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(" Proceedings," igo8, p. 79). He now learned from his friend 

 and fellow member, Mr. A. C. Vine, that the species occurred 

 somewhat more plentifully in the Brighton district, in a 

 locality some four or five miles inland, when Mr. Vine first 

 met with it about ten years ago. He thought this was 

 interesting, as the species was usually regarded as quite a 

 coast insect ; it was also satisfactory to know that the Sussex 

 record rested on a more solid foundation than the occasional 

 specimens taken near Beachy Head. He also mentioned 

 that his former statement, that the Sussex specimens were 

 paler than those from Wallasey, appeared hardly to be justi- 

 fied, now that longer series were available for comparison ; 

 for although an isolated specimen might be paler, when a 

 number from each locality were placed side by side it was 

 seen that there was little difference as a whole between them. 



Mr. Step exhibited two teratological specimens of hazel 

 catkins {Covylns avcllann) from Ashtead. The first example 

 had started from the end of a twig as a single male catkm ; 

 but at the distance of half an inch from its base it had given 

 origin to no fewer than twenty-five other catkins of various 

 lengths, but all much shorter than the parent catkin, \\'hich 

 continued to a total length of an inch and a half. This was 

 found by a young girl in a neighbouring wood ; and its arrival 

 had caused his son to search the bushes on the parental 

 estate, with the result that a somewhat similar specimen 

 was found. In this second example fifteen separate catkins 

 had started in a bunch from the terminal point of a twig. It 

 is possible that such examples are of frequent occurrence : 

 but he could not remember to have seen one previously, and 

 he found no mention of them by any of the authorities whose 

 works he had consulted. Several catkin clusters showing a 

 tendency in the same direction were afterwards observed, 

 but nothing sufficiently marked to be worth gathering (PI. IX, 

 fig. I). 



Mr. Alderson exhibited a large collection of butterflies 

 taken by him in a six weeks' holiday in the Rhone Valley, 

 between May i6th and June 25th of last year. In spite of 

 the somewhat indifferent weather very fine series were 

 obtained, the number of species represented being over one 

 hundred. Among the more noticeable series and forms were 

 numerous Plebius argyrognomon, with excess of blue in the 

 females, from St. Triphon ; P. zephyrics v. lycidas from the 

 Simplon ; Melitcra dcione var. berisalcnsis from Martigny and 

 Salquenen ; various races of M. partflcnic ; fine Chrysophanus 

 alcipJiron ab. niidas from Vernayaz ; a female Picris napi with 



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