iSgi.] 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



103 



idea that cold darkened the colour ; the black form of the species occurred at Lee. 

 Mr. Tugwell, referring to Mr. Fenn's e.xhibit, expressed on opinion that a brood did 

 not always follow the form of the parent moth, and instanced Acidalia aversata, where 

 he said he had bred forms entirely different from the female ; but in reply to Mr. 

 South, added that he did not see the male parent. Mr. South remarked that in 

 breeding lepidoptera he invariably found the brood followed either the male or female 

 parent. Mr. Mansbridge showed a melanic specimen oiPhigalia pilosaria. Mr. South 

 then referred to the supposed variety of Pyg^rirt ciirtula exhibited at a previous meeting 

 by Mr. A. Robinson, and remarked that an analogous variety of P. recliisa had been 

 iigured by Stephens, and recorded by M. Whittich. 



An exhibition of microscopical exhibits was then given by members. 



April gth, 1891. — The President in the chair. 



Mr. A. H. Hamm, of Reading, was elected a member. 



Mr. H. Moore exhibited Caligo nemnon from S. America, and Metapodius sericollis 

 from Trinidad. Mr. South, three varieties of Miana strigilis, Clerck., which were 

 extraordinary forms of the variety latruncnla, and were received from Mr. Jeffreys, of 

 Clevedon. Mr. R. Adkin, Padisca sordidana from Forres, and stated that these were 

 very unlike the specimens from N. Devon. 



Mr. Cockerell read a note on variation, and some discussion followed. 



Mr. S. EMwards contributed a paper on the Papilionidae. 



The Annu.'M. Exhibition was held on the 15th and i6th April, at the " Bridge 

 House," London Bridge, S.E., and was more successful than any previous exhibition. 

 It included representatives of all groups of the animal and vegetable kingdom. 

 Among the exhibitors were Mr. Dawes with animals and birds, among the latter 

 being a case of Kingfishers, showing the nest ; Messrs. J. and W. Davis, H. J. Turner, 

 D. J. Rice, H. McArthur, H. T. Dobson, B W. Adkin, C. H. Collins, G. B. Ashmead, 

 and J. Henderson, exhibiting birds, birds' nests and eggs. Mr. Jenderson's exhibit 

 was confined to varieties of eggs of the Puffin and the Kittiwake Gull. Mr. Ashmead 

 showing a magnificent case of eighteen species of Birds of Paradise. Mr. A. E. 

 Cooke, two albino moles from Kssex. The St. .lohn's Wood Piscatorial Society, 

 Messrs. Williams & Co., and T. H. Briggs, specimen fish. Mr. W. Conisbee, a col- 

 lection of some hundreds of marine and land shells. Miss Billups, British land and 

 fresh-water shells. Mr. J. T. Carrington, land shells from the Riviera, collected by 

 him during the winter of 1890. Mr. S. Robinson, shells, including specimens of 

 oysters with whelk shells attached. Mr. Lovett, a collection of Stalk-eyed Crustacea. 



Bees, bee-hives, and bee-keeping appliances, were exhibited by Messrs. Geo. 

 Neighbour & Son. A magnificent collection of nests of British end Foreign wasps by 

 Mr. H. Moore and Mr. E Cook. Mr. Billups showing Hymenoptera, Heterogyna, 

 and Fossorial Hymenoptera, following in their natural order ; British Coleoptera, 

 showing most of the known families ; Diptera, Hemiptera, Homoptera. Among Mr. 

 Billups exhibits were three drawers showing the life histories of various species of 

 Lepidoptera with the parasites, both Hymenopterous and Dipterous, many of which 

 are new to Britain, and in some cases new to science. The majority of these parasites 

 were reared by members of the Society during the past four years. Mr. Lewcock and 

 Mr. Goodman, cases of Coleoptera. Mr. \V. Manger, Exotic Coleoptera, &c. Mr. 



