﻿SOCIETIES. 23 



Lepidoptera in all their stages," aud exhibited a number of specimens in 

 illustration. The author stated that the darkness of colour and the mark- 

 ings in Ennomos autumnaria resulted from the pupae being subjected to a 

 very low temperature. In the case of Selenia illustraria, exposing the 

 pupae to a low temperature had not only affected the colour of the imagos, 

 but had altered the markings in a striking manner. Lord Walsingham ob- 

 served that it appeared that exposure to cold in the pupa-state produced a 

 darker colour in the imago, and that forcing in that stage had an opposite 

 effect ; that insects subjected to glacial conditions probably derived some 

 advantage from the development of dark or suffused colouring, and that 

 this advantage was, in all probability, the more rapid absorption of heat. 

 He said he believed that an hereditary tendency in favour of the darker 

 forms was established under glacial conditions, and that this would account 

 for the prevalence of melanic forms in northern latitudes and at high 

 elevations. Capt. Elwes, Mr. Jenner Weir, Dr. Sharp, and others con- 

 tinued the discussion. — H. Goss, & W. W. Fowler, Hon. Sees. 



The South London Entomological and Natural History Society. 

 —November Uth, 1889.— T. E. Billups, F.E.S., President, in the 

 chair. Messrs. E. H. E. Hillsworth, of Forest Gate; T. Hudson, of 

 Battersea ; M. Farrant, of Pimlico ; and J. A. Eevell, of Stoke Newing- 

 ton, were elected Members. Mr. Jager exhibited Dkmthcecia irregu- 

 laris, Agrophila trabealis, and Neuria reticulata, from near Brandon, 

 Suffolk; also Agrotis ripce, bred from larvae taken in S. Wales; and 

 read notes with reference to rearing this species. He said the larvae 

 required about three feet of sand in which to hybernate, although they 

 pupated just below the surface. He had not found the larvae cannibals, 

 although they were frequently stated to be so. Mr. Tugwell, strongly 

 divergent forms of Agrotis tritici and A. cursoria, from English, Irish 

 and Scotch localities. Mr. Adye, varieties of Anchocelis lunosa taken 

 at Christchurch. Mr. Wellman, a specimen of Nemeophila plantaginis 

 var. hospita, taken in Yorkshire, 1860. Mr. Tutt, a drawer of Gnophos 

 obscuraria from many localities, arranged to show its range of variation. 

 Mr. E. Adkin, Gnophos obscuraria from Folkestone, Eastbourne, 

 and Lewes ; and long and varied series of Acidalia marginepunctata 

 from Eastbourne ; on behalf of Mr. W. J. Austin, extreme forms of 

 Gnophos obscuraria, Anger onia prunaria ; females of Lycama icarus shot 

 with blue, and a male of pale lilac colour ; and a variety of Argynnis 

 aglaia having the wings semi-transparent. Mr. Adkin also exhibited, 

 on behalf of Mrs. Hutchinson, a species of Scoparia, probably mercurella. 

 Mr. Carrington, Eupithecia extensaria. Mr. M'Lachlan, varieties of 

 Lycaenidaa, one of which he thought might be an hermaphrodite 

 specimen of L. icarus. Mr. Carpenter, Hepialus virensis, attacked by 

 the fungus Cordiceps Robertsii, from New Zealand, which gave rise to a 

 discussion as to how the germs of the fungus were received by the 

 larva. 



November 28th, 1889. — The President in the chair. Messrs. M. 

 Cameron ; L. H. Strong, of Hackney ; C. G. Barrett, F.E.S., of King's 

 Lynn ; F. P. Trcwicke ; A. J. Robertson ; A. V. Legros, of Hammer- 

 smith ; L. W. Harris, of Forest Hill ; C. H. Lemmon, of Eotherhithe ; 

 W. Howgrave, of Blackheath ; and W. E. Nicholson, of Lewes, were 

 elected members. Mr. Jenner Weir exhibited specimens of Limnas 



