CURRENT NOTES. 55 



7^mm., 5mm.-6fmm., and 4fmm.-6mm. Other comparative char- 

 acters are noted. 



An exceedingly interesting address on " The effects of climate and 

 temperature onlepidoptera," with reference to the remarkable limitations 

 imposed on those effects by the nature of the living thing operated on, the 

 two opposing forces giving rise to a state of conflict between the outside 

 power and the organism, was given by Mr. Merrifield at the end of his 

 first year of office as President of the Entomological Society of London. 

 Altogether a most instructive and stimulating essay, based largely on 

 species well known to all British lepidopterists, and appealing especially 

 to those who have learned that, even in entomology, " man doth not 

 live by bread alone." 



It is long since we felt greater pleasure then on the occasion of 

 receiving the first number of the Bulletin de la Soc. Up. de Cieneve, the 

 pleasure increased by the knowledge that Mr. Percy A. H. Muschamp 

 has had so much to do with the starting of the Society on its success- 

 ful course, and that Professor Blachier is one of the foundation 

 members. That the Society will grow under active management is 

 certain, and we trust when the next list of members is sent to us, that 

 all the resident entomologists of the Ehone Valley and many visitors will 

 have enrolled their names as members, and Avill be doing their best to 

 make the Society a success. The style of the Bulletin, its printing and 

 general get-up, are alike excellent, the papers first-class, and the coloured 

 plate very satisfactory. A paper on " Natural selection and protection 

 among lepidoptera," by M. Pictet, the president ; " Variation of 

 Lycaena astrarche,'' by Mr. J. W. H. Harrison; " Satyrus hermione and 

 alcyone," by M. J. Culot ; "Mimicry," by Dr. Paul Denso; "Some days 

 at Fusio in July, 1905," by Mr. P. A. H. Muschamp (everyone must 

 read this who wants to know about Erebia jiavofasciata) ; " Bitherto 

 undescribed varieties and aberrations," by Messrs. J. Culot and P. A. 

 H. Muschamp. The price of the part is not printed on the cover, but 

 the publisher is A. Jullien, Libraire-Editeur, Geneve, Switzerland. 



Two more parts of the Natural History of British Butterflies, etc., 

 have been pu^blished, Part iv, on January 15th, Part v on February 

 1st. Part iv contains, in the first section, the conclusion of the chapter 

 " Obtaining eggs of butterflies," and part of another chapter "Butterfly 

 Larva and their moultings." In the second section there is a con- 

 tinuation of the detailed account of Augiades sylvanus, dealing with the 

 " Time of Appearance," "Habits," "Habitat," "British Localities," 

 and " Distribution." Then follows an account of the " Genus Urbicola," 

 followed by a detailed account of Vrbicola comma, under the headings 

 of "Synonymy," " Original description," "Imago," " Sexual dimor- 

 phism " (with a long minute account of the structure of the androconia), 

 " Genitalia," and " Variation." In Part v, the first section contains 

 the conclusion of the chapter " Butterfly Larvae and their moultings," 

 and the commencement of one on the " External structure of the 

 butterfly larva " ; whilst, in the second section, the detailed account 

 of Urbicola comma is continued under the headings of " Variation," 

 "Egg-laying," "Ovum," "Habits of Larva," "Ontogeny of Larva," 

 "Larva," " Foodplants," "Puparium," "Pupa," and "Time of 

 x\ppearance." The account of the "Variation" of U. comma is most 

 important, dealing, as it does, with the various races that have been 



