236 [October, 



season, impregnation certainly takes place in the summer, and Meso- 

 velia is certainly an earlier insect in attaining maturity than tlic rest 

 of the surface Semiptera. On the same pond there were Gerris 

 paludum, odontogaster, and arqentata, Microvelia and Hydrometra, and 

 all of these showed plenty of specimens, either actually in the larval 

 condition, or only just transformed into imagos, and still soft, hut I 

 found only a single specimen of Mesovelia larva, all the rest being 

 adult, even when I first found them, at the beginning of August. 



39, Ashley Eoad, Crouch Hill, IST. : 

 September 6ih, 1893. 



Colias Edusa in South Devon. — C. Edusa is common here now. I saw dozens 

 to-day, all in very good condition. I have not seen the var. Helice, nor C. Hyale. — 

 R. Meldola, Budleigh Salterton : August iOth, 1893. 



Variation of XylopTiasia polyodon, Sfc, in Donegal. — When in Donegal last 

 month I had some very good nights vrith sugar. T was much struck by the range 

 of variation exhibited by X. polyodon, Triphcena pronuba, and Apamea oculea, and, 

 as there has been so much interest aroused of late concerning the dark forms of 

 these and other species, I think that a note of what occurred may be interesting. 



The locality was a hill immediately above the sea, and sloping sharply down to 

 the cliff and beach ; the soil was limestone, the suri'ounding country hilly, no trees, 

 except a few stunted willows and sallows bent by the west wind ; houses few and 

 far between, so that smoke was practically unknown, no bogs, the people having to 

 draw their turf several miles. The dry season had reduced the rivers considerably 

 below their usual summer level, and all surface springs were dried up. Such were 

 the conditions. 



XylopTiasia polyodon varied from the usual light form to a deep black and a 

 rich warm brown, this latter being very handsome ; Tri-pliana pronuba from a light 

 drab to a deep mahogany colour that looked quite black in the lamp light, it also 

 showed some fine red forms ; Apamea oculea exhibited some most handsome black 

 varieties, as well as the light brown, and those with the whitish dash across the 

 fore-wings. All these appeared together, and in fact were jostling each other to get 

 at the sugar, or, rather, treacle ; X. polyodon being very active and pugnacious, two 

 on one occasion setting at each other like gamecocks. The dai'k forms were 

 numerous, especially among X. polyodon, a fact which surprised me, as neither the 

 locality nor the season seemed specially adapted for their production. If these facts 

 should prove of interest to any who are working at the melanism problem, I shall 

 feel highly rewarded. — W. F. Johnson, Winder Terrace, Armagh : Aug. \1th, 1893, 



Lepidoptera in the Swansea district. — The following notes of captures during 

 a few weeks' stay at Langland's Bay, near Swansea, during the month of July, may 

 prove of some interest. The hills and cliffs between the Mumbles and Langland's 

 Bay abounded with insect life. Satyrus Semele, in fine condition, was to be found 

 in surprising profusion, together with S. Janira, Megcera, and Tithonus. One worn 



