﻿53 



The Secretar}' read the following note from Mr. T. D. A. 

 Cockerell : — 



" Query as to a White-banded variety of Sesia culiciformis , 

 L. — Looking over some numbers of the Field to-day, I came 

 across (1887, p. 828) some notes by Mr. F. W. Frohawk on 

 the past season, wherein he casually mentioned having taken 

 a ^' white-banded^^ example of Sesia culiciformis at West 

 Wickham. Hitherto, I have always classed the bands of the 

 Sesiidce with the hind wings, etc., of Arctia, ZygcEua, etc., as 

 exhibiting a pigment, common to all, which was dimorphic, 

 the two forms being yellow and red. And we know that 

 some species of Sesia have yellow and some red bands, and 

 further, that occasionally a normally red-banded species will 

 have this portion yellow ; but that it should vary to white 

 was quite unexpected and unknown to me. Therefore, as it 

 is clearly a matter having considerable bearing on our views 

 concerning the band-pigment of Sesia, I put forth this query — 

 are white-banded SesicB known to any of the Members of this 

 Society ? and is the specimen referred to in the Field 

 known anything oit Any information on this subject will be 

 of great value." 



Mr. Tugwell said he had had considerable experience of the 

 genus Sesia, and a white-banded variety of vS. culiciformis 

 was unknown to him ; but a pale yellow lemon-banded form 

 was not rare. Mr. J, T. Williams stated he had never bred 

 any but the usual form of the species ; Mr. T. W. Hall, 

 although he had bred some of a lightish yellow, had never 

 seen anything approaching even a cream colour; Mr. Tutt 

 was of opinion that Mr. Frohawk had made a mistake as to 

 the identity of the insect, and should he be right as to this, 

 the change of colour might be due to some chemical. Upon 

 the suggestion of Mr. R. Adkin, the Secretary was instructed 

 to write to Mr. Frohawk, requesting him to exhibit the 

 specimen in question at a future meeting. (See page 57.) 



fUNE 2%th, 1888. 



J. T. Carrington, Esq., F.L.S., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Miss M. Kimber and Mr. A. E. Hall were elected 

 members. 



