117 



L., reared from ova obtained from a specimen captured in 

 South Devon, 1890, 



Mr. Carrington exhibited some orchidaceous plants from 

 Eynesford, Kent, including- the early purple orchis {Orchis 

 mascula, L.), the green-winged meadow orchis {O. morio, L.), 

 and the bird's-nest orchis [Neottia nidus-avis, Rich.) 



Mr. Step and Mr. Tugwell made some observations relative 

 to these plants ; the latter gentleman remarking that the 

 O. mascula shown was somewhat abnormal in growth and 

 colour, and somewhat resembled the rare Orchis militaris. L. 



Mr. J. W. Tutt read a paper on " Reproduction and 

 Parthenogenesis." He explained, first of all, the methods of 

 asexual reproduction by fission, gemmation and encystation 

 in monads, the Amseba, and Vorticella ; showed how both 

 asexual and sexual reproduction occurred in Hydra, the 

 former by gemmation and by artifical subdivision ; the 

 latter by the development of spermatozoa and ova. The 

 reproduction of the common earthworm was considered, its 

 hermaphroditism and method of copulation explained, 

 showing how, by the arrangement of the spermathecia and 

 male genital pores, common fertilisation was effected. The 

 sexual reproduction of the cockroach was then considered, 

 and lastly, that of insects generally. Referring to the 

 asexual reproduction due to gemmation, the well-known 

 parthenogenetic reproduction in Aphis was compared with 

 that in Hydra, and the daughter-cells produced all the 

 summer, in the former, were looked upon as a specialised 

 form of gemmation ; whilst the normal sexual reproduction 

 appeared similar in both cases, excepting that Hydra was 

 hermaphrodite, whilst Aphis had distinct sexes. Partheno- 

 genesis and its influence on the sexes of bees was then 

 mentioned, and the probability of parthenogenesis occurring 

 in insects was discussed, with references to cases which, Mr. 

 Tutt stated, seemed beyond dispute. 



MAY 2%th, 1891. 

 C. G. Barrett, Esq., F.E.S., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Mr. J. F. Palmer was elected a member. 



Mr. C. Fenn exhibited a series of Biston hirtaria, Clerck., 

 and stated that he had taken seventy in three-quarters of 

 an hour in Finsbury Circus. Mr. South remarked that 

 there were a great many cripples of this species this year. 



Mr. Tutt exhibited a hybrid between Amphidasys strataria, 

 Hufn., and A. betularia, L., with typical forms, and stated 

 that the hybrid was obtained by Dr. Chapman, the pupa of 



