54i [March, 



semble the mother, although when several of a brood are seen together 

 the influence of both parents is very marked. Thus, out of several 

 hundreds of specimens of Z, lonicerce from Kent, Notts, and York, 

 bred during the last four or five years, not one has had the central 

 pair of spots joined, while among every brood of mongrels some have 

 had them united, and, when Z. trifolii has been the female parent, 

 several have had all the spots run together as in var. confiuens of 

 trifolii. A more extreme form too occurs in which the red scales are 

 spread beyond their usual limits, so as to over-run most of the fore- 

 Aving, except the hind margin and a narrow stripe next to the inner 

 margin. The influence of Z. lonicerce is shown by the greater opaque- 

 ness of the fore-wings, the acuteness of the hind-wings, and by the 

 shape of the antennse. 



I have made many attempts to cross Z. meliloti (using moths 

 bred from larvae sent me by Mr. Edmonds, and wild males from the 

 New Forest) with Jilipendulcd, lonicerce, trifolii, and the hybrids be- 

 tween the last two, with the result of obtaining two pairings between 

 Z. meliloti and flipendulce, and one between the former and a hybrid 

 male. In all cases the eggs failed to hatch. I have so far failed to 

 obtain a pairing of Z. meliloti and trifolii. This circumstance, together 

 with the great distinctness of the larvse, leaves no doubt on my mind 

 that Z. meliloti is a good and distinct species. This view is strongly 

 confirmed in an interesting note by Mr. E. N. Pierce (British Natu- 

 ralist, 1892, p. 80), in which he states that the form of the anal organs 

 in meliloti would effectually prevent crossing between it and its above 

 named congeners. 



Still, some entomologists may think that one cause of my utter 

 failure to obtain hybrids with NeAv Forest meliloti may be due to their 

 having previously paired, so I may as well at once meet the objection 

 by saying that male Burnets, like many other Zepidoptera, will pair 

 with three or four females and effectually fertilize their eggs. Besides, 

 as before mentioned, I had the advantage also of being able to use 

 bred specimens of both sexes. 



Another question that will arise is, whether hybrid Burnets occur 

 in a state of nature ? On this point I can throw no definite light. 

 On one occasion, however, I answered an advertisement offering pupse 

 of Z. trifolii. When the moths emerged they proved to be a mixture 

 of Z. filipendulcB and lonicerce. 1 did not examine them carefully 

 during the summer, but when doing so in the winter, found among 

 them three or four with a very "mixed" aspect. This batch was 

 stated to have come from the coast of Kent. 



Worthing : February 4:th, 1893. 



