6o 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



[March 



Tuesday, February 21st, 1893. — Exhibits. Dr. Buckell, specimen of Coremia 

 uni dent-aria, red vars., bred from a black banded female. Mr. Robson, Zygcena 

 filipcndula with five spots on the forewings, also two specimens of the var. cerinus, 

 and a variety of Arctia mendica with cream coloured anterior wings. Mr. Nicholson, an 

 asymmetrical specimen of Catocala sponsa from the New Forest, and a specimen of 

 Vanessa urticce without the two small spots on forewings. Mr. Machin, a British 

 specimen of Sphinx pinastri, and four melanic forms of abietaria bred from Box Hill 

 larvae. The following were amongst the exhibits of melanic Lepidoptera. Mr 

 Hodges, a number of species, including Stauropus fagi, Agriopis aprilina, Caradrina 

 cubicularis, and Melanthia rubiginata. Mr. Smith, dark females of Argynnis aglaia from 

 Blandford. Mr. Simes, black vars. of Noctua xanthographa and Agrotis nigricans from 

 Aberdeen, and a dark underside of Chortobius pamphilus from Epping. Mr. Riches, 

 dark forms of Hemerophila abruptaria. Mr. Battley, Acronycta psi, Aplecta nebulosa, 

 Hybernia progcmmaria, &c. from the London district. Dr. Sequeira, Boarmia repandata, 

 Hemerophila abruptaria and Polia chi var. olivacea. Mr. Clark, a black specimen of 

 Limenitis sibylla and suffused forms of Polyommatus phlceas and Venilia maculata. Mr. 

 Tutt, dark and light forms of Xylophasia ^polyodon, Gnophos obscurata and Tephrosia 

 biundularia. Coleoptera : Mr. Heasler, Quedius scitus, Opilus mollis, and Cis nitidus, all 

 from Richmond. Mr. Bellamy, stuffed specimens of the Fieldfare and Green Wood- 

 pecker. Mr. Robson then read his paper, entitled " Is Melanism in Lepidoptera 

 caused by Moisture." An animated discussion followed, and the proceedings 

 terminated with a vote of thanks to Mr. Robson. 



THE SOUTH LONDON ENTOMOLOGICAL AND NATURAL 



HISTORY SOCIETY. 



February 9th, 1893. — Mr. J. Jenner Weir, F.L.S., President in the chair. Mr. 

 Frohawk exhibited hybernating larva 1 of E.-janira and stated that they fed inter- 

 mittently throughout the winter, seldom remaining ten or twelve days without food, 

 Mr. Adkin, a bred series of A. prasina (herbida) the ova having been obtained from a 

 moth captured at Polegate, Sussex, during the past summer. Mr. Waller, a bred 

 series of S. tilia, one of which exhibited a tendercy towards melanism. Mr. McArthur, 

 T, gothica var gothicina, C. cosmophorana and R. duplana, and a discussion ensued, Mr. 

 Barrett stating that the original specimens of so-called R. duplana were only small 

 specimens of R. turionana. Mr. Adye, a fine and variable series of B . repandata taken 

 at sugar in the New Forest, July, 1892. Mr. Weir exhibited a photograph taken 

 from Insect Life for January, 1893, of a twig bearing some two dozen specimens of 

 Anosia phxippus restiug at night during migration, and read a paper which illustrated 

 the migratory instinct of this, and indirectly, of other species. A discussion, in 

 which Messrs. Barrett, Weir and Hawes took part, then followed, it being noted that 

 whereas some dozen or more captures of A . plexippus were recorded for this country, 

 only three were known to have been taken on the Continent of Europe. Mr. Mans- 

 bridge exhibited specimens illustrating his paper, and read " Notes on melanism in 

 Yorkshire Lepidoptera" remarking on the tendency to melanism shewn by many 

 species within the boundaries of the towns, whilst in damp spots barely five or six 

 miles away, the same species woald appear in quite its normal, i.e., light coloration, 

 Many instances were cited, chiefly among the Noctuse and Geometrse. Mr. Tutt 

 proposed and Mr. Barrett seconded a vote of thanks to Mr. Mansbridge for his 

 paper, Mr. Tutt observing that although many species, especially among the Noctuae, 

 were darker in the uorthern districts, yet several, i.e. T, pronuba at Deal and H. 

 aurantiaria from Epping Forest, showed an equal .tendency to melanism in more 

 southern localities, — T. W. Hawes and H. Williams, Hon. Sees. 



