100 



Mr. C. G. Barrett invited the attention of the members to 

 samples of a process of transfer applied to lepidoptera, 

 whereby the wings of an insect, in this case of Pararge 

 egeria, L., and Epinephele titJwnus^ L., were impressed on 

 paper in a most accurate and finished style. Mr. W. H. 

 Tugvvell noticed that the scales of the wings were, of 

 necessity, reversed, and that the body, eyes, antennae, etc., 

 were painted in. The transfers were from the well-known 

 dealer in natural history specimens, Aug, Hoffmann. 



Mr. H. McArthur explained and illustrated an ingenious 

 method of securing an insect by means of a doubled slip of 

 paper or cardboard, when, by accident or otherwise, the pin 

 through the thorax had become useless. 



Mr. R. Adkin exhibited a bred series of Spilosoma 

 mendica, Clerck., from larvae found in Aberdeenshire, and 

 noted that the males showed a tendency to a lighter, i.e.y 

 brownish colour. Mr, Weir remarked that it was evident 

 that there was not a fixed colouring as between male and 

 female in this species, and Mr. Tugvvell referred to the fact 

 that from Barnsley and Huddersfield two very distinct forms 

 of the male of vS. mejidica are obtained ; those from Barnsley 

 being pale, whilst from Huddersfield the form is a very dark 

 one, as previously exhibited by Mr, G. T. Porritt, 



Mr. Billups exhibited some curious and fantastic forms 

 of Hemiptera, Homoptera, Hymenoptera, Neuroptera, 

 Orthoptera, etc., sent from a mission station on the River 

 Demerara, British Guiana, South America, and called 

 attention to a fungoid growth attached to one of the 

 specimens, a species of Homoptera. Mr. Billups said it 

 closely resembled, if it was not the actual species known as 

 Torrubia 7'obertsu, which attacks certain larvae in New Zealand. 

 Mr. C. G. Barrett remarked that the fungus referred to was 

 similar to that occasionally found on a species of Noctuae, 

 i.e., Agrotis strigula, Thnb., ^=- porphyrea, Hb., which he had 

 found attached by it to the heath amongst which the moth 

 rested. 



Mr, R, Adkin exhibited a series of Diiirnea fagella, Fb., 

 from Lewisham, in illustration of the theories advanced in 

 Mr. Mansbridge's paper, which was read at the previous 

 meeting, and remarked on the tendency to melanism shown 

 by this species, EupitJiecia rectangtdata, L,, and Miana 

 strigilis, Clerck., in the London District. 



Mr, H. McArthur said that dark specimens of D.fagella 

 were to be taken in a wood four miles from Brighton ; and 

 Mr. Tutt thought the dark forms were more readily taken at 



