Field Notes. 
*9 
Erythristic Badgers. — In the September issue of the 
Journal of Genetics, Miss Frances Pitt has an illustrated paper 
on the Genetics of the Polecat, Ferret and hybrid Polecat- 
Ferrets. It is largely taken up with the consideration of the 
erythristic races of these animals, and the degree in. which 
this colouration is inherited when light -brown animals are 
mated with those of the normal blackish hue. In the wild 
state a race of light -brown Polecats occurs only in Cardigan- 
shire. The light colour obtains through elimination of dark 
pigment in the hair. All the dark markings are present, but 
in a modified form — each part that is normally black being of 
a light -red colour. I mention these particulars in order to 
call attention to a parallel variation in the Badger. Four 
examples have come to my own notice : — (1) May, 1904, 
Worcester; (2) July, 1907, Hawkstone Park, Salop; (3) 
May, 190&, do.; (4), November, 1911, Llanidloes, Montg. 
No. 2 had pink eyes. Two others of the normal colour were 
killed at Llanidloes with No. 4, but it is not recorded whether 
they were of the same family. No. 3 went into Sir Beville 
Stanier’s collection, and is now in the Museum at Newcastle- 
under-Lyme. Unlike the erythristic Polecats (which occur 
only in one district), it will be seen that these light -brown 
Badgers came from three widely separated localities. This 
fact is of importance from a genetic standpoint, and my 
object in asking the insertion of this note is to ask observers 
who have come across light -brown Badgers in any other part 
of the country to record the same in The Naturalist, so that 
we may have full data on the subject. — H. E. Forrest, 
Shrewsbury. 
— : o : — 
ENTOMOLOGY. 
Lancashire and Cheshire Entomology. — At a recent 
meeting of the Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological 
Society, the Hon. Secretary exhibited, on behalf of Mr. O. J. 
Wilkinson, photographs of Pyrameis cardui pupating, larva 
of Hadena pisi, and an unusual variety of Chrysophanus 
phlaeas taken at Delamere, having the right side var. schmidtii 
and the left typical. Mr. W. Mansbridge showed lepidoptera 
from N Lancs. — Vanessa io with nearly blind eye-spots on 
hind-wings,, from Cark ; Lycaena aegon var. masseyi from 
Withers lack, and a short series from Delamere for com- 
parison. From Arnside, Westmorland, Argynnis euphrosyne 
with pale ground-colour; Theda betulae, Nisoniades tages, 
Asphaii.a diluta, Phytometra viridaria and Ennychia octo- 
maca lulls . from Formby, near Liverpool, a series of Ebulea 
croa: alls and Irom Cark a short series of Gnophos obscurata of 
a dm k grey colour. The Rev. F. M. B. Carr .showed a. long 
1922 j *1 1 
