THE YOUNG NATUBALIST. 



181 



Sepedonium ohrysospermum. 

 Bulgaria . . . . sarcoides, inquinans. 



Xylaria . . . . hypoxylon. 



Species recorded for the first time as occurring in the Forest district marked thus * 



One cannot but be struck with the great wealth of species found. Of the 

 above fungi there are very many that are not only edible and harmless but 

 are quite equal in flavour and nutrition to the so-called common mushroom, 

 yet how few know anything of them . There is hardly a more delicious dish 

 than a good juicy "Fistulina hepatica." (beafsteak mushroom) or "Coprinus 

 comatus " (inky mushroom) though one need scarcely say a proper compli- 

 ment of rump steak is an addition if not an improvement to both. We can- 

 not but congratulate this flourishing Society upon the success attending their 

 efforts and trust that this season's foray will prove even more productive. 



THE ORIGIN OF APTEROUS FEMALES. 



By F. N. PIERCE. 



1 am much interested in the origin of Apterous Females, and though I am 

 not able to offer any suggestions towards elucidating it, I give a few facts 

 which may perhaps assist others in doing so. 



In the "Intelligencer," of 1856, page 132, we find Mr. Wildman captured 

 a specimen of Macaria Notata at Wickham, he says " the left hind wing was 

 entirely wanting, though I can just trace a sort of projection where it should 

 have been.'' 



The first specimen that came under my notice was Hyhemia defoliaria, 

 which emerged from a found pupa, with the left wing entirely absent, the 

 next year I bred another, also from a found pupa, with the same wing absent. 

 About two years after Mr. Walker bred another specimen of the same insect, 

 from a found larva with the right hind wing wanting, and next year he bred 

 a female Orgyia fascelina, reared from the larva, without the left hind wing, 

 I also found about two years ago, a male Nysda zonaria without the left hind 

 wing. These are all the instances which have come under my notice, al- 

 though I have bred hundreds of Lepidoptera with all sorts of deformities. 

 The curious part is that four of the species have apterous females, while another 

 0. fasce/ina, I believe, scarcely if ever flies, at any rate I have never 

 seen it on the wing, or even found an imago, though 1 have searched where 

 the larvse were common enough. The remaining one is M. notata, my little 

 experience of which is that it is an active insect on the wing. 



We constantly find the male N. zonaria with the hind wings very much 



