318 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE, ETC. 



Anatomy and Biology. 



Among others, new facts have been elucidated, i:n pnx.'iarit, as follows : — 



1. Life histories and habits of Allantus pallipes, Pristi'phora paUipes, Thritiux 

 mixta, and T. macitla. The two first species have been studied in collaboration 

 with Miss Chawr.er. 



2. Development of the egg of Allantvs pallipes and Pristiphora pallipes. 



3. Presence of an inflation apparatus in various species. 



4. Condition of the fat body and silk glands during different stages of 

 life history. 



Papers. 



A paper on ' Observations en the Biology of Sawflies ' by the Secrets ry of 

 this Committee, and another entitled ' Observations on the Life History and 

 Habits of AJ/aiifii.'^ (E.) pallijies and Pristiphora pallipes,' in collaboration with 

 Miss E. F. Chawner, have been forwarded to the Entcmologist for publication. 

 Later a communication, ' Pairing and Parthenogenesis in Sawflies,' was addressed 

 to the Editor of Nature. 



Experiments in Inheritance of Colour in Lepidoptera. — 



Report of Coin})i'tttee (Prof. W. Bateson, Chairman; The late Hon. 

 H. Onslow, Secretary; Dr. F. A. Dixey, Professor E. B. 

 Poulton). 



Diaphora {Spilosoma) mendicn and var. rustira. — As was reported last year, 

 these e.\periments were concluded, and the full report has since been given 

 (./. Genet., Vol. XL, No. 3, December 1921). The great variation in the 

 buff-coloured hybrids is probably due to the effects of modifying genes. 

 The colour of these buff insects, as well as that of the others, was measured 

 by the tintometer, and distribution curves made, so that the segregation of these 

 variable insects might be followed without difficulty. A consideration of what 

 is known concerning the chemistry of black pigments supports the statement 

 that var. rustira is phylogenetically the older race. 



Boarmia ronsortaria and var. consohrinaria. — No further experiments were 

 considered necessary. 



Hcnicrop/iild (ihnipfariu and var. fiisrnta. — These experiments being con- 

 cluded, the full report was written and published (./. Genet., Vol. XL, No. 3, 

 December 1921). 



Zi/ijaiiK filipenduhi and the yellow variety. — The few insects emerging last 

 year confirmed the conclusion that the red colour is dominant to yellow, but as 

 the numbers were considered too small, further pairings were made last July, 

 but none of the insects have as yet emerged. 



Abraxas r/rossulariafa and var. rarleyatu. — As was stated in last year's 

 report, ihese experiments have been completed, and a full account has since 

 been published (.7. Genet., Vol. XL, No. 2, September 1921). A method was 

 described by which the black pattern could be measured, its area being then 

 expressed as a percentage of the (otal extent of the fore wings. The values of 

 the black pattern in several families were obtained, and were plotted as distri- 

 butions and as percentage-frequency distributions. 



Abra.xas grosstilariata and var. exqiiisita. — As it was expected that ex(/iiisifa 

 was produced by the combination of varleyata and lactirolor in the same insect, 

 matings were made to test this hypothesis, and, in addition to figures already 

 obtained in the autumn, a very large number of insects have emerged this 

 summer. The results have not yet been tabulated, but a full report will, it is 

 hoped, appear in the Journal of Genetics, and may throw some light on the 

 question of anomalous sex ratios observed in previous crosses grossulariata X 

 varleyata, grnssvlariatci x lucticolor, and grossulariata x exquisita. 



