6 
Xylomiges conspicillaris and Papilio podalirius.— Mr. G- H. Heath, 
a specimen of Xylomiges conspicillaris, bred from a dug pupa at 
Malvern, in September, 1897. Also a damaged specimen of Papilio 
podalirius, caught on the Wye Downs. Mr. W. J. Kaye remarked on 
the small size of the specimen, which at once pointed it to be a 
liberated bred specimen. 
Continental Pyralis octomaculata and Leucophasia sinapis.— 
Dr. T. A. Chapman, Pyralis octomaculata, from Locarno, and Leuco¬ 
phasia sinapis, from Bejar, Spain. 
Maniola janeira Aberrations.—M r. J. A. Clark, Maniola janeira, 
much bleached, from Berwick; also an exceedingly diminutive specimen 
of the same species. 
Aberrations of Aguotis segetum and Hypocrita Jacobs®. —Mr. 
S. J. Bell, some fine aberrations of Ayrotis seyetum ; also a remarkable 
Hypocrita jacobaeae, bred with a notch out of the right forewing. 
Coenocalpe vitalbata.— Mr. C. Nicholson, a bred series of Coenocalpe 
vitalbata, showing considerable degeneracy by inbreeding. 
Note on pabulum of Mimas tili^e.— Mr. A. W. Mera asked Mr. 
Pickett if he obtained more pupte of Mimas iiliae under elm or under 
lime. Mr. Pickett replied that he got many more at lime. 
Jan. 20th, 1903. —Donation of Transactions.— Mr. S. J. Bell 
advised receipt of a letter from the Secretary of the Lancashire and 
Cheshire Entomological Society acknowledging with thanks the gift 
of a complete set of Transactions. 
Gnophos obscurata. —Mr. A. Bacot, series of Gnophos obscurata 
from the New Forest and the Isle of Wight. Mr. A W. Mera showed 
a cabinet drawer of Geometridie, including a series of G. obscurata, 
amongst which was a very pale specimen taken at Freshwater, I.O.W. 
Mr. L. B. Prout also exhibited a long series of the same species, 
including specimens from Torquay tinged with reddish coloration, 
specimens from Lewes showed only the waved lines and annulets, all 
other markings being obsolete, and, lastly, a specimen taken at Folke¬ 
stone with wide pale marginal band. Mr. V. Eric Shaw exhibited a 
series of the same insect taken at Babbacombe showing the reddish 
tinge. 
Paper.— Mr. L. B. Prout read a paper, Variation in Gnophos 
obscurata. (Printed in Transactions.) Mr. A. W. Mera, having moved 
a formal vote of thanks, said we were too apt to assume that Natural 
Selection was the sole cause of response to environment. He instanced 
the fact that he was in the habit of taking an exceptionally dark form 
of Taeniocampa opima in a locality where the undergrowth was burnt 
down year after year. He had, however, seen specimens from the 
same locality taken ten years ago, before the systematic burning down 
had been begun, which were all of the more usual grey coloration. Mr. 
Mera expressed a doubt as to the possibility o^[selection producing 
such results in so short a space of tiine,fandjsuggested that there was 
also a response, possibly through effect on the nervous system, on the 
part of the insect. In support of this theory he referred to the almost 
immediate response of larvas to changed environment. Mr. A. Bacot 
seconded the vote of thanks, and asked with regard to the fixity of 
variation referred to by Mr. Prout, what happens where two forms 
exist in localities adjacent to one another. Do they cross or are the 
