( Ixxiv ) 



separates two closely allied forms of butterflies on account of 

 differences in the habits of the two forms ; and I have myself 

 brought forward the same arguments ('Ent. Mo. Mag.,' Jan. 

 1905) when describing Rhizotrogus ochraceus, Knoch., as a good 

 species. 



" The Gnathoncus is another case in point. Mr. G. Lewis has 

 pronounced that we only possess one species of this genus as 

 British. I found however that in a long series in my and 

 other collections there were two quite constant and distinct 

 forms : {a) with shining and diffusely punctured apex of 

 elytra, and large teeth to the front tibiae ; (6) with dull and 

 closely punctured (the punctures often running into lines) 

 apex of elytra, and much smaller teeth to the front tibise. I 

 could not find, and have not seen since, any intermediate forms. 

 I then discovered that all my specimens of form a were taken 

 in carrion, and those of form h in birds' nests. This, to my 

 mind, conclusively separates them as distinct species. I sent 

 my two series to Mr. Lewis pointing out these differences, and 

 he still maintains that they both belong to the same species 

 because the form of the sternum is the same in both, and 

 completely ignores the biological distinction. This, I am 

 afraid, is the attitude of a great many coleopterists, who seem 

 to forget that their cabinet specimens were ever alive and had 

 distinctive life histories and habits." 



The President said he thought they could appreciate the 

 force of the argument of Mr. Norman Joy and Mr. Donis- 

 thorpe that, where morphological differences between two 

 kinds of insects were not great, but a difference of such a 

 remarkable character as they had described existed in habit, 

 this difference of habit might properly be taken into account 

 in forming a judgment whether the two should be considered 

 specifically distinct. But whether they accepted this or not, 

 he thought they could agree that it was highly useful that the 

 special habits of an insect, as an important part of its life, 

 should be observed and recorded. 



Mr. L, B. Prout showed on behalf of Mr. G. B. Oliver, 

 of Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, a melanic $ of Acidalia 

 marginepunctata, Goeze, and a melanic $ ol A. suhsericeata, 

 Haw., both taken in North Cornwall this summer, together 



