REPORTS OF MEETINGS. 
December 17th, 1895.—Exhibits:—Rev. C. R. N. Burrows: a 
specimen of Chanclea umbra infested by a hair worm (Gordius 
aquaticus), a creature parasitic on Crustacea, fish and insects (both land and 
water), at various stages of its existence ; also a preserved larva of Ptilo- 
phora plum it/era, showing a bifurcated structure on the second segment 
in a corresponding position to that occupied by the transverse slit in 
Dicranura rinula, through which the larva ejects an acrid fluid when 
annoyed; this was retracted when the larva was quiescent. Mr. 
Tutt said that this structure was popularly known as the “ chin-gland,”, 
and was very common in larva? belonging to very divergent groups of 
the Lepidoptera. He suggested that it was probably of service in 
protecting the larva from its enemies, and he suggested the possibility 
of its having once been more distinctly functionally active than it 
appeared to be at the present time. Mr. Mera : a specimen of 
Saturnia pavonia, which was principally female, but the wings on the 
left side were shaped and coloured like male wings, though somewhat 
paler ; the right wings were just tinged here and there with male 
coloration, and the left antenna was decidedly more pectinated than the 
right. He also showed two bred examples of ('ularia silaceata, from 
Morpeth ; both were very pale, and the markings were very indistinct 
in one of them ; part of the brood emerged in August, and were dark, 
the rest came out in the following May, and were mostly light. 
Captain Thompson (on behalf of Dr. Buckell): a long series of 
Orrhodia lipula ; they were bred from a batch of ova laid by a Hereford¬ 
shire female, found by Dr. Chapman. The moths, as soon as their 
wings had dried after emergence, crept under a piece of moss in 
the breeding-cage, and remained concealed during the daytime. Mr. 
Sauz6 : male and female specimens of Anthidium manicatum (the 
Hoop-shaver bee) from Deal. Mr. Tutt exhibited, on behalf of Mr. 
W. F. de V. Kane, some specimens of Melitaea aurinia, illustrating 
the var. praeclara, Kane, and the ab. hibernica, Birchall, and read the 
following notes, which Mr. Kane had forwarded with the specimens : — 
“ The specimens sent consist of (1) Three specimens of M. aurinia 
from Cromlyn, part of the batch out of which Mr. Birchall named his 
ab. hibernica. Of these the 3rd is the nearest to his description. As 
to the ? , Mrs. Battersby has none in her collection two inches in 
expanse, much less two inches three lines. Mr. Birchall says in his 
descriptions:' $ Fore-wings black, etc.’ ; 1 ? Fore-wings fulvous’ 
and no mention of black on the wings. The damaged third is an 
authentic specimen given by Bircball to the late Mr. S. R. 
Fetherstonhaugh, of Dublin, apparently a ? var. scotica, and No. 
1 is a $ of the same.’ (2) ‘ Four specimens of M. aurinia of my own 
capture. No. 1 is from Wicklow, the best ab. hibernica I have ever taken. 
Nos. 2, Band 4, my var .praeclara from Wexford, Kerry and Waterford.” 
Mr. Tutt, remarking on the specimens, said: — “ There is no doubt 
from Birchall’s remarks in the hint. Mo. Mat/., vol. x., p. 154, that 
he was not very conversant with the forms that M, aurinia takes, for he 
