97 



further, it does not seem to be ascertained how far north it 

 has been proved to hybernate as an imago. It appeared to 

 him that the migratory instinct of Colias edusa, L., was not 

 perfected — there was only the tendency in certain years to 

 migrate unusually far north ; but there existed no evidence^ 

 so far as England was concerned, that these Vernal immi- 

 grants produced Autumnal emigrants. The movement of this 

 butterfly more resembled that of the lemming {Myodes 

 lemmus), which occasionally swarmed down from the upland 

 districts of Norway, moving always westwards, and drowning 

 itself in the German Ocean. Even in the case of Anosia 

 plexippus, Mr. Scudder seemed to think that many specimens 

 endeavoured to hybernate in the imago state too far north, 

 and, to use his own words, 'possibly sometimes throughout 

 the entire district of New England every single specimen that 

 re nains with us perishes.' Therefore, the hope once enter- 

 tained that this fine butterfly might establish itself in this 

 country becomes very faint. It is possible that it may 

 establish itself in Southern Europe, and, following its 

 hereditary instinct, become a regular summer visitor to these 

 islands." 



Mr. C. G. Barrett remarked that although some dozen 

 or more specimens of A. plexippus had been taken in this 

 country, chiefly in the south and south-west, there were only 

 three records for the continent of Europe ; and concluded 

 that as the specimens taken in this country were all of the 

 North American form, that they had come at a stretch 3,000 

 miles in the higher latitudes well out of storm reach, and that 

 as a consequence the more southern portions of the European 

 continent were not within the line of emigration. Mr. J. 

 Jenner Weir noted that one specimen had been recorded 

 from Gibraltar. He stated that Mr. Scudder had given it as 

 his opinion that A. plexippus migrated by commercial agency, 

 and that being abundant in New Jersey, U.S.A., the species 

 came eastward for hybernating purposes. One specimen had 

 been seen at Moose Factory, Hudson's Bay, showing the 

 extended range of the species in North America. Mr. F. 

 W. Hawes said that the specimen of A. plexippus in his 

 possession was probably the most easterly taken m England 

 (recorded in the Entomologist, vol. xix., pp. 12, 13), and was 

 in good condition so far as its rough capture had allowed. 



Mr. Mansbridge, who had earlier in the evening exhibited 

 specimens in illustration, read a paper entitled " Notes on 

 Melanism in Yorkshire Lepidoptera," of which the following 

 is a summary :— 



H 



