66 



variation of the only species I have found in Ireland. Once 

 I committed myself to a record of T. creptiscidaria here ; but 

 I am pretty sure I was wrong, and that it was only a pale 

 specimen of T. biundularia taken in April, a female. The 

 three highest specimens in my box are from this county and 

 the adjoining one (Tyrone). Similar specimens are found 

 at Killarney and Sligo (south and west of Ireland). No. 4 

 is from Killarney ; 5, Galway ; 6 and 7, Killarney ; 8, Tyrone, 

 26th May. 



" The species is rarely to be taken in April, but is abun- 

 dant early in May, and lasts till mid-June. Perhaps the 

 pale females are more abundant in June, but this I appre- 

 hend is because they survive longer than the males. I have 

 taken them in Ulster, in the midland and western counties, 

 Meath, Westmeath, Sligo, Galway, as well as abundantly 

 in the south. There is only one form darker than those I 

 send, and approaches the melanic form taken in England, 

 but is not so dark. It is a dingy blackish brown, slightly 

 marked with the transverse strigse, and dwarf in size, and is 

 so far only found in a spot on the Mourne mountains (Ulster). 

 There are also occasional specimens with a great deal of 

 yellow in the double median band." 



Mr. Barrett proposed, and Mr. Auld seconded, a hearty 

 vote of thanks to Mr. Tutt for his paper. 



In his reply Mr. Tutt said that the idea of species was 

 simply a matter of utility. If two distinct life cycles oc- 

 curred, then it was convenient to call them separate species, 

 although they might be very closely allied. 



NOVEMBER 12th, 1896. 



T. W. Hall, Esq., F.E.S., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Mr. R. Adkin exhibited a long and varied series of Aci- 

 dalia inargineptmctata, upon which he contributed notes 

 (p. 108). 



Colonel Partridge exhibited two dwarf and very red speci- 

 mens of a second brood of Zonosoma linearia. They were 

 bred, and from Epping Forest ; a portion of the brood were 

 lying over. The specimens were also especially noticeable 

 for the development of annulated spots, which are a per- 

 manent character of the other species of the genus. 



Mr. Tutt said that he had just seen specimens of the same 

 species which had been bred by Mr. Merrifield in the course 

 of his tftmperal!ure experiments. They were very red, and had 



