SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



t-55 



ne could get them out at the same time. On 

 the . :her hand, it was just possible Nyssia had 

 some right to be included with Biston. Hirtaria 

 sremed pretty ciose in some ways, 

 but perhaps our British system of genera was the 

 best. I . with one species, was fairly distinct, 



vet the larvae, and to some slight extent the female 

 imago, brought it rather close to hispidai ia. Nyssia 

 was an interesting genus of rather small moths, 

 stoutly built, with very hairy and apterous females, 

 containing Alpine, boreal, and other local species. 

 as restricted, since it contained appa- 

 rently hirtaria only and its American representative, 

 ■ Mr. Prout referred to its geographical range, 

 is evidently local, both on the continent ot 

 Europe and in Britain. Why should it be so 

 rito London- The female was winged, but 

 seemed to fly much. Mr. Prout gave an 

 instance of its being supposed to assemble to the 

 -.he latter being pinned on to a tree, and 

 ale being found in copula with it in the 

 morning. Mr. Dadd said that hirtaria was inclined 

 to have the wings very rudimentary. He had 

 frequently found both males and females paired on 

 me tree-trunk, on which they seemed to have 

 ged. Mr. Bacot said: The newly-hatched 

 31 Ennomidae, Amphidasydae, and Boar- 

 midae fell into two distinct groups. In the first, 

 -shly emerged larvae were dark coloured, 

 spotted with white, the spots having a tendency to 

 form into rings or bands at or near the juncture 

 of the segments. In the second group the larvae 

 were of some shade of green or brownish-green, with 

 light lateral or spiracular bands, and possibly with 

 pale longitudinal lines or bands on the dorsal and 

 sab-dorsal areas. He imagined that the characters 

 of newly-emerged larvae were of equal value for 

 purposes of classification with the characters of 

 either oval or imaginal stages. Hence such 

 widely different characters in the newly-hatched 

 larvae pointed to the possibility of there bein s ' two 

 ps of Geometrid moths included in the 

 mentioned families, any one of which 

 •amilies contained larvae of both forms. Un- 

 fortunately, he was not acquainted with the larvae 

 of all the moths comprised in these three families. 

 With regard to the species he had knowledge of, 

 juld be placed in the two groups as follows : 



raria, 

 and E. qucrcittaria, Amphidasys stra- 

 ti armia 

 nd probably B. consorlaria. Group 

 • lunaria and 5 

 1 iria and N 



ilaria. Mr. 



L J Tremayne enquired whether the Amphi- 



ar, like their allies, the 



Mr Battle? thought we had a very 



■ 



nseci had l; one black in the 



and within the last forty or fifty 



i.ig black in L 



I for experiment, 

 .ly all the Amp. vere remarkably 



- assemble Mr. C Nicholson said that this 



^practically 

 reply, 



necessary Then me affinities 



mental 

 Xeller's 

 fol 



Kust 2nd, 1 -',7. 11 ■ 



excursion took place to Shere, Surrey. The party 

 left London about eleven, but did not arrive at 

 their destination at Gomshall Station until the 

 early afternoon, whence they walked over to 

 Shere. After inspecting the Church, admiring its 

 Norman doorway, and ascending the belfry, the 

 members passed through the village and to the 

 northwards towards the chalk downs. The best 

 insects taken included several Hesperia comma and 

 Thecla m-albuni. A few local plants were also 

 noted. — Lawrence J. Tremayne. Hon. Secretary. 



Greexock Natural History Society. — Excur- 

 sion to Millport on August 21st. Landing at 

 Keppel Pier from an early steamer, the party, 

 which included a contingent from Rothesay, first 

 visited the Marine Biological Station. There the 

 members found many things to interest them. 

 There is the collection of fossil and contempor- 

 aneous shells formed by the late Dr. Robertson, 

 with his seaweeds, beautifully mounted by Mrs. 

 Robertson. Dr. John Murray, of the "Challenger," 

 also contributes many interesting exhibits. The 

 beautiful specimens sent by Dr. Anton Dohrn, of 

 Naples, were much admired. This distinguished 

 naturalist, by some special method, contrives to 

 prepare his specimens so that when placed in 

 spirits of wine they retain the exact appearance 

 and positions occupied by the organisms at a given 

 moment while in life. The local objects preserved 

 also created considerable interest. The visitors 

 also inspected the laboratories, etc., under the 

 courteous guidance of the curator. Captain 

 Alexander Turbyne, for some years assistant to 

 Dr. Murray, is in charge of the station, and 

 appears to take much interest in the work of 

 investigation. The members afterwards proceeded 

 along the southern shores of the island on a 

 botanical survey. No plants of particular impor- 

 tance were met with, and the party returned in 

 the early part of the evening. — G. W. Niven, 

 Hon. Secretary, 



NOTICES OF SOCIETIES. 



The South London Entomological and Natural 



History Society. 

 Oct. :S.— "Recent examples of the eflect on Lepidoptera 

 of extreme temperatures applied in the pupal 

 stage." Mr. Merifield, F.E.S. 

 Nov. 11. — "The drinking habits of butterflies and moths." 

 Mr. Tutt, F.E.S. 

 ,, 25.—" Lantern pictures of birds and their nests." 

 Mr. Harrison, F.C.S. 



North London Natural History Society. 

 Oct. 7.— Pocket Box Exhibition and Microscopical livening. 

 ., 21.— Special Meeting to consider the New Rules, 

 ,, 30.— Visit to the Natural History Museum, South 

 Kensington. Leader, S. Austin. 

 Nov. 4.— "Through Cornwall and Devon." J. A. Simes. 

 18. — Debate: "Does scientific study destroy or mill. 

 1 9 ihetlc t.istes or sense 



pi ■ In the ami math e by F, W, Frosi 



egatlve b \ t, 



Dec. 2.—" Insecl rou Plam ' R, W, Robbini 



Genera Meeting— Election of Officers 



for 1 



I th Field Clud and Scientipii Societi 



torli Ian." G. F. Lav 



.. 15.— " I'hoto micrographs of Insecl Anatomy," with 

 P.Clark, 

 sura, Prehl 101 li ! ei tlon 

 ind tbi 1; hi ■• t>fi h thej an found 



?D H. F. I ii sons. 

 i, Shi li ' lallory, 



'hotogrs 1 " 1 rati C.J. lokes, 



1 

 Oct. i0.— Annual Mei ' nural Sclenci 



1 ab ■ otiln 



p.m. 1 - 1 ill Ion 1 1 ' on. 1 ilon 



- // n '., , 

 h 1 Mm ham 



