42 THE entomologist's record. 



We have on several occasions referred to the apparent disappearance 

 of Pararge aegeria in many of its old haunts particularly around 

 London. The x\nnual Address to the Hertfordshire Natural History 

 Society by the President, Mr. A. E. Gibbs, P.L.S., deals with this 

 subject in considerable detail under the title, " The Satyrid Butterflies 

 of Hertfordshire, with a short study of Pararge aegeria,'' illustrated 

 by a coloured plate of the main forms of both sexes. The author 

 suggests the causes of such disappearance as : (1) The extension of 

 urban areas. (2) Attacks of insectivorous birds and mammals on the 

 larvae which are grass feeders. (3) Imagines of weak flight and hence 

 more susceptible to attacks hy birds, but on the other hand of not 

 striking coloration. There was no scarcity of food and the suggestions 

 he gave seemed to him by no means satisfactory. Each Satyrid species 

 is considered in detail. Three species are now practically absentees, 

 Satgrus seniele, Pararge aegeria and Melanargia galathea. The last 

 named used to occur at Tring, of the first there are only two records 

 for Herefordshire. In dealing with Pararge aegeria Mr. Gibbs takes 

 the following points. (1) Local history and records of the species 

 down to the present time. (2) Recent records in other counties 

 bordering on the Metropolis. (3) Distribution as given by the earlier 

 British authorities such as Stephens. (4) The range of the species 

 abroad. (5) A discussion of the facts dealing with the two main 

 forms aegeria and egerides. (6) Consideration of other named forms or 

 closely allied species. (7) Pre-Linnean references to the species, 

 beginning with a doubtful one of Aldrovandus 1602. (8) Nomen- 

 clature, dealt with somewhat in detail, in which he points out that tircis, 

 Ernst and Engr., is the prior name for the egerides, Staud. form. This 

 is an admirable model of an address for a provincial society. The 

 subject was quite scientific but its presentation was so replete with 

 local and personal reference that interest at no time wearied, as it often 

 does on the occasion of these annual orations. 



News has just come to hand of the decease of Mr. C, 0. Water- 

 house, at the age of 73. 



The December number of the Entoiiiologist has figures of two 

 striking aberrations of Arctia caia bred from larvfe obtained in the 

 Scilly Islands last May by Mr. F. W. Frohawk. In one specimen the 

 forewings are entirely chocolate- brown except the small basal white 

 spots and slight traces of darker markings here and there. 



The Knt. Mo. Mag. for December contains a plate in black and 

 white illustrating Mr. G. C Champion's concluding article on Exotic 

 Scraptiina (Coleoptera). 



In the December number of the Eiit. News are several interesting 

 articles on "other Orders," including (1) "Some Ectoparasites of Bats 

 (Diptera)," with two plates, by G. F. Ferris. (2) " A Study of the 

 lateralis group of the genus Villa-Anthrax in pt. (Dipt.)," by E. J. 

 Oresson. And (3) Descriptions of new Aphids with two capital plates 

 of details of structure by Messrs. Gillette and Bragg. A number of 

 new species of Geometridae from California are described by W. L. 

 Wright in the same number. 



Mr. G. T. Bethune- Baker has written a useful critical note on the 

 Lycpenid Genus fleiiuargiis, Hiibner, in the December number of the 

 J\nt. Xeirs. He has given notes on the species contained in the genus 

 in Dyar's List, including the results of his careful examination of the 



