54 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



there is no satisfactory evidence of tlie appearance of the Order in the 

 Palaeozoic period, but the leading families are found in the Lias, as 

 completely differentiated as at the present time ; in fact, many of the 

 genera and even the species are almost identical with those now living; 

 the Coleoptera, that is to say, have altered but little from the time at 

 which they existed side by side witli the gigantic extinct Saurians and 

 the Pterodactyles ; the whole question of the origin and history of the 

 insects generally is of the first importance in the history of evolution. 

 A vote of thanks to the President was proposed by Professor Poulton, 

 and seconded by Professor Meldola. The President replied. A vote 

 of thanks to the Officers was proposed by Professor Meldola, and 

 seconded by Mr. C. 0. Waterhouse. Mr. McLachlan, Mr. Goss, and 

 Mr. Eowland-Brown replied. — H. Goss, Hon. Sec. 



South London Entomological and Natural History Society. — 

 November 27th, 1902. — Mr. F. Noad Clark, President, in the chair. — 

 Mr. E. J. Hare, East Dulwich Grove, S.E., was elected a member. 

 The meeting was devoted to a special exhibition of notable captures 

 and varieties, and was, as usual, a very successful gathering. Between 

 eighty and ninety members and their friends attended, and a large 

 number of exhibits were made. — Messrs. Harrison and Main exhibited 

 very varied series of several species . of Lepidoptera recently taken in 

 the Shetland Isles, including Kupithecia nanata, Dianthcecia nana [con- 

 spersa), smoky and dark forms ; Noctna festiva var. conftua, and Anarta 

 melanopa, with normal types for comparison. — Mr. Cant, a pair of the 

 extremely dark form of Hemerophila abruptaria, taken this year in 

 Regent's Park. — Mr. Kaye, long series of Anchocelis lunosa, with the 

 forms obsolcta, huinilis, brunnea, neurodes, and agrotoides ; see Brit. Noct. 

 ii. 168-170. He had not met with var. rufa, which was said to be 

 common. — Mr. R. Adkiu, examples and series of hybrid Lepidoptera, 

 and read notes on their life-history : (1) Smerintlms ocellata ^ x Amor- 

 pha [Smerinthus) populi $ ; (2) Selenia bilimaria {illnnaria) $ x Selenia 

 tetralunavia {ilhistraria) ? ; (3) PygcBra pigra [reclusa) g- x P. cnrtula 

 $ ; and (4) F. curtida <? x P. pigra J . In the two last series the 

 female influence was dominant ; in the two former cases the characters 

 of male and female were pretty evenly shared or deleted. — Mr. Car- 

 penter, specimens of Apatura iris bred from larvte he had hybernated, 

 and on behalf of Mr. Oldaker: (1) Lycmia [Polyommatus) icarns, a gyn- 

 andromorph, left side male, right side female, taken June 14th, 1902. 

 (2) a male with under side having faint marginal spots, and only one 

 spot on central area of ashy grey, taken June 7th ; both were from 

 Ranraore Common. (8) a male about the size of an average Lyccena 

 [Cupido'^ minima. And (4) a var. of Vanessa [Envanessa) antiopa, bred 

 from German larvae, with no blue spots on upper wings and only one blue 

 spot on the lower wings. — Mr. ScoUick, an example of Vanessa [Aglais) 

 urlica, with ground colour resembling that of Vanessa (Eugotiia) poly- 

 cJdoros, and a Plusia chrysitis, with the usually burnished appearance 

 greatly curtailed on one side. — Mr. Hare, a Strenia clathrata, with 

 nearly the whole of the lighter markings of the type obliterated, taken 

 at Marlborough ; and an Ephippiphora obscurana (gallicolana), with the 

 dorsal blotch suffused with fuscus. — Mr. J. A. Clark, an almost white 

 var. of Agrotis siiffusa, taken in September in South Devon, and two 



