69 



on elm ; (3) C. ochrca, sent to him from Dorset by Mr. Eustace 

 Bankes, feeding on Hcliantheuium viilgare ; and (4) C curruc- 

 pennclla, feeding on birch, and found by Mr. vSich and himself 

 at Ashtead during the Field Meeting on May 14th. He then 

 exhibited white flowered examples of the bugloss, Ajuga 

 reptans and Orchis mascnla, the early purple orchis, and stated 

 that the bluebell and foxglove both occurred with similar 

 white forms in the same wood, at Chalfont, Bucks. In the 

 same place the h}'brid between the primrose and cowslip was 

 by no means uncommon. From Chenies Wood he exhibited a 

 fine spike of the bird's nest ovch.\s,Neottia nidus-avis, and stated 

 that quantities of the plant were to be obtained. In close 

 proximity, in moister parts, the white yellow and brown 

 forms of the slug, Avion atev, were observed by him in abund- 

 ance. In an adjacent hedge he had taken a specimen of 

 Helix neuioralis in which the whole of the five bands were 

 coalesced into one for the whole length of the helix. This 

 was considered to be an unusual form. He also showed speci- 

 mens of the candle-snuff fungus {Xylaria hypoxylon) ; the pupa- 

 case with pupa-skin protruding ol Adela viridella taken from 

 the stem of an oak-tree ; and a bunch of the " flowering " 

 moss {Polystrichum coinminiis), all from Amersham Common 

 district. 



Dr. Chapman, referring to the white flowers exhibited by 

 Mr. Turner, asked if any member could suggest a theory for 

 the occurrence of white examples in some localities, and a 

 discussion ensued. It was generally thought that such a 

 variation was possible in all plants and anywhere as a mere 

 sport, although some members would suggest insufficiency of 

 proper nourishment or defective organisation. The change 

 of colour in the bluebell in Mr. Adkin's garden Mr. Step did 

 not think was caused by the crossing with cultivated 

 h}acinths, as the two plants were not sufficiently close in 

 relationship to produce hybrids. 



Mr. Main had visited the New Forest at Easter and reported 

 that everything was backward and scarce. Larvae of Agrotis 

 agathina was the only species in anything like abundance. 

 Members generally have found the season late. 



Mr. Rowland-Brown read a paper entitled " Collecting 

 Butterflies in the Alps." In the ensuing discussion it was 

 remarked that butterflies often came up from the valleys with 

 ascending currents of air, although Mr. MacArthur's experi- 

 ence in the Himalayas was exactly opposite to this. Dr. 

 Chapman said that with regard to P. delius and P. apollo, he 

 had never yet met a doubtful specimen, the antenna difference 



