306 the entomologist. 



South London Entomological and Natqral History Sooiety. — 

 Nov. 12, 1891. Mr. W. H. Tugwell, President, iu the chair. Mr. Cooper 

 exhibited a variety of Abraxas grossulariata, L., well banded, and without 

 any trace of yellow in the markings of the wings. Mr. Auld, a hornet's 

 nest from Ware, Hertford. Mr. West (Streatham), Folia chi, L., from the 

 Lake District, one specimen being extremely dark. Mr. Herbert Williams, 

 wine corks perforated by the larvae of some insect; one of these larvae was 

 also exhibited : Mr. Williams stated that they were doing a considerable 

 amount of damage to a city wine merchant's stock; the corks of over two 

 hundred bottles of port (for which wine the species showed a decided 

 preference) having been attacked. Mr. C. G. Barrett said he thought the 

 larva was a half-grown specimen of (Ecophora pseudospretella, Sta. ; but it 

 was very active, and might be the equally common Endrosis fenestrella, Scop. 

 Mr. Adkin said he did not think either species confined their attention to 

 port-wine corks, nor did he think the larvae ever went through the cork into 

 the wine. Mr. Forrester showed Bomhyx quercus, L., var. calluncB, Palmer, 

 from Perth. Some remarks were made with reference to this exhibit, in 

 the course of which several instances were mentioned of full-fed larvae of 

 B. quercus having been taken in the autumn, at Folkestone and elsewhere. 

 Mr. E. Joy, Epinephele hyper anthes, L., the variety arete, and others 

 approaching it. Mr. C. G. Barrett, a variety of Argynnis aglaia, L., taken 

 in Norfolk ; two specimens of Lyccena argiades, taken on Bloxworth Heath 

 in 1885 ; and specimens of Aplecta nehulosa, Hufn., reared by Mr. Collins, 

 of Warrington, from Delamere Forest, and named by him var. robsoni. 

 Mr, Tugwell exhibited some parasitic fungi, and remarked that it was one 

 of the Entomophthorae, a tribe of fungi parasitic on insects ; he noticed 

 this fungoid growth apparently growing from the soil in one of his breeding- 

 cages in which eighty larvae of Eucosmia certaia, Hb., bred from ova, had 

 pupated ; the larvae were fed on Berheris vulgaris ; the fungi were half an 

 inch or more high; on examination he found that all of the fungi sprung 

 from the pupae of certata, the whole of which were dead ; some were enveloped 

 in the fungus, but others were apparently healthy, but traces of white thread- 

 like spots of the fungus were noticeable, and the pupae were dead and could 

 be snapped asunder like a damp rotten twig. Thinking that the germ of 

 the fungus might have been introduced into the larvae by the food-plant, 

 Mr. Tugwell stated that he had placed some pupae of Gortyna flavago in 

 some of the same soil, and all those that were not on the point of emerging 

 were killed by the fungus. Mr. Fenn said he had experienced the same 

 thing in two or three cages. Messrs. Adkin, Carrington, West and others 

 took part in the discussion which ensued. Mr. Adkin again exhibited the 

 specimens of the Tortrix which Mr. Carpenter had named donelana, and 

 remarked that he had been stated, in a report of a previous meeting, to 

 have exhibited these specimens as Tortrix steineriana var. dohriana ; he 

 had, however, when exhibiting them, said he considered them to be Tortrix 

 viburnana; he had now a specimen of the variety dohriana from Dr. 

 Staudinger's collection. Mr. Tutt had brought his series of this variety 

 which he had received from Herr Hoffmann; and Mr. C. G. Barrett had 

 brought specimens of T. steineriana and examples of T. viburnana and its 

 varieties. Mr. Barrett said he had been in correspondence with Mr. Car- 

 penter on this subject, and was still of opinion that the specimens were 

 simply T. viburnana; Mr. Carpenter had written to him, that although the 

 larvae fed on pine, one example had fed equally well on Vaccinium. Mr. 

 Tutt said that in this part of the genus there were some six or eight 



