I892.J The BRITISH NATURALIST. 



yellow border was considerably widened, and entirely absorbed the dark band and 

 blue spots, as well as the two costal spots, the border was also much diffused with 

 black. Mr. Weir remarked on this species occuring so far north as Hudson's Bay. 

 Mr. C. Fenn showed Agrotis tritici, grey and dark forms, from the north of Scotland 

 and Sligo. Mr. Tugwell again exhibited the black specimens of the Eupithecia from 

 Paisley, with typical examples of E, virgaiireata and E. castigata, and remarked that 

 he had been in communication with a correspondent at Paisley who informed him 

 that Virgaiireata did not occur in that district, and the food plant was exceedingly 

 rare ; he had had the pupa sent him and it did not accord with Harper Crewe's 

 description of the pupa of Virgaureata and on carefully comparing the black 

 specimens with the Eupithecia in his collection, Mr. Tugwell said he was quite sure 

 that it was not as he first supposed, a black form of E. satyrata, nor as Mr. Tutt 

 suggested of £. virgaureata, but was undoubtedly referable to E. castigata. Mr. Tutt 

 said he was still of opinion that the species was Virgaureata, which he had on many 

 occasions received from Paisley ; he exhibited, typical, intermediate and black forms 

 of virgaureata from Paisley, also E. albipunctata, and var angelicata. Mr. C. G. 

 Barrett said that on first seeing these black specimens he thought they were 

 Trisignaria, but he was inclined to think Mr. Tugwell was right in referring them to 

 Castigata ; Mr. Barrett added that at Cannock Chase he had taken specimens of 

 Castigata quite as black as those under discussion. Mr. Tugwell said he thought 

 Mr. Tutt's specimens were Castigata and not Virgaureata, but Mr. Barrett said four of 

 them were certainly the latter species. On Thursday, February iith, Mr. H. 

 Wallis Kew will deliver a Lecture entitled " The Dawn of Memory in the Animal 

 Kingdom." — H. W. Barker, Hon. Sec. 



CITY OF LONDON ENTOMOLOGICAL AND NATURAL 



HISTORY SOCIETY. 



Thursday, January yth, 1892. —Exhibits. — Mr. Hill, Amphidasys betularia var. 

 doubledayaria, and a specimen with the dark markings transformed into buff, slightly 

 darker than ground colour. Mr. Jager, Vanessa antiopa from Germany, including a 

 specimen without blue spots, and another without the blue spots nearest tip of wing. 

 Mr. Prout, a long series of Cidaria riissata, autumn brood, taken at sugar in Isle of 

 Wight, including most of the named varieties. Mr. Battley, life history of Abraxas 

 ulmata. Messrs. Quail and Simes, a number of life histories, mounted on the 

 natural food plants. Mr. Fox also exhibited preserved larvae. Mr. Southey, a well- 

 marked specimen of Smerinthus popuU, bred from a dug pupa, having a dirty white 

 right hand wing, similar to the xanthic varieties of Epinephele janira ; also a number 

 of well preserved larvae. Mr. Goymour, Po//a jiavicincta from Enfield. Mr. Smith, 

 Xylina petrificata from Blandford, Dorset, Hybernia aurantiaria, etc. Mr. Riches, a 

 variable series of Agrotis exclamationis from Highgate Wood. Mr. Milton, Aporia 

 cratagi, taken at Malvern in- 1876 ; and Plnsia orichalcca from Cambridge ; also in 

 Coleoptera, Calathus microptcrus, Leiodes glabra, L. castanea, and Colymbctus cxoletus : 

 and in Diptera ,EristaIis scpulchralis, Therioplectes micans, and Xylota syjvarum. Mr. 

 Newbery, specimens of fcncstrotus. Mr. Heasler, Choleva spadicca, remarking 

 he had found this rather a scarce species, very local in Highgate Woods. Mr. 

 Quail read a paper on " Preserving larvae," describing his method of killing and 

 preserving Lepidopterous larva-, and also detailing the difficulties peculiar to certain 

 species ; h& likewise explained his system of preserving food plants with dry sand. 

 Messrs. Battley, Simes, Southey, Milton and Dr. Buckell took part in the discussion 

 which followed. A discussion also took place respecting the depositing of eggs by 



