SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



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City of London Entomological and Natural 

 History Society. — Tuesday, August 20th. The 

 exhibits were : Mr. Clark, four Cledeobia angustalis, 

 Epincphcle ianira, two partially xanthic and one 

 with light tawny patch on disc of each hind wing. 

 Mr. Nicholson, a female Bombyx quercus, which 

 strongly resembled var. callunce, and a specimen of 

 Vanessa urticce, in which the yellow costal blotches 

 were considerably tinged with white ; both exhibits 

 were taken in July, at Pwllheli, North Wales. Dr. 

 Sequeira, a dark series of Hypsipetes elutata, Gor- 

 tyna ochracea (Yorkshire form), and a fine Bryophila 

 pcrla, suffused with brown, all from Scarborough. 

 — At the meeting of Tuesday, September 3rd, 

 principal exhibits included — Mr. Sauze, a speci- 

 men of the sun-star (Solaster pepposa), a slender- 

 legged crab ( Stenorhynchus phalangium) and some 

 common starfish (Uraster rubens), all from Deal. 

 Mr. Bayne, a very sparsely dotted specimen of 

 Spilosoma menthastri from Tottenham, and Hetero- 

 qenea limacodes from the New Forest. Captain 

 Thompson, a bred series of Nonagria elymi from 

 Hornsea, Yorks., some of the specimens being 

 much suffused with blackish scales. Mr. Clark, a 

 var. of Vanessa urticce, in which the large, square, 

 inner-marginal black blotch on the fore-wings 

 was entirely absent, and the twin spots were 

 abnormally developed, almost coalescing ; he also 

 distributed living larvae and pupae of Ephestia 

 kuhniella, and exhibited a series of this species bred 

 from Dr. Allinson's Food for Infants. Mr. Tutt, 

 a long and fine series of Erebia cethiops from the 

 Tyrol, showing considerable variation in size and 

 colouring, according to locality. — C. Nicholson and 

 A. E.G. Battley, Hon. Sees. 



The South London Entomological and 

 Natural History Society. — September 12th, 

 1895. T. W. Hall, Esq., F.E.S., President, in the 

 Chair. Mr. Jii-ger exhibited a melanic specimen of 

 Agrotis vestigialis, from North Wales, both upper 

 and lower wings being black, Mr. Winkley, a 

 species of Dermestes from Japan. Mr. Fremlin, a 

 fine series of Polia chi, var. olivacca, from Cheshire, 

 a bred series of Phorodcsma smaragdaria, from 

 Essex, and a bred specimen of Prionus coriarius, 

 from Surrey. Mr. Tutt, a number of cases of a 

 large species of Psyclie from the Argentine Republic. 

 They were mostly cocoons of the vermicular female 

 and contained either young larvae or ova. He stated 

 that a similar species had recently been described 

 in America as causing much damage. Mr. Adkin, 

 series of Dianthecia nana and D. capsincola, bred 

 from North Devon larvae, one of the former 

 being of a rosy tinge ; also a curious bred specimen 

 of Bombyx qucrcus, var. calluna 1 , with the outer half 

 of each wing devoid of scales while the fringes were 

 perfectly developed ; and specimens of the wild 

 British everlasting pea, Lathyrus sylvestris, from 

 Eythorne, Kent. Mr. Hall, a male underside of 

 Lyccpna brtlargus, from Folkestone, having the left 

 secondary destitute of spots, the other wings being 

 normal. Mr. Tutt, a large number of Ercbias, and 

 species of allied genera of butterflies from the Alps, 



and read a most interesting paper on their affinities, 

 habits and localities ; making special reference to 

 the presence, absence and development of the eye- 

 like markings. He also said that he had taken a 

 large number of Zygana exulans, some bein^ of the 

 semidiaphanous Scotch form. Mr. Enoch exhibited 

 and described at some length Trichogramma evanescens 

 which was only a half mm. in length. He stated that 

 he had made some 180 drawings of the various 

 details of its history and structure, and called 

 attention to the economic benefit of his obser- 

 vations if the farming of these minute creatures 

 was carried out on a large scale, as these 

 insects are parasitic in their larval stage upon 

 the eggs of other insects. — October 10th, 1895. 

 T. W. Hall, Esq., F.E.S., President, in the chair. 

 Mr. Henry Tunaley, F.E.S., Brixton Hill, was 

 elected a member. Mr. McArthur exhibited speci- 

 mens he had taken this year in the Orkneys; viz., 

 a series of T her a juniper ata, with the ground colour 

 much whiter, while the dark markings were inten- 

 sified and somewhat extended ; two almost white 

 specimens of Melanippe montanata ; three fine 

 varieties of N emeophila plantaginis, one having much 

 darker hind wings, while another had yellowish 

 red hind wings with fewer dark markings ; and 

 vars. sedi and luneburgensis of Aporophyla lutulenta. 

 Mr. Winkley, on behalf of Mr. Montgomery, of 

 Ealing, specimens of a second brood of Argynnis 

 selene, from Abbott's Wood, also a beautiful under- 

 side var. of Lycccna bellargus, from Eastbourne, 

 having a very light ground, a blue base, and many 

 of the usual dark markings obliterated, while others 

 were extended. Mr. Oldham, series of Odonestis 

 potatoria, bred from Cambridgeshire, three males 

 being of the female colouration ; also Colias edusa, 

 one Leucania albipuncta, and suffused red Phlogophora 

 meticulosa, from Folkestone, also black forms of 

 Xylophasia polyodon from Woodford. Mr. R. 

 Adkin, a very beautiful series of Noctua depuncta, 

 from Morayshire. Mr. Hy. J. Turner, a bred series 

 of Xanthia fulvago, from Surrey, including var. 

 flavescens, and the dark yellow form ; a series of 

 Epinephcle hyperanthus, from Chattenden, including 

 var. arete, and an intermediate form ; specimens of 

 Silpha quadri punctata, from the new Forest, and a 

 dark var. of the same species from Chattenden ; 

 also a specimen of Crioceris merdigera, from the 

 same locality. A discussion ensued upon the 

 occurrence of Colias edusa during this season, and 

 Mr. Winkley stated that Mr. Montgomery, of 

 Ealing, had taken seventeen specimens at East- 

 bourne, and had already bred seventy-eight from 

 the ova laid by captured females. — Hy. J. Turner 

 {Hon. Report Secretary). 



Greenock Natural History Society. — The 

 seventeenth annual meeting of this society was 

 held on September 26th, in the Museum, Kelly 

 Street — the President, Mr. Andrew Kerr, occupying 

 the chair. The report of the treasurer (Mr. G. H. 

 Black) showing the funds of the society to be in a 

 satisfactory state, having been read and approved, 

 the secretary (Mr. G. W. Niven) submitted his 

 report for the past session. From it we gather that 

 during the session 1894-95, eight meetings were 

 held, at which nine papers were read and two 

 exhibits shown. During the summer session there 

 were two afternoon excursions and one whole day 

 excursion. On May 4th, some of the members 

 joined Mr. Paterson's ornithological excursion to 

 Loch Thorn. On June Sth, members and friends, 

 including representatives of the Paisley Naturalists' 

 Society, had a pleasant botanical and entomological 



