C. 0. Waterhouse, Vice-President, in the Chair, 



Election of Felloics. 



Mr. Leonard Doncaster, M.A., King's College, Cambridge ; 

 Major F. Winns Sampson, H.M. Travelliog Commissioner, 

 Senior Officers' Mess, Old Calabar, Southern Nigeria; and Mr. 

 PwVLEiGH S. Smallman, Wressil Lodge, Wimbledon Common, 

 S.W., were elected Fellows of the Society. 



Exhibits. 



Mr. H. St. J. Donisthorpb exhibited a specimen of the veiy 

 rare ant Formicoxenvs nitidulus, a $ > found in a nest of 

 Formica rufa at Weybridge during the present month. Mr. 

 A. J. Chitty said he had taken a single 9 of the species in 

 the Blean Woods, Kent, and the Pev. F. D. Morice reported 

 it common in Switzerland, where he had taken examples of all 

 three sexes abundantly. 



Mr. G. C. CriAMriON showed a specimen of PlatupsyUas 

 castoris, Eitsema, a Coleopterous parasite of the beaver, from 

 France, and suggested that perhaps it might be found on the 

 beavers in the London gardens of the Zoological Society. 



