28 



with identical markings of a darker colour, and has pale 

 dorsal and sub-dorsal lines. The two larval forms have no 

 correspondence with the two varieties in the perfect state. 



" As far as I know the variation of the larva of a species 

 of Lepidoptera is quite independent of variation in the imago. 

 Take Mamestra persicarics, L., for example. I select this 

 species because most of you will have probably bred it. You 

 will know that there are two distinct and constant forms of 

 the larva, one green in colour and the other brown. I never 

 got any but typical persicariez from such larvae. There is a 

 variety of the imago (tmicolor, Staudinger) in which the 

 reniform stigma is filled up with brownish instead of white. 

 The South of Turkey is given as a locality for this form, but 

 it may occur elsewhere, 



" To return to Noctna castanea. I may say that the form 

 neglecta is widely distributed throughout Britain, but my 

 knowledge respecting the distribution of castanea proper is 

 very limited. I have only received it from Scotland. It is 

 reported to occur in the New Forest, but I have never seen 

 examples from that district." 



Mr. Carrington remarked that during his collecting ex- 

 perience in Scotland, he took a long and interesting series 

 of this species, the chesnut-coloured variety being a little in 

 excess of members of the type, and he noticed, when gather- 

 ing the larvae, that they varied somewhat ; but he did not 

 think there was any connection with the variation of the 

 larvae and that of the imago, as he had bred both forms, viz., 

 neglecta and castanea^ from each variety of the larvae. He had 

 found the larvae feeding on sallow. 



FEBRUARY tfh, 1886. 



R. ADKIN, Esq., F.E.S., President, in the Chair. 



Mr. Chaney exhibited a pretty form of Hydrcecia nictitans, 

 Bork., and said it was bred from one of two pupae found by 

 him under a stone on the Saltings at Cliffe, in the county of 

 Kent, July, 1884. 





