63 



An extensive exhibition of Tephrosia crepuscularia and T. 

 bhmdfdaria then took place. 



Mr. Tutt showed three drawers of varieties and races ; 

 Mr. Henderson, two drawers ; Mr. Barrett, the specimens 

 from Reading upon which his opinion was based, and many 

 others from various districts. Mr. Mera, Mr. Auld, Mr. 

 Mansbridge, Mr. Tunaley, Mr. H. WiUiams, Mr. de Vismes 

 Kane, and Mr. Chittenden also exhibited more or less exten- 

 sive series, and altogether it was considered that such a 

 comprehensive series of forms of this species had never 

 before been seen at any meeting of entomologists. 



Mr. Tutt read a paper entitled " A critical Resume of the 

 arguments for and against Tephrosia histortata {crepuscularia) 

 and T. crepuscularia {hiundularia) being considered distinct 

 species." This was in reply to Mr. Barrett's remarks on the 

 subject (" E.M.M.," vol. xxxii, p. 229). 



He pointed out that Mr. Prout (" Ent. Rec," vol. viii) 

 had shown that the more or less double-brooded species 

 occurring normally in March and July should be called 

 histortata, Goetze, whilst the single-brooded species should 

 be called crepuscularia. He stated that the difference between 

 the " one species " and " two species " believers was largely 

 a matter of definition, and that if a species can consist of 

 " two distinct races, each with a distinct life cycle, each 

 with a distinct facies, and one of them presenting in addition 

 marked seasonal dimorphism," then T. crepiiscularia and T. 

 hiundularia, using the names by which the two insects are 

 generally known, might be considered as one species ; if, on 

 the other hand, it be considered that " every group of insects 

 with a distinct life cycle, that breeds true to its own group, 

 has a separate time of appearance, and therefore does not 

 normally hybridize with the members of any other group, 

 constitutes a species, then there can be no doubt that it is 

 utterly illogical to maintain that T. crepuscularia and T. 

 hiundularia are one species." Mr. Tutt pointed out the 

 errors that had arisen from the opinions of entomologists 

 who did not know both species in a state of nature ; of those 

 who did not know the peculiar facies of the second brood of 

 T. crepuscularia, and of those who had taken for granted the 

 erroneous statements made by various authors, especially 

 those made by Newman in " British Moths." He reviewed 

 the whole evidence offered by the discussion of the subject 

 that took place ten years ago, both in the " Entomologist " 

 xix, and in the " E.M.M." xxiii, and pointed out that there 

 was a consensus of opinion as to the distinctness of the two 



