SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



139 



South London Entomological and Natural 

 History Society. — August 13th. {Continued from 

 page III.) Mr. Fremlin exhibited a series of Phigalia 

 fediiria, from Saltash, including the dark reticulated 

 form and the very dark uniform variety. Mr. H. 

 Moore, numerous interesting insects from South 

 Africa, including a fine specimen of Actias mimoSi^, 

 which, from its sluggish habits, can be easily picked 

 off the bushes, its larvse are more or less gregarious ; 

 several species of the larger Orthoptera, including 

 Pachyiilus pardalhnis, the species which often appears 

 in vast numbers and does considerable damage ; 

 P. feregrinus, which is "the locust" of North 

 Africa ; Cyrtacatithus purpurifera, a very large 

 species; Acheta africana, a mole cricket from 

 Johannesburg, and numerous species of Coleoptera 

 which are attracted in thousands to the electric 

 lights in Pretoria. Mr. Sauze, a specimen of Cicada 

 anglica, one of three taken by Mr. Heasler in 

 Surrey. Mr. Heasler had been attracted to some 

 oak-trees by an unusual stridulation, and eventually 

 succeeded in obtaining these three examples. Thus 

 a doubt as to whether this species stridulates or 

 not has been cleared up, there being no previous 

 record of such. Mr. West, of Greenwich, a series 

 of the local Hemiptera, Eurygaster maura from 

 Folkestone. Mr. Mansbridge, a double cocoon 

 of Clisiocampa neustria, from which, although 

 the imagines had emerged from the pupa-cases, 

 they had been unable to extricate themselves. 

 When cut open there was only one cavity partially 

 divided into two. Mr. Barrett exhibited four 

 British specimens of Plusia ni, two belonging to 

 Mr. Jeffries and two to Mr. Briggs, one of the 

 former was captured in Surrey ; also a fine var. of 

 Cleoceris viininalis having the basal half of the fore- 

 wings very dark in contrast to the very pale outer 

 portion, and a remarkable form, Agrotis exclamationis, 

 in which neither of the stigmata were developed, 

 but the elbowed and basal lines were very distinct 

 and perfect on the uniformly pale brown ground 

 colour. A discussion took place on the season, 

 with especial reference to Colias edusa and the means 

 of migration of insects. Messrs. Stevens, McArthur, 

 Adkin, Barrett, Mansbridge, Winkley and others 

 taking part. — August 27th. Mr. R. South, F.E.S., 

 President, in the Chair. Mr. Montgomery ex- 

 hibited a beautiful xanthic example of Epinepheh 

 tithonus taken at Jevington on July 27th, all the 

 usually black area being a rich dark fulvous. Mr. 

 Auld the results of his this year's breeding oi Abraxas 

 grossulariata, in the neighbourhood of Lewisham. 

 Mr. Adkin,. a head of flower-buds of ivy with ova 

 of Cyaniris (Lyccena) argiohis, in situ, and made some 

 remarks upon the habits of the species. Mr. 

 Manger, a specimen of Eugonia [Vanessa) polychloros 

 taken on May 24th at Brockley. It was suggested 

 that the larva fed on poplar, as no elm was in the 

 neighbourhood. Mr. Moore, specimens of Papilio 

 daunus and P. crespliontis from St. Augustines, 

 Florida, also several specimens of the " walking- 

 stick " insect, Arnisomorpha briprestoides, which, 

 when seized, will spurt out a strong acid vapour 

 from exceptionally large glands placed in the sides 



of the thorax. Mr. Mansbridge, a bred species of 

 Polia chi from a dark female taken near Hudders- 

 ficld; several examples were dark, having all the 

 lines, bands and markings of var. olivacea, but without 

 any trace of the olive-green shade of thai variation. 

 Mr. South, two specimens of Caradrina ambigua 

 taken by Mr. Woodford, near ICxmouth, in July 

 this year ; the specimens were unusually pale 

 and glossy, no doubt, it was thought, due to its 

 resting habit in that district. In answer to a 

 question from Mr. Barrett, Mr. McArthur said 

 that the larva of Hadena adusta spun its cocoon in 

 the autumn but did not turn to pupa till the spring. 

 He had repeatedly found them at the roots of moss. 

 Mr. Auld reported that var. nigrata ol Limenitissybilla 

 had been taken in some numbers this year. He 

 also knew of a specimen of Polyommatus icurus 

 having no vestige of spots on the underside, and a 

 var. of Dry as papliia a pale border and a dark 

 centre. Mr. Turner had taken the second brood of 

 Zonosoina annulata in North Kent, and three speci- 

 mens came to sugar. Mr. .\dkin had spent a 

 fortnight at Eastbourne, but had seen no Colias 

 edusa. Mr. South's experience was the same. Mr. 

 Mansbridge had heard that the species was to be 

 taken on the East Coast. INIr. Tutt, during a 

 month spent in South France, had seen but half-a- 

 dozen, in fact it always appeared scarcer than 

 C. hyaie on the Continent. Mr. Tutt asked if there 

 was any direct evidence that I'yranicis cardui hyber- 

 nated as an imago. He had failed to find any 

 authenticated record. In North Africa, Mr. Eaton 

 had reported the larvae as feeding during the 

 winter. Mr. Barrett had seen imagines in late 

 autumn and again in spring, but knew of no 

 positive evidence of the imago of this species being 

 found in winter. Mr. Fremlin communicated the 

 following letter which he had received: "'Culver- 

 lands,' 147, Willesden Lane, N.W. Dear Sir, I 

 can offer bred A', conspicillaris (Kent), for P. sniarag- 

 daria. I have them both set and unset, black pins. 

 Can also offer a fine V. antiopa (white border). 

 Yours truly, Thos. Humble Ralfe." Strong and 

 pointed criticism of this letter ensued. — Hy. J. 

 Turner (Hon. Report See.). 



City of London Entomological and Natural 

 History Society. — Tuesday, September ist. 

 Exhibits: Mr. Nicholson, a bred series of large 

 females of Ocneria dispar, many of them having 

 the subterminal line very strongly developed on all 

 the wings; one specimen had the dot and V-shaped 

 mark united. Mr. Tutt said that in Grenoble the 

 females of this species were very large, while 

 in the neighbouring .-Mps they were small. Mr. 

 Frost, Apatura iris, grey form of Agrotis nigricans. 

 Noctua daJtlii, N. stigmatica, Aplecta occulta, Hy- 

 droecia nictitans, and var. paludis and a specimen of 

 Agrotis puta with left hind-wing perfect but much 

 dwarfed ; all these among many others were from 

 the vicinitv of Ipswich, where he had found that 

 moths came to sugar from about lo p.m. till ^ or j 

 a.m.; butterflies were scarce, except Cyaniris (Lycjna) 

 argiolus, which, was unusually common. Dr. J. S. 

 Sequeira, lepidoptera from the Isle of Wight, taken 

 during the first three weeks in August, including 

 one Notodonta dict.ra. and one Arctia fuUginosa taken 

 at light at Ryde; blue females and dwarfs of 

 PolvommatKS icarus : a pale brassy specimen of 

 Chrvsophaniis ph!a-as, taken in the spot where he had 

 captured an example of the var. schmidtii many 

 years ago. Sugar had been a total failure. C. 

 argiolus was very common. Mr. Nicholson said he 

 had heard that 'if larvae of Arctia caia were reared 



