( Ixxvi ) 



Exhibitions. 



Aberrations of Geometrid Moths from East Lothian. 

 Miss Balfour exhibited a striking aberration of Larentia 

 didymata, L., taken by her at Whittingehame, East Lothian, 

 on July 24, 1917. This specimen (a ^), which was rather 

 large and pale, was remarkable for having a conspicuous dark 

 fuscous marking resembling an arrow-head, formed by a 

 wedge-like extension, towards the base, of the familiar " twin- 

 spots " of the species. She suggested the name cuneigera 

 n. ab. for this form. She also exhibited a remarkable aber- 

 ration of Melanipjje fluctuata, L., taken by Mrs. Meldola near 

 Dunbar, East Lothian, August 12, 1912, and now in Prof. 

 Meldola's collection in the Hope Department at Oxford. 



Spider Mimic of an Ant. — Mr. Donisthorpe exhibited a 

 large, very ant-like, spider together with the ant it mimics, 

 Polyrhachis sckistacea, Gers. subsp. rugulosa, Mayr., which had 

 been captured and given to him by Mr. Here ward DoUman, 

 F.E.S., at Mwengwa, N.W. Rhodesia, August 13, 1917. Also 

 a small British beetle, Brachonyx piv.eli, which he had taken 

 not uncommonly at Barton Mills, Suffolk, Septeinber 9, 1917. 

 The object of this exhibit was to show the close resemblance 

 between the beetle and seeds, and bits of buds from the 

 young Scots Firs on which the former occurred. Mr. Donis- 

 thorpe said this might be described as " Camouflage." 



Mr. Champion pointed out that it was a very southern 

 locality for this' Scotch beetle. 



Dark Aberration of Himera pennaria. — Mr. E. E. Green 

 exhibited an unusual variety of Himera pennaria, the front 

 wings of which were almost entirely covered with dark 

 plumbeous scales, leaving the veins picked out in bright 

 fulvous. This form approaches a variety of Emiomos 

 autumnaria figured by South (" Moths of the British Isles," 

 vol. ii, PI. 134, fig. 9). 



Conditions of Insect Life in Mesopotamia. — Prof. 

 PouLTON said that he had recently received a letter from 

 Lieut. P. A. Buxton, R.A.M.C., contrasting the conditions 

 encountered in Mesopotamia with those observed in Africa on 

 the voyage. 



