CURRENT NOTES. 



109 



respecting the power of butterflies to fly against a very strong wind. 

 Rest attitudes in butterflies. — Dr. G. B. Longstafl' read a paper on 

 this subject, illustrated by specimens arranged upon suitable back- 

 grounds. Dr. Dixey pointed out that Dr. Longstaff's observations 

 demonstrated the fact that there were at least six hours of daylight in 

 which butterflies rest, and are exposed to their enemies. Dr. T. A. 

 Chapman read a paper on " Observations on the Life-history of 

 BucEXERiA PALUDUM, Zell." — March 21,sf, 1906. Exhibits : Male 



EXAMPLES of THE PlERINE GENUS ErONIA WITH THE CORRESPONDING 



FEMALES. — Dr. F. A. Dixey drew attention to the extreme diversity 

 shown by the females in these closely allied species. He ascribed this 

 to the fact that in every instance the female had been diverted from the 

 ordmary aspect of the group by the operation of mimicry either 

 Miillerian or Batesian. Emmelesia unifasciata.- — -Two specimens 

 which emerged in August last, from pup^, which had lain over since 

 the autumn of 1900, Mr. R. Adkin. Of some fifty larvse, which went 

 to earth then, ten moths emerged in 1901, eleven in 1902, two in 

 1903, five in 1904, and the two exhibited in 1905. Progressive 

 melanism of Hastula hyerana in the Riviera. — -Dr. T. A. Chapman 

 read a paper on this subject. Mr. G. T. Porritt pointed out that in this 

 case, the tendency could scarcely be attributed to carbon deposits 

 engendered by a smoky atmosphere, while it was a well-known fact 

 that, in some of the most marked cases of melanism observed in 

 Yorkshire, the dark forms of the species, such as Acronycta menyanthidh^ 

 were found in localities unaffected by smoke. 



URRENT NOTES. 



The Thirty-Sixth Annual Report of the Entomological Society of 

 Ontario, 1905, is just to hand, and contains a variety of information, 

 more especially referring to economic entomology. Of those not relating 

 to this particular phase of the subject "Butterfly-collecting in Canada," 

 by Mrs. Nicholl, interests us most, whilst " The Entomological record 

 for 1905," a retrospect of the year's work, by Dr. J. Fletcher, makes 

 also interesting reading. This contains, among other references to the 

 literature of the year, a short criticism of Hampson's Cat. of the Lep. 

 Phalaenae in the British Museum, vol. v., containing. Dr. Fletcher says,. 

 " the classification of the Hadeninae as he (Hampson) understands it," 

 and concerning which the critic notes that " Many species recognised 

 in our lists are included as synonyms of other species ; possibly larger 

 series of specimens would enable the eminent author to change his 

 judgment on some of these," and then he drives home the never too 

 oft-repeated warning that " the specific limits of many insects can only 

 be decided after careful breeding from the egg," a little item that our 

 museum lumpers never seem to understand. The Rev. T. W. Fyles 

 indulges in a rosy retrospection of the marvellously advanced state of 

 entomology in Britain in the " forties " and " fifties " of last century. 

 Here, evidently, comparison with its backward state in the Dominion, 

 at that time, must have much influenced the writer's judgment, and 

 certainly to us, who are, as it were, more directly concerned with that 

 state, it would appear that distance has lent a wonderful enchantment 

 to the view. There is much interesting reading and information for 



