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THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



87 



examples of several species showing the wet and dry season forms of the same insect 

 and remarked that it had now been placed beyond doubt that many species which 

 were looked upon as perfectly distinct, were wet and dry season forms. Among the 

 species exhibited were Jnnonia asterie, L., J. almana, L. ; the wet season form of 

 Melanitis ismene, Cran., and the dry season form of the same, M. Icda; and Mr. Weir 

 remarked that the two forms of Melantis were seasonal varieties, or, as he termed it, 

 horoeomorphic of one species had been set at rest by direct experiment. Mr. Weir 

 contributed notes relative to his exhibit. Mr. R. Adkin exhibited Lepidoptera from 

 the Scilly Isles, and remarked on the variation and called attention to the specimens 

 of Picris napi, Lycana icarns, and Cidaria russata, which he said were species known to 

 liable to somewhat pronounced local variations, and yet those he had received from 

 Scilly were normal.— Mr. Adkin also exhibited light and dark cocoons of Eriogastes 

 lanestris, and contributed notes. Mr. Tugwell exhibited cocoons of Nola centonalis 

 and N . albulalis and referred to some remarks recently made by Mr. Tutt that the 

 coloration of cocoons was produced by anal excreta ; Mr. Tugwell stated that he did 

 not agree with this view. A discussion followed relative to these last two exhtbits 

 in which Messrs. Jenner Weir, C. Fenn, W. West, South, C. G. Barrett, Carrington, 

 Tugwell, and Adkin took part. It was pointed out that recent discoveries had shown 

 that this was renal excreta. Mr. Billups exhibited specimens of minute MoUusca. 

 and read notes thereon. 



March 10th, 1892. — The President in the chair. Mr. Jenner Weir exhibited 

 pallid forms of the following British Rhopalocera, viz : — Satyrns semele ? , Epinephele 

 ianira ? , E. hyperanthus ? , Ccenonympha typhon S , C. painphilus ? three specimens, and 

 Polyommatus phlaas c? . These xanthous specimens were all of them much paler in 

 colour than usual, and he regretted that he could not suggest a cause for this want 

 of colour except in the case of Epinephele ianira ; this insect he had taken in the New 

 Forest during the very wet and cold season of 1879, in a damp wood, the temperature 

 was then so low that when Argynnis paphia was pursued it took refuge in the thick 

 brambles, being too weak to fiy far, and Argynnis euphrasy ne had its emergence 

 delayed through July, in some cases even till so late as the 9th August. His view 

 was that the development of pigment was due to what might be termed surplus 

 energy, and the the vitality of either the larva or chrysalis was lowered by 

 unfavourable environment, then the result might be that the imago would be 

 defective in colour. Mr. W. C. Richter then delivered a lecture on "Insects," 

 illustrated by original diagrams and colored drawings, the majority of the latter 

 being enlargements of the objects as seen through the microscope, and he stated that 

 many of them had not hitherto been figured. Owing to this paper the remaining 

 exhibits were not taken, and the discussion on Weir's paper stood over until the next 

 meeting. — H. W. Barker, Hon. Sec. 



CITY OF LONDON ENTOMOLOGICAL AND NATURAL 



HISTORY SOCIETY. 



Thursday March yd 1892. — Exhibits : — Mr. Clark, preserved larvae of Orgyia 

 gonostigma, Dasychira fascelina and Lasiocampa qnercifolia, the latter being taken on the 

 Hacking Marshes last year. Mr. Battley, typical forms of Picris rapa and P. napi, 

 and intermediate form taken at Cheshunt. The underside of this insect was very 

 slightly ''veined" though the upper surface presented the characteristic of P. napi. 

 Mr. Tutt and others expressed their opinion that it was a lightly marked form of 

 P. napi. Mr. Tremayne, Hyhernia riipicapraria and Scopelosoma satellitia from Epping 

 Forest. Mr. Bayne, series of Cheimatobia bnimata and C. boreata, and a very dark 

 form of Taniocampa populeti from Norfolk. Mr. Riches, series of Arctia hibricipeda 

 and A. menthrasti, also a var. of Ennomos angiilaria, and a suffused form of Mclanippe 



