NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 67 



in my opmion, by the structure of the legs and antennae, to 

 Membracis, ¥., and Pterygia, Lap., than to Centrotus, not to 

 mention Oeda, Am. and Serv., Bocydimn, Latr., Tolania, and 

 other Centrotid genera. My opinion is thus that the group 

 Centrotida, Stal, may be rejected, and the genera with strongly 

 dilated tibiae referred to " Membracida," Stal, which group then 

 becomes very natural, and can, indeed, be redivided according to 

 the structure of the face, i.e. whether this be widened to a 

 prominent sharply margined plate, both at the sides and down- 

 wards (as in Membracis, ¥., Bolbonota, Am. and Serv., Pterygia, 

 Lap.), or only dilated at the sides [Oxyrhachis, Germ., Lycoderes, 

 Germ.). How to separate the other types of the division Mem- 

 bracinae, mihi (after the removal of " Hoplophorida " and *' Mem- 

 bracida," in the new sense proposed by me), I dare not attempt, 

 but simply state that they may best be discerpted into some 

 smaller groups ; only I must say that I am certain that Mthalion 

 ought to rest in the neighbourhood of Centrotus- Tokmia {cfr. Stal), 

 which also it approaches by the antennal structure (see p. 39).* 

 Next ought perhaps Ulopa, according to the structure of head 

 and antennae, to form a small division by itself near the Centrotus 

 group ; Stal, in 1858, placed it in Membracina, but in 1866, 

 certainly, removed it to Jassida. 



(To be continued.) 



NOTES AND OBSEKVATIONS. 



New Forest Natural History Society. — We learn from a circular 

 received from the hon. secretary — Mr. G. Morris, of Brockenhurst, 

 Hants — that a Natural History Society bearing the above title has 

 been established. Although the subscription is very small, the scheme 

 of operations seems to be distinctly large. Among other useful work 

 that the Society proposes to undertake, "as soon as funds permit," is 

 that of publishing " a Monthly Report and District Floral and Faunal 

 Guide, for the benefit of members and correspondents." Although 

 the Society will discourage the possible exterminator of rare plants, 

 insects, &c., it will always be prepared to furnish non-resident members 

 who may visit the district with information as to localities and times of 

 appearance of such rarities as they may wish to obtain, and so save 

 their valuable time. 



Vanessa io, ab. cyanosticta. — I am more and more convinced of 

 the value and convenience of varietal names, especially in the case 

 of the Diurni and the more conspicuous species amongst the Macro- 

 Lepidoptera generally. I have therefore much pleasure in bestowing 

 the name of cyanosticta on that form of Vanessa io in which a single 

 blue spot (varying considerably in size) is found beneath the "peacock 

 eye " on the hind wing. It does not seem to be mentioned in any of 



* Vol. xxxiii., p. 119, of translation. — G. W. K. 



