110 
THE entomologist’s KECORD. 
character of the foodplant. Whether these have so far developed two 
or even more distinct forms, differing essentially in habit I am not pre- 
pared to say, although I have noticed and been struck by the very same 
peculiarities noticed. Many hold that meliloti is not really distinct from 
trifolii but only differs in scaling, etc., such differences having been 
brought about by environment. Of this, as much can be written for as 
against, although at present I am inclined to consider it quite distinct 
as we understand species. On the same principle, I am inclined to 
think that we really have two distinct local races known as irifolii^ but 
proof is undoubtedly less available than in the case of meliloti. That 
we have a distinct race of Z. filipendulcB I have long been convinced, 
'fhis spins its cocoon on grass culms, is smaller than typical filipendulce., 
occurs quite at the beginning of June, almost always shows traces of 
the suppression of the lower of the two outside spots and inhabits 
marshy fields. I have often supposed that this race has been brought 
about by the crossing of Z. filipendulcE. and Z. lonice.rcE as both species 
occur commonly in the same locality some four weeks later than the 
others have made their appearance, and this idea has received a certain 
amount of probable confirmation since Mr. Fletcher has crossed 
Z. lonicerce and Z. filipendulcE {Ent. Record., i., p. 352 and ii., p. ii). 
As will be seen from our “Current Notes,” Mr. W. H. B. Fletcher has 
this year succeeded in rearing hybrids between Z. lonicerce and Z. trifolii. 
This makes the matter still more complicated, but there is no doubt that 
experiments like Mr. Fletcher’s and that of Dr. Chapman {ante, p. 83) 
will soon widen out our present ideas of “What is a species?” At the 
same time it opens out a wide range of speculation as to the development 
of peculiar local races, in genera similar to Zygcefia, where the superficial 
characters of larvae and imagines are so close as to render certain 
separation a matter of the utmost difficulty. — J. W. Tutt. July, 1891. 
Notes of the Season (Lepidoptera). — Reading . — On May loth 
was my first evening out, and I got a female Dasycampa rubiginea 
gave me a nice batch of eggs. Mr. Holland and I shared them and the 
larvae are getting on well. Then on the 19th, I found a female Stauropus 
ftgi, with which Mr. Holland tried assembling, but it was no good ; he 
has, however, kept the imago and she is now laying eggs. Yesterday 
I found a male S. fagi; so, though the quantity I have got this year has 
not been great, the quality has not been bad. I also found 2^ Lobophora 
viretata, and afterwards Mr. Holland took three more ; it has, 1 believe, 
been taken in the neighbourhood before, but never by Mr. Holland, 
who is quite the oldest and most experienced entomologist in Reading. — 
E. C. Bazett, Springfield, Reading. June, 1891 
Above thirty specimens of I tauropus 7^^/ have been taken here this 
year, and I have had a fine specimen sent me from Somersetshire. — 
Id. JiRy, 1891. 
Wmchester. — During May I took Nola cristulalis freely both here 
and at Lyndhurst, Boarmia consonaria fairly freely at Lyndhurst, and 
larvae are now feeding up on beech, Epione advenaria near here, a 
fair number. I have sent away the ova. Larvae of Geometra 
papilionaria at Lyndhurst and a nice lot of Chora glabraria larvae. 
They have to be found with the eye on the long tails of fine lichen 
dangling from the oaks and beeches, and feed up very slowly. There 
