( xiii ) 



the female ; in the wet-season or proterpia form they are 

 retained by neither sex, but the nnder-surface of the female 

 is duller than that of the male. 



The simultaneous occurrence in generally dry localities, such 

 as Aden, of forms which in other places are associated with 

 contrasting seasons, was not easy to explain. Prof. Poulton 

 had shown that in several species of Precis the dry-season form 

 was larger than the Avet, and had on that fact founded the 

 inference that the dry-season form must have been predeter- 

 mined in the larval stage. But there was reason to believe 

 that in many genera, and perhaps even occasionally in Precis, 

 the assumption of the characteristic seasonal garb was not 

 determined until a later period — in some cases, the last few 

 days before emergence from the pupa. If it might be assumed 

 that the Aden species in question were in a state so sensitive 

 to meteorological conditions as to respond almost immediately 

 to a few heavy showers, such as were reported to fall there 

 not unusually from January to May, the intermixture of 

 "wet" and " dry- season," which in many cases meant an 

 intermixture of aposematic and cryptic foi'ms, might possibly 

 be accounted for. This suggestion could only be" verified by 

 observers on the spot. 



Wednesday, April 1st, 1903. 



Professor E. B. Poulton, M.A., D.8c., F.E.S., President, 

 in the Chair. 



Message to the Entomoloyical Society of France. 



The President announced that he was going to Paris at 

 Easter, and proposed that the Society should authorize him to 

 deliver a greeting to the Entomological Society of France, 

 before whom he was to read a paper. The meeting acceded 

 unanimously to the President's proposal. 



Exldbitions. 



Mr. M. Jacoby exhibited specimens of EJiayiosonia mada- 

 £fascariensis,^ejd. ,irom. Madagascar, and t'arpopliagus banksise, 



PROC. ENT. see. LOND., II. 1903. B 



