i892.j THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 236 



recently taken near Christchurch. The Chairman, Mr. Hanbury, Mr. Jenner Weir, 

 and Mr. Merrifield commented on the interesting nature of the exhibition, and on the 

 recent extraordinary abundance of C. cdusa and the var. hcLice which was probably 

 not exceeded in 1877. Mr. Dallas Beeching exhibited four specimens of Plusia muneta, 

 lately taken in the neighbourhood of Tunbridge Wells. Mr. Gervase F. Mathew 

 sent for exhibition two specimens of Plusia iiionetu, and their cocoons, which were 

 found at Frinsted, Kent, on the 3rd September last. It was stated that Mr. Mathew 

 had found seven cocoons on the underside of the leaves of monkshood, but that the 

 images had already emerged from hve of them. Mr. Rye exhibited a specimen of 

 Zygana filipeiiduloe var. chvysanthemi, and two varieties of Arctia villica, taken at 

 Lancing, Sussex ; also dwarf specimens of Euchloe cardamines from Wimbledon ; a 

 variety of TJiccla rubi from Bournemouth, and varieties of Coccinella occllata and 

 C. oblungoguttata from Oxshott Mr. A. H. Jones exhibited specimens of Argyniiis 

 pales var. isis, and var. avsilache, the females of which showed a tendency to melanism, 

 recently taken at Campfer, in the Upper Engadine ; also melanic forms of Erebia 

 melampns, and a specimen ol Erebia nerine, taken at Bormio, at the foot of the Stelvio 

 Pass. Mr. Elwes exhibited specimens of typical Erebia melas, taken by himself at 

 Campiglio, in the Western Tyrol, on the 25th July last, at an elevation of 7000 feet ; 

 also specimens of the same species from Hungary, Greece, and the Eastern and 

 Central Pyrenees. He stated that the supposed absence of this species from the Alps, 

 which had seemed to be such a curious fact in geographical distribution, had been 

 first disproved by Mrs. Nicholl, who discovered it at Campiglio two years ago. He 

 also exhibited fresh specimens of Erebia nerine, taken on very hot rocks at Riva, on 

 the lake of Garda, at an elevation of about 500 feet ; alsj specimens of the same 

 species, taken at the same time, at an elevation of about 5000 feet, in cold forest 

 glades ; and remarked that the great difference of elevation and climate did not 

 appear to have produced any appreciable variation in this species. Mr. Elwes also 

 showed a pair of Dasydia tenebraria var. wockearia, Stgr., from Campiglio, which 

 appeared to him to be sufficiently constant and distinct from the typical form to be 

 treated as a species. Mr. G. T. Porritt exhibited two i\.vd varieties of Abraxas 

 grossulariata, bred by Mr. George Jackson during the past suiimier from York larvae. 

 Also, on behalf of Mr. T. Baxter, a curious Noctua taken on the sandhills at St. 

 Anne's-on-Sea, on August 20th last, and concerning which a difference of opinion 

 existed as to whether it was a melanic form oi - A grot is cursovia or of Caradvina 

 cubieiilaris. Also a small dark form of Orgyia antiqua, which had occurred in some 

 numbers at Longridge, near Preston. Mr. A. Eland Shaw exhibiteJ a specimen of 

 MeeostetJius grossus, I..inn., taken lately at Irstead, m the Norfoik-b-r^ad district. He 

 stated that this was the first recorded capture of this species in liritain since 1884. 

 Mr. C. G. Barrett exhibited a specimen ot Syricthiis aiveus, caught in Norfolk, about 

 the year i86o, by the Rev. J. H. Marsh ; a beautiful variety oi Argynnis cuphrosyne, 

 caught this year near Godalming ; and a series oi varieties of Ennonios aii^'iilaria , 

 bred from a female taken at Nunhead. Mr. P. Crowley exhibited a specimen of 

 Zygcena filipenduliv var. chrysaiUlu'ini , taken lasL August at Riddlesdown, near Croydon, 

 by Mr. Murtoa Holmes. Eord Walsingham sent for exhi!)ition several specimens of 

 larvae of Sphinx pinastri and Ap/ioinia suciclla, preserved by himself, which were 

 intended for presentation to the f^ristish Museum. The larvae of pinastri had been 

 sent to him by l^orcl I^endlesham, who obtained them from ova laid by a female 

 which he had captured in Suffolk last .August. Mr. de Niceville communicated a 

 paper entitled "On the Variation of some Indian J'-uplcx^as of the subgeuus 

 Sticlop/ihea " ; and Captain E. Y. W'atson e\hil)ited, on behalf of Mr, ile Niceville, 

 the specimens referred to in this paper. Colonel Swinhoe, Mr. llampson, Mr 

 Poulton, and the Chairman took part in the discussion which ensued. Mr. \V. 

 liateson read a paper entitled " On the \'ariation in the Coloin-s of (.'ocoons and 



