]891.] 21 



complete knowledge. He then described the chief points of difference for separating 

 the genera and species, illustrating his remarks by a number of closely connected 

 species of the genus. Mr. C. Gr. Barrett, of London, explained and discussed Mr. 

 Merrifield's recent experiments on the effect of temperature on the genus Vanessa. 

 Mr. C. E. Stott read a few remarks upon Ammophila lutaria, Fab., and showed a 

 specimen captured near Blackpool in July, 1892 ; Mr. Harker, living specimens of a 

 Corynetes, feeding in Copra, from Singapore, and Sesia scolicBformis, from the north 

 of Scotland ; Mr. Newstead, a nest of Vespa vulgaris, from Malpas, Cheshire, which 

 was built to a rafter inside an outhouse, a most unusual position ; and Sinoden- 

 dron cylindricum, L., and larvae, from a pear tree near (Chester. Mr. J. Herbert 

 Stott, a curious variety of Celcena Haworthii, from Bolton, 1893. Mr. Grregson, a 

 specimen of HeliotMs peltigera, captured at Wallasey in 1887. Mr. Watson, 

 Parnassius Apollo and P. Phaehus = JJelius, showing the female pouches ; also 

 Eurycus Cressida. — F. N. Pierce, Hon. Sec, The Elms, Dingle, Liverpool. 



Entomoiog-ical Society or London : December 6tk, 1893. — Henkt John 

 Elwes, Esq., F.L.S., F.Z.S., President, in the Chair. 



Mr. W. F. Kirby exhibited, for Dr. Livett, a series of specimens of a moth 

 taken at Wells, which Dr. Livett considered to be varieties of Dasycampa rubiginea, 

 but which many entomologists present thought were varieties of Cerastis vaccinii. 

 Mr. Kirby added that similar specimens had been taken rather freely during the 

 past autumn in Berkshire, and it was suggested that they might be hybrids between 

 D. rubiginea and C. vaccinii. 



Mr. Lovell Keays exhibited, for Mr. A. L. Keays, a series of Lyccena Alexis, 

 with confluent spots on the under-sides of the fore-wings. He drew attention to 

 the fact that the insects were all taken within a short radius, and probably were in 

 the ratio of about one in forty with reference to the ordinary form. All the 

 examples, with one exception, were females. He had some years ago met with a 

 similar brood near Weymouth, in which the confluent spots were, as far as the speci- 

 mens collected by him extended, entirely confined to females, and the proportion 

 was much higher. Professor S. H. Scudder, of Cambridge, Mass., U. S. A., stated 

 that he had observed the occurrence of broods with suffused spots in America, but 

 they were not confined to any special locality. 



Mr. C- O- Waterhouse exhibited the type-specimen of Coptomia opalina of 

 Gory, from the Hopeian Collection at Oxford, and pointed out that it was quite 

 distinct from C. mutabilis, W. The distinct punctuation of the whole insect, and 

 the striolate pygidium in C. opalina, were sufBcient to distinguish it at once. Mr. 

 Waterhouse called attention to this, as some French entomologists maintain that 

 these insects are the same species. He also called attention to Silpha afomaria of 

 Linnaeus (Syst. Nat., ed. xii, i, p. 574), a Swedish species which appeared to have 

 escaped notice, and was not included in any catalogue. The type is still extant in 

 the Linnean cabinet, and Mr. Waterhouse said he was of opinion that it is the Olibrus 

 geminus of our collections, but he had not had an opportunity of making a critical 

 examination. He also exhibited male and female specimens of a Helopeltis (the 

 Tea-Bug), which he considered a distinct species, and stated that it had occurred 

 only in Assam. 



