198 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



viarum of Smeathman, in which the soldiers and workers possessed eyes, 

 and had been observed by Smeathman to issue from holes in the ground, 

 and whose nest could not be discovered. Mr. McLachlan observed that it 

 was possible there might be species of Termites without any winged form 

 whatever. 



Mr. Rye called attention to the action of one of the conservators of 

 Wimbledon Common, who, he stated, had been destroying all the aspens on 

 the Common. He enquired whether it was possible for the Entomological 

 Society to protest against the destruction of the trees. Mr. Goss said he 

 would mention the matter to the Commons Preservation Society. 



Mr. Francis Gallon read a paper entitled " Entomological Queries 

 bearing on the question of Specific Stability." The author said that the 

 information desired referred to : — (1) Instances of such strongly marked 

 peculiarities, whether in form, in colour, or in habit, as had occasionally 

 appeared in a single individual in a brood ; but no record was wanted of 

 monstrosities, or of such other characteristics a3 were clearly inconsistent 

 with health and vigour. (2) Instances in which any one of the above 

 peculiarities had appeared in the broods of different parents. In replying 

 to this question, he said it would be hardly worth while to record the sudden 

 appearance of either albinism or melanism, as both were well known to be 

 of frequent occurrence. (3) Instances in which any of these peculiarly 

 characterised individuals had transmitted their peculiarities, hereditarily, to 

 one or more generations. 



Mr. Merrifield stated that he received some years ago, from Sheffield, 

 ova of Selenia illustraria, the brood from which produced, in addition to 

 typical specimens, four of a dark bronze colour, and from these he bred a 

 number of specimens of a similar colour. Dr. F. A. Dixey referred to a 

 variety of the larva of Satumia carpini with pink tubercles. He said the 

 imago bred from this larva produced larvse of which ten per cent, had pink 

 tubercles. Professor Poulton said he had found larvse of Smerinthus 

 ocellatus with red spots, and that this peculiarity had been perpetuated in 

 their descendants. 



Mr. G. F. Hampson read a paper by Mr. C. W. Barker entitled 

 " Notes on Seasonal Dimorphism in certain Species of Rhopalocera in 

 Natal." Mr. Merrifield said he was of opinion that a record of the 

 temperature at different seasons would be a very desirable addition to 

 observations of seasonable dimorphism. Mr. Hampson said he believed 

 that temperature had very little to do with the alteration of forms. At any 

 rate, according to his experience, in India the wet-season form succeeded the 

 dry-season form without any apparent difference in the temperature. Pro- 

 fessor Poulton remarked that the apparent temperature as felt must not be 

 relied upon without observations taken by the thermometer. 

 — H. Goss and W. W. Fowler, Hon. Secretaries. 



