160 THE ^ZOOLOGIST. 



female ; also hybrids of the second generation between Z. trifolii — hybrid, 

 and Z. lonicerce — hybrid. The President enquired whether the hybrids 

 were robust and healthy or the reverse. Mr. Fletcher stated that many of 

 the hybrids were larger than the parent species, and that some hybrids 

 between Z. lonicerce and Z . filipendulce were the largest he had ever seen. 

 He added that Zygcena meliloti would not hybridise with Z. lonicerce, 

 Z. trifolii, or Z. filipendulce. Mr. Barrett and Mr. Tutt continued the 

 discussion. 



Mr. F. W. Frohawk exhibited a bred series of Vanessa atalanta, showing 

 the amount of variation in the red band on the fore wings of the female. 

 In seven specimens there was a white spot on this band, and in ten speci- 

 mens it was absent. 



Mr. Elwes exhibited a large number of specimens of Chrysophanus 

 phlceas from various places in Europe, Asia, and North America, with the 

 object of showing that the species is scarcely affected by variations of 

 temperature, which was contrary to the opinion expressed by Mr. Merrifield 

 in his recent paper, " On the effects of temperature in the pupal stage 

 on colouring." Mr. McLachlan, Mr. A. J. Chitty, Mr. Bethune-Baker, 

 Mr. Tutt, Mr. Barrett, and Mr. Frohawk took part in the discussion which 

 ensued. 



Dr. Sharp read a paper entitled "On Stridulating Ants." He said that 

 examination revealed the existence in ants of the most perfect stridulating 

 or sound-producing organs yet discovered in insects, which are situated on 

 the 2nd and 3rd segments of the abdomen of certain species. He was of 

 opinion that the structures which Sir John Lubbock thought might be 

 stridulating organs in Lasius flaws were not really such, but merely a 

 portion of the general sculpture of the surface. Dr. Sharp said that the 

 sounds produced were of the greatest delicacy, and Mr. Goss had been in 

 communication with Mr. W. H. Preece, F.R.S., with the view of ascer- 

 taining whether the microphone would assist the human ear in the detection 

 of sounds produced by ants. Mr. Preece had stated that the microphone 

 did not magnify, but merely reproduced sound ; and that the only sounds 

 made by ants which he had been able to detect by means of the instrument 

 were due to the mechanical disturbance produced by the motion of the 

 insects over the microphone. A long discussion ensued, in which the Presi- 

 dent, Canon Fowler, and Messrs. Champion, McLachlan, Goss, Hampson, 

 Barrett, Jacoby, and Burns took part. 



Mr. C. J. Gahan read a paper entitled " Notes on the Longicornia of 

 Australia and Tasmania, Part I. ; including a list of the species collected 

 by Mr. J. J. Walker, R.N., and descriptions of new forms." — H. Goss and 

 W. W. Fowler, Hon. Secretaries. 



