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SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



City of London Entomological and Natural 

 History Society. — Tuesday, September 15th, 

 1896. — Exhibits: Mr. Tutt, eggs of Pamphila 

 comma, which were hemispherical, incHning to 

 conical, in shape, with a slight depression on the 

 summit, and of a dingy grey colour. Also some 

 Aglais urticae, exactly resembling typical English 

 specimens (excepting, perhaps, a rather richer 

 colouring on the underside), although they had 

 been bred from a very dark Continental specimen. 

 Mr. May, three Epinephele janira, showing various 

 degrees of that failure in the development of the 

 pigment commonly expressed by the misleading 

 word " bleached " ; also two specimens of 

 TriphcBua orbona [subsequa), and an example of 

 Limenitis sibylla, showing very few traces of white 

 on the wings, all from the Nev/ Forest. Rev. 

 C. R. N. Burrows, a gynandrous Gonopteryx 

 libatrix, a Triphana pronuba, with longitudinal dark 

 streaks on the fore- wings ; a Leucania pallens, with 

 asymmetrical neuration, and reddish suffused 

 specimens of Agrotis puia and Mamestra hrassicae, 

 all taken on sugar at Rainham, Essex. Mr. 

 Bloomfield, Catocala sponsa and Dianthcecia aicubali, 

 among other insects, from Bures, Suffolk. Mr. 

 J. H. S. Smart, a bred Catocala niipta, having both 

 sides of the hind wings suffused entirely- with 

 purplish black, the usual black bars being quite 

 distinct. Mr. May said he had seen a specimen of 

 Argynnis paphia in the New Forest, with a strong 

 tinge of the valeziita colouration on the right hind 

 wing. Mr, Heasler reported that he had heard 

 on trustworthy authority that about a score of 

 black Limneitis sibylla had been captured in the 

 New Forest this year by various collectors. — C. 

 Nicholson and L.J. Tremayne, Hon. Sees. 



South London Entomological and Natural 

 History Society, September loth, 1896. — Mr. 

 W. Mansbridge, F.E.S., in the chair. Mr. A. E. 

 Hall exhibited a gravid female of Gcrmes bellicosus 

 from Cape Coast Castle, and a series of captured 

 Callimorpha hera from Nevv/ton Abbot. Mr. Lucas, 

 a female of Platetrum depressum, having the male 

 blue colouration, a male Calopteryx virgo, having 

 the right fore-wing without the dark pigment, and 

 a pair of the rare grasshopper, Thamnotrizon cinereum 

 from the New Forest. Mr. Montgomery, a bred 

 series of Dianthcecia capsincola from Eastbourne, one 

 specimen had a wide sub-marginal line and a 

 marginal area without the wavy lines. — September 

 24th, Mr. C. G, Barrett, F.E.S., in the chair. Mr. 

 R. Adkin, living larvae of Lyc:ena argiolus, in situ on 

 the buds of ivy-blossom, from Eastbourne, also full 

 fed larvse of Aplecta occulta. Mr. Filer, a fine 

 variety of Ernodia hypevanthes, having the white 

 spots surrounded by yellow rings only, the black 

 rings being entirely obsolete. It was taken in 

 Essex. Mr. Moore, specimens of Thelyphonus 

 giganteus, a species midway between the scorpions 

 and the spiders, from Florida, and contributed 

 notes. Also, he showed specimens of Polistes 

 annularis and a nest. Mr. Turner, a varied series 

 of Noctua xanthogvapha, including a black form, a 

 pale form, a red form, and a form with unusually 



well-defined stigmata ; a very dark Agrotis scgctum 

 from Kent ; a Triphcena pronuba with a remnant of 

 a discoidal spot ; and two bred Acronycta accris with 

 the veins of the secondaries deeply lined with 

 black. Mr. Montgomery, specimens of Noctua 

 diatrapezium from South Yorks. Mr. Barrett, very 

 long and varied series of Tephrosia biundularia and 

 T. crepuscularia, and sought to establish the identity 

 of the two forms. After considerable discussion, it 

 was decided to adjourn the matter for further 

 consideration at the next meeting, to give members 

 the opportunity of exhibiting their own series. 

 October 8th, 1896, Mr. T. W. Hall, F.E.S., 

 Vice-President, in the chair. Mr. Ficklin ex- 

 hibited several species of Lepidoptera set in their 

 natural positions of rest, thus showing the 

 pattern of the transverse markings which adapted 

 them to their surroundings. Mr. Carpenter, a 

 male specimen of Polyommatus (Lycana) icarus 

 with a completely bleached hind wing, from 

 Folkestone; several female examples of Pararge 

 vtegara, bred from Ranmore Common, having a 

 tendency to form a broad, black, medium band ; and 

 a bred series of Chrysophajius {Polyommatus) phlceas, 

 from Abbot's Wood, having well-developed blue 

 spots on the secondaries. Mr. H. Moore, two 

 large species of Orthoptera from Florida, viz. : 

 Romalea microptera and Cyrtacanthacris subsittaca. 

 Mr. John T. Carrington, Calophasia platyptera, Esp., 

 a species of moth new to Britain, taken by himself 

 between Shoreham and Brighton on September 

 14th, 1896. The species is closely allied to the 

 " shark moths." Mr. Ashdown, a specimen of the 

 rare Coleopteron, Molochus minor, from Mickleham, 

 and a black var. of Toxotus meridianus, from Surrey. 

 Mr. Adkin, a bred series of Calocampa vetusta, from 

 Sutherland, and a bred second brood of Acidalia 

 virgularia {incanaria), from Brockley. Mr. Lucas, 

 an apparently hitherto unnoted variety of Pyramius 

 {Vanessa) atalanta, having the indistinct deep black 

 blotches which are anterior to the red marginal 

 band of the hind v/ings, with well-marked blue 

 centres. It was captured at Claygate by Mr. H. 

 L. Hearsum, of Kingston. Mr. Barrett, a pupa- 

 case and cocoon of Pamphila (Hesperia) comma, 

 which had been found by Mr. Hamm, of Reading, 

 and also some eggs which had been deposited on 

 stems of grass by an observed female. A discussion 

 took place as to what was the usual food-plant of 

 the larva of the species. The general opinion was 

 that it is a grass feeder, as are most Pamphilids. 

 Mr. C. A. Briggs, a fly taken from a starling, 

 presumably Ornithomyla avicularia, one of the 

 Hippoboscidse infesting birds. Mr. H. J. Turner, 

 a living specimen of Uropteryx sambricata, taken 

 in his garden on October 8th, and no doubt 

 an individual of a second brood. The following 

 arrangements have been made for coming meetings 

 of this Society : October 22nd, a discussion on 

 Tephrosia biundularia and T. crepuscularia, opened 

 by Mr. C. G. Barrett, F.E.S. ; November, 12th, 

 "Notes made during my holiday on Acidalia margini- 

 punctata, and on the earlier stages of the second 

 brood of LyciZ7ia argiolus,'''' by Mr. R. Adkin, F.E.S. ; 

 November 26th, an Exhibition of varieties of all 

 orders (friends and visitors cordially invited) ; 

 December loth, " Notes on the North American 

 Agrotis subgothica," by Mr. W. Mansbridge, F.E.S. 

 — Hy. J. Turner, Hon. Report. Sec. 



North London Natural History Society. — 

 On Monday, August 3rd, 1896, this society made 

 an excursion to Tunbridge Wells. Travelling 

 by the 8.45 excursion train from Cannon Street, 



