94 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



paper entitled " Note^ on melanism in Yorkshire Lepidoptera," and 

 exhibited a large number of specimens in illustration ; he remarked on the 

 tendency to melanism shown by many species within the boundaries of the 

 towns, whilst in damp spots, barely five or six miles away, the same 

 species would appear in quite its normal, i. e., lighter, coloration. Many 

 instances were cited, chiefly among the Noctuae and Geometrse. An 

 interesting discussion was commenced, Messrs. Weir, Tutt, Barrett, and 

 others taking part ; and, on the suggestion of the President, was adjourned 

 until the next meeting. — F. W. Hawes & H. Williams, Hon. Sees. 



Cambridge Entomological and Natural History Society. — 

 Friday, January 'HOth, 1893. — Mr. H.J. Burkill was elected a member; 

 and Mr. H. W. Vivian, F.E.S., a corresponding member of the Society. 

 Mr. Rickard exhibited some interesting Orthoptera and other insects from 

 South Africa, among which were specimens of Harpax ocellata and 

 Cystoccelia immaculata. Mr. Farren, specimens of Dasycampa rubiginea, 

 bred from the egg by Dr. Riding, and, for comparison, four specimens from 

 the collection of the late Mr. J. Ross ; Dr. Riding had described the speci- 

 mens he bred as varieties, the variation consisting of the presence of some 

 white dots in the anterior wings, the chief of which being a row of six near 

 the subterminal line, and two near the base of the wing ; and Mr. Farren 

 pointed out that these white dots were also present in the specimens from 

 Mr. Ross' collection. Mr. Theobald exhibited some small larvae on a 

 microscope-slide, which he described as "Compontia cruciformis, a supposed 

 annelid, really the larva of a Chrironomus, probably Thalassomyiafrauenfeldi 

 of Schinar. These larvae live in the sea-weed, and have been taken from 

 twenty fathoms." Mr. S. W. Key, a cocoon of Cossus ligniperda, spun on a 

 piece of fire-wood. 



Friday, February drd. — The following new members were elected : — 

 Messrs. H. C. Hewitt, P. Heseltine, J. D. P. Wilks, A. H. Waters, B.A., 

 J. S. Parker, H. W. Young, and E. A. Wilson. Mr. Rickard exhibited a 

 number of un-named specimens of South African Coleoptera, Orthoptera, 

 Neuroptera, and Hymenoptera. Among the Coleoptera were seven species 

 of " weevils," some of which were very beautiful, as also were some species 

 of Cassida (" tortoise- beetles ") ; among the Orthoptera were some interest- 

 ing specimens of the genexdk Mantis and Empusa; the Neuroptera comprised 

 some very fine specimens of three species of "ant-lions," Myrmeleouidae. 

 A paper was read by Mr. Farren " On the variation of Papilio machaon,'' 

 which was illustrated by diagrams and over eighty specimens, among which 

 were some showing the development of red in the posterior wings, ranging 

 through intermediate forms, from some with the submarginal yellow lunules 

 quite clear, to others with all six lunules suflfused with red ; also several 

 with a sufi'usion of red inside the submarginal baud ; others had the sub- 

 marginal band so wide as to reach and almost enclose the black patch at the 

 end of the discoidal cell. Messrs. Jones, Rickard, Shrubbs, and Farren 

 continued the discussion which ensued. — Wm. Farren, Hon. Sec. 



Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society. — February 9th. 

 — Mr. S. J. Capper, F.L.S., F.E.S., President, who was in the chair, 

 referred to the death of the Rev. F. O. Morris, which occurred on the 4th 

 February, in his eighty-third year. Mr. C. H. Hesketh Walker read a 

 paper entitled " Pond-life." Referring to hobbies generally, he considered 

 natural history was one of the most interesting. He then stated that a 

 stagnant pond was a paradise prolific in animal life, and poetically described 



