SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



213 



NATURAL HISTORY 

 EXHIBITION. 



THE annual exhibition of the South London 

 Entomological and Natural History Society 

 was held on October 17th, at St. Martin's Town 

 Hall, Charing Cross, London, and was much 

 appreciated by the very numerous company which 

 came to see the many beautiful specimens which 

 had been so tastefully arranged, and completely 

 filled that large hall. The society's rooms are at 

 Hibernia Chambers, London Bridge, where a large 

 library and typical collections are kept for members' 

 reference, as well as a lantern for demonstration pur- 

 poses. At present, the number of members is about 

 200, and the annual subscription is only 7s. 6d. 

 The secretary is Mr. Stanley Edwards, F.L.S., 

 Kidbrooke Lodge, Blackheath, S.E. 



In the British section of the exhibition, the 

 President, T. W. Hall, Esq., F.E.S., exhibited a 

 large and valuable collection of butterflies and 

 moths — including a long series of Chrysophanus 

 dispar, now extinct, a series of the rare Lycana avion, 

 a fine series of the now extinct fen moth Noctua 

 subrosea, a fine set of Eupitheciae, and the life 

 history of Sesia sphegiformis. Mr. R. South, F.E.S., 

 life histories of a number of lepidoptera. Mr. 

 Hamm, a large number of rare varieties taken 

 round Reading, including a diaphanous Melitcea 

 aurinia, a very dark Lithosia lurideola, a grand series 

 of Xanthia aurago, many specimens of both Psyche 

 opacella, and Fumea intermediella with cases at 

 different stages of growth. Mr. Jager, his extremely 

 perfect series of the lovely Callimorpha hera, with 

 its var. lutescens, and the intermediate terracotta- 

 coloured form ; and also his beautiful series of 

 Spilosoma lubricepeda, with vars. radiata and fasciata 

 and intermediate forms. Mr. H. W. Barker, 

 F.E.S., a fine series of Arctias, and a drawer of 

 several species of Lycaenidas, showing many 

 beautiful variations. Mr. A. Mitchell, a case 

 containing distinct and striking varieties of four- 

 teen species, including an entirely fulvous Epinephele 

 janira, a suffused var. of Vanessa urticce, a melanic 

 specimen of Papilio machaon, a banded Polyommatus 

 phleas and a coalesced form of Zygana loniceree. 

 Mr. C. H. Williams, a beautiful banded form of 

 Chcimatobia boreata, a melanic form of Oporabia 

 dilutata, and a specimen of the same species with 

 yellow ground colour. Mr. J. H. Carpenter, his 

 collection of Argynnis, Melitaa and Vanessa, includ- 

 ing pale-spotted forms of Argvnnis paphia, and a 

 male of the valezina form. Mr. Hy. Tunaley, 

 F.E.S., a case showing the protective resemblance 

 of Lobophora viretata to its resting places on holly- 

 stems and leaves. Mr. Hy. J. Turner, F.E.S., 

 some seventy-four species of lepidoptera taken in his 

 garden, near Nunhead station, in the suburbs of 

 London. Mr. MacArthur, some fine specimens of 

 Rhopalocera. Mr. H. A. Auld, his bred series of 

 Callimorpha hera, a fine series of Nola albulalis, and 

 a white var. of Lomaspilis marginata. Mr. J. A. 

 Clark, F.E.S., a series of the extinct Lazlia canosa, 

 a Bombyx rttbi without the transverse line, a black 

 with white band form of Abraxas grossulariata, a 

 striking var. of Oporabia dilutata, having a very 

 dark band on a very light ground, a uniformly 

 black var. of Larcntia ccesiata, nearly white 

 specimens of Lomaspilis marginata, and a new 

 instrument invented by himself, consisting of a 

 lens on an adjustable arm and stand, to aid in the 

 setting of minute insects. Mr. C. G. Barrett, 

 F.E.S., his long and varied series of Zygaenidae, 

 Nolidas, Psychidae, Amphydasidae, Boamiidae and 



Xanthias, among which were specially to be noted 

 his complete series of A . betularia and var. double- 

 dayaria, with intermediate forms ; series of all the 

 rare and curious species of Psyche, his black 

 Tephrosia biundularia, and a fine series of the rare 

 Nola albulalis. Dr. Merrifield, a number of species 

 which had undergone changes brought about by 

 artificially increasing or decreasing the tempera- 

 ture during the pupal stage. Mr. R. Adkin, F.E.S., 

 a fine set of specimens taken in the island of Hoy, 

 Orkney, during 1895, his almost complete collection 

 of Sesiidae, arranged to show their peculiar method 

 of pupation, and his series of the genus Triphatta, 

 including a series of T. comes, containing many fine 

 and unique varieties, especially from North Britain. 

 Mr. J. W. Tutt, F.E.S., a number of drawers of 

 species from his well-known collection. Mr. Chit- 

 tenden, some very fine varieties of the Noctuae. 

 Mr. Percy Bright, F.E.S., a beautiful series of 

 Hepialus humuli from North Britain, containing 

 many remarkable varieties, together with other rare 

 species of lepidoptera and forms. 



In foreign lepidoptera there were numerous and 

 splendid exhibits. Mr. A. H. Jones, F.E.S., showed 

 some very fine bred series of Rhopalocera from 

 South Europe, including Thais cerisyi, with a very 

 dark female T. polyxena, and its var. cassandra, 

 T. rumina and its var. medesicaste, series of Euchloe 

 belia and its var. ausonia, series of E. tagis and its 

 var. bellezina, and a very fine series of Leucophasia 

 duponcheli, with its summer form, var. astiva, all in 

 the very finest condition. Mr. McArthur, a case 

 of East Indian Papilios. Mr. Henry J. Turner, 

 F.E.S., African Papilios and Danainae. Mr. J. H. 

 Leech, F.L.S., a large and fine collection of Rho- 

 palocera, especially the Argynnidae, from all parts 

 of the palaearctic region. Mr. W. A. Pearce, 

 about 150 species of Sphinges, Bombyces, Noctuae 

 and Geometers, captured by himself in Pennsyl- 

 vania and Colorado. Mr. W. Mansbridge, many 

 fine Rhopalocera, from the United States, the 

 seasonal forms of Colias eurytheme, Papilios and 

 the protective resemblance of Anela andria to a 

 dead leaf being especial features. Mr. A. Hall, 

 grand cases of palaearctic and nearctic Argynnidae, 

 South American Catagramminae and oriental 

 Nymphalidae. Mr. Stanley Edwards, F.L.S., his 

 very large and valuable collection of Ornithopteras 

 and Papilios from all parts of the world. 



Among the Coleoptera shown, Mr. W. West 

 (Greenwich) sent almost complete series of 

 Cicendelidae, Carabidae, and Dytiscidae, as well as 

 very fine specimens of all the genera Chrysomda 

 and Aphodius. Mr. B. G. Rye, F.E.S., cases 

 containing representatives of the families and 

 genera of British Coleoptera. Mr. Oliver Janson, 

 F.E.S., a case each of the largest species of coleop- 

 tera and lepidoptera from various parts of the world. 



Mr. T. R. Billups, F.E.S., exhibited his inimi- 

 table collection of ants, bees and wasps, a fine set 

 of British Hemiptera, and a large number of 

 life histories of parasitical Diptera and Hymen- 

 optera, with their lepidopterous hosts. Mr. A. 

 Beaumont, a case of rare Diptera. Mr. John 

 T. Carrington, a number of Canadian plants 

 gathered in 1S94, near Lake Manitoba, having insect 

 galls upon them. Mr. Auld showed a hornet's nest. 

 Mr. Stanley Edwards lent his series of diagrams 

 showing the life history of typical species represent- 

 ing the various sections of Insecta and Crustacea. 



Among the Orthoptera, Mr. C. A. Briggs, F.E.S., 

 exhibited a beautiful and nearly complete collection 

 of the British species, and living specimens of the 

 recently naturalised cockroach, Periplaneta americana. 



