( V ) 



Rev. W. W. Fowler exhibited the unique specimen of Cerylon atratulum 

 from Hungary, which had been lent to him by Herr Reitter ; also specimens 

 of an Indian Cassida, which liad been soaked in a preparation to preserve 

 the brightness of their colours. 



Dr. Sharp said the last exhibit raised the curious question, On what 

 does the colouring matter of the Cassida depend? He said that the 

 application of glycerine under the wing-cases of certain Coleoptera main- 

 tained the bright colour for a short time, and he also thought that moisture 

 had something to do with the colour, as he had often revived lost colours 

 by soaking the specimen in water for a day or two. Mr. Fowler thought 

 this last remark would only apply to fresh or recent specimens, not 

 old ones. 



Mr. Fowler also exhibited a microscopic movable stage of very ingenious 

 construction and efficient application ; it was made by Messrs. Smith and 

 Beck. 



Mr. W. F. Kirby exhibited, on behalf of Mr. Waterhouse, a beautiful 

 variety of Spilosoma luhricipeda, Esp., which was recently captured by a 

 policeman in the British Museum (Natural History), South Kensington. 



The Secretary read the following : — 



A few Observations toucJiing Mr. De NicevilWs recent Suggestions on 

 Seasonal Di)norphism in the Lepuloptera. By A.rthuu G. Butler, 

 F.L.S., F.Z.S., &c. 



I much regret that my absence from the recent meeting of the Ento- 

 mological Society (when Mr. De Niceville's cases of seasonal dimorphism 

 were brought forward) prevented my offering the following remarks at the 

 time: however, I will now test the correctness of his conjectures; for they 

 can be nothing more, for reasons which I shall presently show. 



1. Y. Jwwra = Y. hiibneri. 

 Ypthima howra is a form of 1'. hiibneri, linked to it by almost as many 

 gradations as are found in our British varieties of Satifrus hyperanthus ; 

 it is represented by examples of Y. hiibneri, in whicli the ocelli are reduced 

 to points. If it be a seasonal form Mr. De Niceville has yet to explain to 

 which form, the dry or the wet, the intermediate grades belong. 



2. Y. marshallii == i^ philoniela. 

 Yjithima marshallii is a species discovered by Capt. Bingham in 

 Tenasserim, and the only species, I believe, of which he was able to secure 

 a series. On the other hand, Y. j^hilomela is a species described by 

 Johansson from an example taken in Java, the sole locality for this species ; 

 it is of about half the size of Y. marshallii, and the ocelli, as in that species, 

 are mere dots. As it is obvious tliat an insect occmring only in Tenasserim 



