58 



Mr. R. Adkin also exhibited a branch of the rare star- 

 thistle {Centaur ea calcitrapa, L.), which he had recently 

 gathered on the Downs near Eastbourne, where in one 

 particular spot it was growing in considerable profusion. 

 Mr. Step, referring to Centaurea solstitialis, remarked that 

 it was an introduced species, whose native habitat was the 

 Mediterranean region. 



Mr. Barrett exhibited the specimen of Plusia inoneta, Fb., 

 taken at Norwich by Mr. Tillett, and also a beautiful red 

 variety of Oncoceva ahenella, Zinck , taken by Mr. Purdey at 

 Folkestone. 



Mr. Filer exhibited series of EpinepJiele Jiyperanthes , L., 

 from Brockenhurst and Halstead, the latter series showing a 

 general tendency to the obliteration of one or two spots on 

 the undersides of the secondaries. 



Mr, H. Moore exhibited living male and female specimens 

 of EpJdppigera vitmiu, and read the following note : — " This 

 species, the ' saddled-leaf cricket of the vine,' appears in 

 South Europe from August to October among bushes, etc., 

 near vineyards. At Le Clain, near Poitiers, we found a 

 considerable number in the road. They had evidently been 

 dislodged by the recent heavy rain. When on the ground 

 their movements are sluggish and their hop feeble ; but 

 amidst the herbage they make good progress and climb 

 freely. The males were greatly in the majority, only a few 

 females being seen. The male chirps twice and the female 

 once. The live male exhibited was boxed on August 25th, 

 and since my return home has been fed on knot grass 

 {Polygonum aviciilare). This orthopteron is called by the 

 peasantry the ' Lindi.' " These specimens were set free upon 

 the table, and the sexual difference in the chirp of the male 

 and female was very noticeable. Mr. Moore further re- 

 marked that north of the Seine during August lepidoptera 

 were exceedingly scarce, and not until he passed across the 

 Loire was there any abundance of insects. In the south of 

 France Colzas edusa, Fb., was very common, while at every 

 patch of dung along the road Lycmia icariis, Rott., simply 

 swarmed, rising up in clouds as the party rode through them. 

 There seemed to be a great preponderance of males every- 

 where. Locally L. corydon, Fb., was plentiful, and he had 

 the pleasure of taking a beautiful variety of the female with 

 blue upper wings. 



Mr. A. Hall exhibited a specimen of Pyrameis myrinna, 

 Dbl., with a remarkable variety of the same species from 

 Bogota in South America. In this example the upper side 



