20 
Now I am going to ask your indulgence for not carrying out that 
excellent advice. In the first place, as doubtless, you already know 
I am not always up-to-date with regard to what is taking place outside 
our own Society, and secondly, our secretaries have shown you so well 
what has been done among ourselves, that it would be only repetition 
on my part to enlarge upon what has already been said; and as to the 
future guidance of our Society, my conservative nature precludes me 
from attempting to disturb the peace that exists, therefore, I have to 
attempt to make a few Entomological remarks, trusting that they may 
be of some interest to a portion of our members, at any rate. 
Although I have not been as active in field work this year, as I some¬ 
times have been, my experience as far as it goes would not lead me to 
think that it has been a red letter year for the collector. During the 
early spring, there were some remarkably late frosts, which probably 
may account for the scarcity of some species, more particularly those 
whose larvre were recently hatched, for apparently larvse that have 
hybernated are not inconvenienced to any extent from that cause. It 
has also been a year of remarkably few rarities; they have certainly 
not fallen to my lot, and according to the journals, very few insects of 
note have been recorded. Among the most interesting was the capture 
of several Sphinx pinastri in the usual localities of Suffolk. Although 
the insect is believed by some to have been introduced into this country, 
it is clear that it has a strong liking for the Eastern counties, as I 
remember seeing a specimen taken in the neighbourhood of Ipswich 
some 30 years ago. A few Antiopa have put in an appearance, and 
there is a record of Fraxini from Suffolk. 
It has sometimes seemed as if the study of British Lepidoptera was 
almost worn out, the “ mere collector ” knows where to take nearly 
everything, and the amount of reference literature on the subject has 
not left a stone unturned. My only excuse now for attempting to 
go over ground which, to some, has become trodden to death, is the 
consideration that we have young members in our Society, some of 
whom may still find interest in subjects which, to others, are entirely 
exhausted. 
In the first place, I should like to pass a few remarks on that 
ever increasing tendency to melanism which we see in our London 
district. I have to confess that I have made no strict data as to the 
number of dark forms compared with the type of any one species 
observed during one year, but I can clearly see that betularici var. 
doubledap aria is much more frequently seen than it was, say eight 
years ago, when I took the first specimen I ever met with in London.. 
I believe the latest addition to the list of melanic forms is a magnificent 
specimen of a black Acronicta leporina, bred this year by my friend 
Mr. Willsden. The larva was taken last year in south Essex, within 
the area affected by London smoke, and it produced an insect with glossy 
black forewings, with some of the markings which are usually black, 
showing up in a lighter colour. The thorax and body are black, 
but the underwings almost normal, only the veins showing out rather 
more strongly. I have seen specimens from Delamere with the thorax 
black, and smoky forewings, but they will in no way compare with the 
specimen just referred to. As far as my experience goes, this specimen 
is unique, but it is always dangerous to make assertions in Entomo- 
