99 



went out from Leeds in any direction where there was less 

 smoke the percentage of melanic varieties became less, and 

 that the further one went from that smoky area the lower 

 the proportion of the varieties became. These remarks did 

 not, however, apply in all instances, as for example in the 

 case of Tephrosia biimdidaria or Cleoceris viniinalis ; but it 

 was worthy of notice that even in these species the melanic 

 specimens occurring in the West Riding were usually darker 

 than those from smokeless districts. Without desiring to 

 give undue emphasis to the statement, he was, from actual 

 study of the environment and climate on the spot, forced to 

 the conclusion that smoke is the chief factor in the production 

 of melanism among lepidoptera in the West Riding of 

 Yorkshire. 



After remarks by various members on some of the questions 

 raised by Mr. Mansbridge in the course of his observations, 

 chiefly the tendency to melanism displayed by many species, 

 e.g., PJiigalia pedaria {pilosarid), and Diurnea fagella, 

 noticed by Messrs. Barrett and Adkin ; Mr. J. W. Tutt 

 proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Mansbridge for his 

 paper, and for the excellent array of facts which he had 

 brought together. In the course of his remarks Mr. Tutt 

 drew attention to the fact that although many species, 

 especially among the Noctuae, were rightly considered darker 

 in some of the northern districts of England, yet several, e.g., 

 T^iplicena pronuba at Deal, Hybernia aurantiaria from Epping 

 Forest, were equally variable and with a decided tendency 

 towards melanism. Mr, C. G. Barrett seconded the vote of 

 thanks, which was unanimously carried. He mentioned that 

 Polia chi var. olivacea was taken in the Sheffield district, and 

 he believed also in Derbyshire. Mr. Mansbridge replied, 

 and incidentally mentioned that examples of East Riding 

 species were lighter than those from the West Riding of 

 Yorkshire. 



FEBRUARY z^rd, 1893. 



J. JENNER Weir, Esq., F.L.S., etc., President, in the Chair. 



Mr. S. Edwards exhibited several species of Exotic Rho- 

 palocera, and called special attention to Papilio zagreus, 

 from Bogota, which mimics a species of Acrcea, and P. 

 govindra, from the Himalayas, which mimics a species of the 

 Danais group of butterflies. 



Mr. H, A. Auld exhibited a box containing a small 

 collection of Coleoptera from the Cape of Good Hope. 



