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TORTRIX PRONUBANA IN BRITAIN CONTINUOUSLY BROODED. — 



Mr. R. Adkin exhibited specimens of Tortrix pronuhana, Hb., 

 reared in June and July from larvse collected in May, also 

 others reared in autumn from ova deposited by moths of the 

 June emergence. He said that of the larvae derived from the 

 June emergence the majority produced moths in the autumn, 

 but a portion of them hybernated when neaily if not quite full 

 fed, and that the larvse derived from the autumn moths hyber- 

 nated quite small. He therefore concluded that when the 

 habits of the species came to be better understood, it would 

 be found, as had been shown to be the case in Guernsey, to 

 be practically continuously brooded in this country throughout 

 the summer months, the chief emergences taking place in June 

 and October, but with stragglers appearing probably in every 

 month from April to November. 



Mr. J. W. TuTT remarked that in the south of France it 

 was common in March and April, at Digne and Draguignan. 

 Milli^re says it is single brooded. 



Variation in Melit^ea aurinia and Notodonta chaonia. 

 — Mr. L. W. Newman showed («) a long series of Melitaea 

 aurinia bred from ova from West Me.ath parents, the ? 

 parents being very rich dark forms ; the offspring followed 

 the 5 parents to a great extent, being rich dark forms, a 

 small percentage being somewhat lighter in ground-colour — 

 ( = hibernica, Birchall) ; (h) a series from East Kent of the 

 usual Kentish form, the specimens showing a wide range of 

 variation. Owing to the great lack of sunshine in May 1907, 

 the pupal stage lasted four weeks instead of ten days or so, 

 during which a large percentage died ; (c) a series bred 

 from a S. Devon typical 9 : very ordinary forms and a very 

 large percentage of deaths in the pupal stage owing to cold 

 and lack of sunshine ; (d) a series from 8. Wales, wild collected 

 larvae ; received full-fed at end of March, and being abnormally 

 early, emerged very well, as all were out before the bad 

 weather began : very little variation disclosed ; (e) a series 

 from Carlisle, wild collected larvse. These larvse were fearfully 

 ichneumoned, over 75 % being stung and a very short series 

 was bred, giving no idea of the range of variation ; (/) a 

 series from Isle of Wight, wild collected larva. Unlike the 



