18 
Chapman gave a note as to how he had observed Z. pyrina flying in 
the daytime. Mr. A. W. Mera recorded an experience of his in finding 
several specimens of this in a water butt, where they might have been 
attracted possibly by reflected light. 
Dianthiecia luteago var. ficklini. —Mr. W. J. Kaye, Dianthoecia 
l idea <io var. field ini from North Cornwall. Seven specimens were 
secured, but all in poor condition. 
Cidaria c.esiata. —Mr. A. W. Mera, Cidaria caesiata from Em¬ 
it ard in eshi re. 
Thkstor ballus.— Dr. T. A. Chapman, specimens of Thestor 
ballus from Hyeres, south of France, taken in March and April, 1904. 
Paper.— Mr. A. Bacot read a paper on “ Variation and Death in 
relation to Natural Selection.” (Printed in Transactions .) Mr. A. 
W. Mera proposed a hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Bacot for his paper. 
He himself hesitated to totally accept Natural Selection as the agent 
for the melanic forms of certain lepidoptera to be found in large towns, 
e.cy., Pachys betularia var. doubled ay aria, and considered that it was 
possible that contaminated air had a physio-chemical eftect in the 
species. Mr. W. J. Kaye seconded the vote, and also lent some support 
to Mr. Mera’s contention. Mr. G. H. Heath and Mr. W. I. Cox 
discussed the possibility of the variation of the cell as mentioned by 
Mr. Bacot. The vote of thanks was put and carried by all present. 
Mr. Bacot, in replying, alluded to that portion of his paper in which 
he discussed the possible rapid change of environment to certain 
species. For instance, oak woods giving place to another kind of 
timber after some geological change, the effect being, that a species 
that was on the wing when the leaves were on the trees, suddenly 
found itself appearing when the leaves of another kind of tree had not 
yet arrived, or when the leaves were falling. These rapid changes 
would not give a species time to develop intermediate forms, and was 
an answer for the scarcity of these. 
Nov. 1st, 1904.— Protection of plants.— A letter was read by Mr. 
S. J. Bell from the South Eastern Union of Scientific Societies asking 
for co-operation in a scheme for the protection of wild plants. Mr. W. 
■T. Kaye said he thought it was quite impossible to provide any effective 
measures against depredators. The lepidoptera had been nominally 
protected, but it was notorious that such species as Lyeaena avion were 
persecuted without mercy. Mr. L. B. Prout thought that as a matter 
of form the Society might be said to be not strong enough in 
Botanists to be able to give any material aid. 
Variation in Luperina testacea. —Mr. W. J. Kaye, a box of Lupe- 
rina testacea from Richmond Park. They were taken by searching the 
grass with a lantern. Attention was directed to the general dark- 
colour of the race as a whole, and especially to certain extra dark 
individuals, which had been mistaken when at rest with Thalera 
cespith, with which, however, the species occurred freely. 
Dark aberrations of Synopsia abruptaria. —Mr. H. Harris, a 
brood of Synopsia abruptaria, containing normal and extremely dark 
chocolate forms. 
Eurymus croceus aberration. —Mr. C. P. Pickett, a short series 
of Puny inns croceus ( C alias edusa), one ? in which approached nearly 
to the aberration obsoleta. 
