C ay) 
without large numbers of examples for comparison mistakes 
In the identification of species were sure to occur. 
Mr. E. B. Poulton expressed great interest in Mr. Leech’s 
statement that the female of Argynnis paphia was apparently 
only represented at Kiukiang by the dark valezina form. 
In this country the dark variety was well known in the 
New Forest, and a single specimen had been captured on 
Streatly Hill, Berkshire. It probably also existed in other 
localities in the South of England. On the other hand, 
the typical form of the species was excessively abundant in 
Devonshire, and yet the valezina form had never been seen 
there. The facts that the dark variety is the only form 
at Kiukiang; that in many European localities there is a 
small percentage of dark females; and that again in other 
Kuropean localities these dark varieties are never found,— 
seem to bear, in an important manner, upon the difficult 
problem of the origin of dimorphism in Lepidoptera. 
Such dimorphism is probably to be explained in the same 
manner as the dimorphism of Lepidopterous larve, the 
question being complicated by the existence of sexual selec- 
tion in the former ease. It is probably due to the variability 
of a form which is represented by one of the two varieties 
now known: the disappearance of intermediate varieties led 
to the existence of two well-marked and clearly separated 
forms; finally, the gradual predominance of one of these 
forms over the other, of the new over the old, is probably 
taking place in many localities, and has already taken place 
in others. The fact of the relative abundance of A. valezina 
in different localities would seem to imply that it is the older 
form, which has been replaced in most English localities, 
It is to be noted that intermediate varieties still occur, 
although very rarely. Mr. Poulton further said he thought 
it would be of extreme interest to trace the same facts still 
further in other localities, over the whole range of the species, 
and to look for kindred phenomena in other fritillaries. The 
case of Colias edusa would also yield most interesting and 
important results if carefully studied from the same point of 
view. 
Mr. Jenner Weir stated that he had bestowed much time, 
