( Ixx ) 



British example, — and two taken in the same locality by Mr-. 

 Thouless, on May 22nd, 1903 ; also Bagous glabrirostris, 

 Heibst, from Camber, Sussex, for comparison. 



Dr. T. A. Chapman exhibited bred specimens of Ilastula 

 {Ejxigoge, Hb.?) hyerava^ Mill., from larvaj taken at Hyeres 

 last March, and said the fact that the pale forms only have 

 hitherto been known, wherens of those bred nearly half are 

 d;trk, suggests either that really very few specimens are in 

 collections — which is the most probable case — or that melanism 

 is now affecting the species. The larvae are not uncommon at 

 Hyferes, Before he bred the species this year a single dark 

 specimen only was known, viz. one taken by Lord Walsingham 

 at Gibraltar, named by him marginata (MSS.), in doubt whether 

 it was a var, of hyerana, or a new species. //. hyerana lives 

 in Asphodelus viicrocarpiis, and is interestingly parallel to, but 

 vex-y different from, Tortrix unicolorana, Dup., which feeds 

 in various species of Asphodels, to which its ravages are 

 beneficial, unlike the havoc caused by hyerana. II. hyerana., 

 after spinning its cocoon in April, moults into an sestivating 

 form of laiva, of much the same colour as the moth, and this 

 sestivating larva eats the cast larval skin, except the head, 

 which it puts on one side and covers with some further silk. 

 It remains quiescent all summer and pupates in July, August 

 or September, emerging a few weeks later. 



The larvse of Xanthandrus comohis eat the larvse (of which 

 a number usually occur on one plant), following them into 

 their tubes and burrows when the larva gives them a chance. 

 As the fly emerges in April and May, it must have an alterna- 

 tive way of living over its next brood, as it is unlikely the flies 

 live till late autumn, but as to the possibility of this, he had 

 no knowledge. 



Mr. J. W. TuTT remarked that the yellow type and this 

 leaden form of this species found a parallel in the variation 

 common to the Lithosiids, and noted that these two colora- 

 tions occupy, in the latter group, dimorphic or sexual forms 

 of variation. The fact announced by Dr. Chapman, that 

 when the larva of H. hyerana had reached its full development 

 it moults, and, without further feeding, x'ests for some time 

 before undergoing the pupal moult at pupation, had only been 



