872 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



October 22/76^.— C. G. Barrett, Esq., F.E.S., Vice-President, in 

 the chair. Mr. A. T. Potter, of Whangarei, Auckland, New Zealand, 

 was elected a member. Mr. R. Adkin exhibited a series of very 

 beautifully-marked specimens of Hadena adusta from Shetland. Mr. 

 Ficklin, bred specimens of Luperina cespitis, from larvae taken on 

 grass-stems in the spring. He suggested that their small size was due 

 to their proper food being grass-roots and not the green blades. A 

 large number of specimens of Tephrosia crepuscularia and T. biiindularia 

 were shown by Messrs. Tutt, Henderson, Barrett, Auld, Mera, Mans- 

 bridge, De V. Kane, Tunaley, H. Williams, and Chittenden, forming 

 such a collection of forms as, in the opinion of all present, had never 

 before been brought together. In reply to Mr. Barrett's re-assertion, 

 based on Mrs. Bazzett's captures, that these two were one species, Mr. 

 Tutt read a very exhaustive paper. He assumed that the earlier 

 species should be termed T. historlata and the later one T. crepuscu- 

 laria, as Mr. Prout asserted, and said that the difference of opinion 

 among entomologists was largely a matter of the definition of a 

 *' species." They each had distinct life-cycles, distinct facies, and 

 one had seasonal dimorphism, besides which each bred true to its own 

 race. He showed that errors had arisen from statements made on 

 insufficient data, and from too much reliance being placed on various 

 authors' writings, such as those made in Newman's ' Moths.' He 

 reviewed the discussion which took place some ten years ago in the 

 magazines, and said that the consensus of opinion then was the same 

 as his own. The opinions of the chief opponents were then discussed 

 in detail, especially the various contributions of Mr. Barrett to the dis- 

 cussion. He showed by quotations that Mr. Barrett had accepted the 

 idea of two species until he recently received certain specimens and 

 data from Mrs. Bazzett, including some supposed second brood 

 T. hiundularia. After stating that these were undoubtedly T. crepus- 

 cularia second brood, he referred to the evidence offered as to distinct- 

 ness by Messrs. Porritt, Fenn, and Tugwell, who had bred both 

 species, and pointed out the differences which separated the two. He 

 showed that parallelism was not a sign of unity of species, nor was it 

 right to compare dates of years like 1888 with 1893. He discussed the 

 Scotch forms, and remarked that they more nearly resembled the 

 German specimens. Mr. Henderson said that he had taken T. crepus- 

 cularia in the very woods where it was stated by Mrs. Bazzett not to 

 occur. His experience and remarks agreed wholly with Mr. Tutt's, 

 and he mentioned that the late Mr. J. A. Cooper had reared a second 

 brood of T. hiundularia. The remarks made by the other exhibitors 

 all tended to support the case as put forth in Mr. Tutt's paper. Mr. 

 de Vismes Kane sent an account of the occurrence of the only species 

 T. hiundularia occurring in Ireland, together with a typical exhibit. 

 In reply to the vote of thanks, proposed by Mr. Barrett and seconded 

 by Mr. Auld, Mr. Tutt said that the idea of species was simply a 

 matter of utility ; and as there were two distinct life-cycles it was 

 more convenient to consider them as two species, although they 

 might be very closely allied. Mr. Montgomery reported that there 

 was considerable doubt about his record, on September 24th, that 

 Noctua ditrapezium occurred in Yorkshire. 



November 12i/t.— T. W. Hall, Esq., F.E.S., Vice-President, in the 



