96 



Mr. H. Moore exhibited specimens of non-British species 

 of " Ticks." 



Mr. West (Ashtead) exhibited a specimen of Vanessa to, 

 in which the wings on the right-hand side were noticeably 

 smaller than those on the left. It was from Ashtead. 



Mr. Tonge exhibited a tuft of the so-called " flowering 

 lichen," Usneaflorida, from the New Forest. These "flowers" 

 are the sporophores, and are produced only towards the 

 tops of the trees affected by this species of lichen. He also 

 showed a fine series of Scsia apiformis obtained in Suffolk. 



Dr. Hodgson exhibited short series of Cyclopides palceuion 

 and Urhicola comma, commenting on the minor variations 

 shown, and directing attention to the dark cilia of the fore- 

 wings in the latter species. 



Mr. Robert Adkin exhibited ova oi Agriades thetis {Lyccena 

 bcUargiis), in sitii on the undersides of leaves of Hippocrepis 

 comosa, which he had seen deposited by a wild female, and 

 read the following notes on the egg-laying of the species : 



" On the morning of September 27th the sun was shining, 

 but not brightly, owing to a haze in the air, and there was 

 practically no wind, a combination of circumstances that 

 I have sometimes found particularly suitable for observing 

 the habits of butterflies. As I wandered on the lower parts 

 of the Downs, near Eastbourne, I noticed a female Agriades 

 thetis feeding upon a flower-head of knapweed {Centatirea 

 nigra). As she persisted in following that occupation for 

 some considerable time, I came to the conclusion that it 

 was probably the precursor to egg-laying, and in this I 

 was not mistaken. Having finished her meal, she flew 

 some distance up the bank, which was very steep just at the 

 spot, and then commenced to flit slowly over the herbage, 

 apparently examining it carefully as she went, and eventually 

 settled down upon a small, isolated plant of Hippocrepis 

 comosa. I scrambled up the bank after her as quickly as I 

 could, but on coming up with her she was getting on the 

 move again ; I therefore marked the spot and followed her, 

 but on returning to it later I was unable to identify the 

 particular plant on which she had rested or to find the egg,, 

 although I am convinced that one had been deposited. 

 She was now flying in a more leisurely manner, carefully 

 examining the herbage as she went, and I was consequently 

 able the better to keep up with her ; and soon she selected 

 another plant of Hippocrepis and rested upon it. I was 

 sufficiently near to see her protrude her abdomen, curve it 

 slightly, and apparently deposit an egg on the underside of 



