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SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



the amount will approximate sufficiently to that 

 of the Campbell-Stokes instrument to allow of 

 records obtained from both forms of instrument 

 being compared inter se. From an examination of 

 the records at other stations, it appears that on 

 some occasions the instruments have begun to 

 record within thirteen minutes after sunrise, and 

 have continued up to ten minutes before sunset. 

 Mr. Curtis concluded his paper by calling attention 

 to various defects in the adjustment and working 

 of the instruments, and pointed out how these 

 might be overcome. After the paper had been 

 read, an interesting discussion ensued as to the 

 ' merits of the respective sunshine recorders. — 

 William Marriott, Assistant Secretary. 



South London Entomological and Natural 

 History Society. — October 28th, 1897. — Mr. R. 

 Adkin, F.E.S., President, in the chair. Mr. H. B. 

 Browne, B.A., Hammersmith, was elected a 

 member. Mr. Montgomery exhibited a long bred 

 series of Cidaria truncata (russata). The female 

 parent was var. centum-notata, but none of those 

 bred were of that form ; also a bred series of Acidalia 

 dimidiata from July ova, and stated that some half- 

 a-dozen larvae apparently intended to hibernate ; 

 specimens of Apamca ophiogramma, bred from ova, 

 and a Cidaria corylata, which emerged at the end of 

 September. Mr. Newman, large first and second 

 broods of Arctia caja, the former from larvae taken 

 round Darenth, the latter from ova, and reared in 

 a greenhouse. Considerable variation was shown, 

 but only one of the more extreme dark forms and 

 one of the yellow hind wings forms occurred. A 

 small, very pale specimen was the most unusual 

 form. Argynnis paphia with white patches, A. 

 adippe, showing increase of dark markings, both 

 from Goodwood ; Epinepheie janera. two specimens 

 with the usual fulvous colour quite white, from 

 Singleton, and Smerinthus populi bred of a very pink 

 tinge. Mr. Tutt, on behalf of Dr. Riding and Mr. 

 Bacot, the long series of the much - debated 

 Tephrosia, together with crosses, hybrids, mongrels, 

 etc., and made remarks upon the results of their 

 experiments ; on behalf of Mr. Merrin, along series 

 of varieties of Mclitaea aurinia, and a specimen of 

 Aglais urticae, having an incipient silvery mark on 

 the undersides of the fore-wings ; on behalf of Mr. 

 Home, an almost completely black variety of 

 Nemeophila plantaginis ; and on behalf of Mr. Griffith, 

 a series of Tephrosia taken in the Bristol woods. 

 Mr. Moore, a specimen of Enodia portlandka from 

 North America, and said that it did not seem right 

 to place this species and E. hyperanthus in the same 

 genus ; and a specimen of Locusta viridissima, with 

 its eggs, from Chambery. Mr. Perks, specimens of 

 the fungus Thelephora lacinata from Shirley. Mr. 

 Adkin, varieties of Argynnis selene from Sutherland- 

 shire, much duller than usual, and with marginal 

 spots large and pale. Mr. Merrifield, a very large 

 number of specimens bred under extremes of 

 temperature, to illustrate his resume, entitled, 

 " Recent Examples of the Effect on Lepidoptera 

 of Extreme Temperatures applied in the Pupal 

 Stage."— Nov. nth. Mr. R. Adkin, F.E.S., 

 President, in the chair. Mr. Tutt exhibited a 

 number of Psyche cases, taken by Messrs. Edwards, 

 Tunaley and himself, in the forest of Fontaine- 

 bleau, including Psyche unicolor (graminella), P. 

 opacella, Epichnopteryx bombycella and Fumea nitidella 

 (intermediella). Mr. Filer, a long series of mottled 

 forms of Nonagria arundinis (typhae), bred by Mr. 

 Dennis and himself, from Surrey. Mr. Bishop, 

 specimens of Aglais (Vanessa) urticae, one having 

 very large spots and the other almost var. ichnusa, 



both from Epping ; Melanippe fluctudta, having a 

 broad marginal band dark, the inner area light, 

 with the exception of a black costal blotch on the 

 fore-wings; and various varieties of Fidonia 

 atomaria. Mr. Moore, the following Orthoptera 

 from La Grand Chartreuse : Stetheophyma variegata, 

 Decticus verrucivorus, Psophus stridulus, Stenobothrus 

 geniculatus, S. declivus, CEdipoda fasciatum and others, 

 and contributed interesting notes and observations. 

 Mr. Perks, the rare fungus Tretnellodon gelatinosa, 

 from Addington Woods. Mr. Adkin, bred speci- 

 mens of a black variety of Odontopera bidentata, 

 from Westmorland. Mr. Bishop reported that on 

 November 7th he found a female sallow bush on 

 the North Downs in flower. Mr. Tutt then read 

 an exhaustive Paper, entitled "The Drinking Habits 

 of Butterflies and Moths," and a long discussion 

 ensued.— Hy. J. Turner, Hon. Report. Sec. 



North London Natural History Society. — 

 Thursday, October 7th, 1897. — Pocket-Box exhibi- 

 tion. Mr. Battley exhibited Hesperia lineola and 

 pupa-case from Gravesend, Eremobia ochroleuca from 

 Eynesford, and other lepidoptera ; also, on behalf 

 of Mr. Rose, xanthic vars. of Epinepheie janira and 

 Coenonympha pamphilus from Eynesford, etc. Mr. 

 Prout, Agrophiia trabcalis, Acidalia rubiginata, 

 Dianthoecia irregularis, and Lithostege griseata, from 

 Tuddenham, in June, etc. Mr. Austin, a case of 

 birds' eggs. Mr. C. Nicholson, some of the so- 

 called jumping beans of Mexico, which are the 

 seeds of one of the Euphorbiaceae, each containing 

 a larva of Carpocapsa saltitans, a species allied to 

 C. pomonana (the codlin moth). He also showed a 

 specimen of the moth, bred by Mr. Wheeler, from 

 one of the seeds, and the pupa-case and seed from 

 which it emerged. It is not known exactly how 

 the movement of the seeds is produced, but it is 

 supposed that the larva springs about inside in a 

 manner similar to that of a cheese-maggot, though 

 the object of such a proceeding seems dubious. Mr. 

 Nicholson also exhibited numerous scarce lepi- 

 doptera. Microscopes were exhibited by several 

 members. — Lawrence J. Tremayne. Hon. Sec. 



City of London Entomological and Natural 

 History Society. — Tuesday, October 19th, 1897. 

 —Mr. J. W. Tutt, F.E.S., President, in the chair. 

 Exhibits : Mr. Clark, dark vars. of Dianthoecia cons- 

 persa from Shetland and the mainland. Mr. May 

 showed the underside of a female Polyommatus 

 corydon, with long confluent spots on upper wings, 

 taken near Guildford, also a pair of Heliothis pelti- 

 gera bred from larvae, two pairs of Tapinostola 

 geminipuncta bred from pupae, and an Agrotis 

 exclamationis with confluent stigma, all from 

 Sandown this year. Mr. Tutt exhibited a black 

 variety of Nemeophila plantaginis from Aberdeen. 

 Mr. Bate read a paper entitled " The Ideal Local 

 Natural History Society." In the discussion 

 which followed, Mr. Clark strongly advocated 

 improvement in the Societ3''s cabinet, which ought, 

 he said, to be made so complete as to render 

 assistance to all members in naming their doubtful 

 specimens. — Laurence J. Tremayne, Hon. Sec. 



Cambridge Entomological and Natural 

 History Society. — At a meeting held on October 

 29th, Mr. Farren exhibited Hesperia lineola from 

 Burwell Fen, Poiia xanthomista from the Isle of 

 Man, and other lepidoptera. Mr. Lepoy exhibited 

 specimens of some salt-water insects from South 

 Wales ; a beetle (Oxylebius legolesius) and its larva ; 

 a rat-tailed maggot resembling Eristalis, and two 

 Chironomid larvae with the pupa and fly of one of 

 them. They live in small salt pools on the face of 

 a cliff, about ten feet above high tide, the saltness 



