12 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. [January 



Lord Walsingham exhibited a coloured drawing of a variety of Acherontia atropos, 

 which had been sent to him by Mons. Henri de la Cuisine, of Dijon. He also ex- 

 hibited specimens of an entomogenous fungus, apparently belonging to the genus 

 Torrubia, growing on pupae, received from Sir Charles Forbes, and which had been 

 collected in Mexico by Mr. H. B. James. Mr. M'Lachlan expressed an opinion, in 

 which Mr. C. O. Waterhouse and Mr. G. C. Champion concurred, that the pupae 

 were those of a species of C/rac?a. Mr. F. D. Godman said that at the meeting of 

 the Society on the 3rd October, 1888, he had exhibited a larva of a Cicada with a 

 similar fungoid growth. The specimen was subsequently produced, and the fungus 

 roved to be identical with that on the pupae shown by Lord Walsingham. 



Mr. R. Adkin exhibited male specimens of Spilosoma mendica, bred from ova 

 obtained from a female of the Irish form which had been impregnated by a male of 

 the English form. These specimens were of a dusky white colour, and were inter- 

 mediate between the English and Irish forms. 



Mr. F. Merrifield showed samples of a material known as "cork-carpet," and 

 explained its advantages as a lining for cabinets and store boxes. Dr. Sharp fully 

 endorsed the opinion expressed by Mr. Merrifield. 



Mr. R. W. Lloyd exhibited specimens of Anisotoma Triepkei, Schmidt, and 

 Megacronus inclinans, Er., collected last August at Loch Alvie by Aviemore. 



Mr. Merrifield read a paper entitled, " On the conspicuous changes in the 

 markings and colouring of Lepidoptera caused by subjecting the pupse to different 

 temperature conditions," in which it was stated that the results of many experiments 

 made on Selenia illustraria and Eiinomos auturnnaria tended to prove that both the 

 markings and colouring of the moth were materially affected by the temperature to 

 which the pupa was exposed ; the markings by long continued exposure before the 

 last active changes ; the colouring, chiefly by exposure during these last changes, but 

 before the colouring of the perfect insect began to be visible, a moderately low 

 temperature during this period causing darkness, a high one producing the opposite 

 effect, and two or three days at the right time appearing in some cases sufficient. 

 Dryness or moisture applied during the whole pupal period had little or no effect on 

 either markings or colouring. Applying the facts thus ascertained, Mr. Merrifield 

 said he had obtained from summer pupae of illustraria some moths with summer 

 colouring and spring markings, some with spring markings and spring colouring, and 

 some with summer markings, but an approach to spring colouring. These specimens, 

 with enlarged and coloured photographs of them, were exhibited. 



Mr. C. Fenn, who said he did not agree with Mr. Merrifield's conclusions, ex- 

 hibited a very long and varied series of specimens of Eiinomos auturnnaria, all of 

 which, he stated, had been bred at the same temperature. He expressed an opinion 

 that the presence or absence of moisture, rather than differences of temperature, was 

 one of the principal causes of variation. The discussion was continued by Lord 

 Walsingham, Colonel Swinhoe, Mr. Waterhouse, Mr. Jenner Weir, Captain Elwes, 

 Mr. M'Lachlan, Mr. Porritt, Dr. Mason, Mr. Barrett, and others. 



Mr. G. T. Baker read a paper entitled "Notes on the Lepidoptera collected in 

 Madeira by the late T. Vernon Wollaston." The paper was illustrated by a number 

 of figures drawn and coloured some years ago by Prof. Westwood. 



