76 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



two hours at our disposal, to look at his magnificent series of E. crihrum 

 vars. of Calliinorpha dominula, and other interesting insects. 



We did but little larva-beating or searching, but the following were 

 noticed : — Peridea trepida, Notodonta caweliiia, Psilura monacha, Eu- 

 chelia jacob(B(B, Macrothylacia (Bomhtjx) rubi, Taniocampa stabilis, Plnsia 

 gamma, Tephrosia consonaria, lodis lactearia, and (at Swanage) Nonagria 



We left on the 26th, with many regrets, having had a most enjoy- 

 able hard-working holiday. — Hugh J. Vinall ; 3, Priory Terrace, 

 Lewes. 



SOCIETIES. 



Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society. — By the courtesy 

 of the Warrington Corporation the usual monthly meeting was held in 

 the Museum, Warrington, on December 8th, Mr. William Webster, of 

 St. Helen's, in the chair. Messrs. J. F. Button (Helsby) and J. R. le 

 B. Tomlin (Chester) were duly elected members of the Society. — Mr. 

 Alfred J. JoUey read an instructive paper on " Larval Forms, a Study 

 for the Doctrine of Descent," in which he portrayed the magnitude of 

 the difficulties with which the student had to contend, and the need 

 for caution in dealing with questions of evolution in those animals that 

 passed through complete metamorphoses, since in many cases the life- 

 history of the individual cannot be accepted as representing the life- 

 history of the race. A hearty vote of thanks having been accorded 

 the lecturer for his interesting and exhaustive discourse, Mr. F. N. 

 Pierce contributed a communication " On the Specific Differences be- 

 tween Lithosia sericea, L. complana, and L. comj^Iannla," in which he 

 recorded the results of his investigation on the genitalia of the Litho- 

 sidfe. Unfortunately, the results of his research as regards the first 

 two were of a negative character, inasmuch as the genitalia were iden- 

 tical in both species ; but as L. pygmaola was also similar to these, and 

 no one doubted the claim of the latter to specific rank, he was of 

 opinion that as the differences in colour, habitat, larvse, &c., were so 

 constant, until the one had been bred from eggs laid by the other, 

 L. sericea and L. complana must stand as distinct species. The notes 

 were illustrated by the author's preparations, thrown on the screen by 

 the micro -lantern, drawings of the genitalia, and the insects them- 

 selves. Mr. Collins, in discussing the paper, confirmed Mr. Pierce's 

 conjecture as to moisture being responsible for the production of 

 melanism in the Lithosidfe. The following exhibits were examined : — 

 A fine collection of Transvaal Lepidoptera, ranging from the Sphinges 

 to the Deltoides, by Captain B. Fairclough ; Lithosidre, by Mr. F. N. 

 Pierce ; British Longicorns, including Strangalia aurulenta, Saperda 

 scalaris, and Leptura scutellata, by Messrs. J. K. le B. Tomlin and J. P. 

 Dutton ; some remarkably light varieties of Abraxas grossulariata 

 and Thera firmata, from Delamere, by Mr. J. Womersley ; gall-making 

 insects and specimens of their work, by Mr. J. Deane ; melanic forms of 

 Triphana orbona from Lewis, Elgin, &c., one specimen with dark hind 

 wings lacking the marginal band being exceptionally interesting, by 

 Mr. B. H. Crabtree ; Caradrina ambigua, Aporophyla (Epimda) nigra, &c.. 



