10 
fore-wings bisected throughout its length a distinct dark line, 
which was faintly continued in the corresponding white band on the 
hind-wings. Mr. May said he had found that, if well shaken up in a 
pill-box, male Nyssia hispidaria expanded their wings, although 
they had been out of the pupa for some hours without showing the 
least sign of the usual expansion. Other members mentioned 
instances of lepidoptera having duly expanded after remaining un¬ 
expanded an unreasonable time since their emergence from pupa. 
Mr. Tutt said that lepidoptera ( Aylais urticae in particular) might be 
removed from their pupa-shells some hours before they were due to 
emerge, and, if the thin membrane swathing the various parts had been 
carefully removed, they would wait till they were matured, and then 
the wings would expand as usual. 
March 17th, 1896.—Exhibits:—Mr. Nicholson exhibited a simple 
piece of apparatus for taking insects off gas-lamps without climbing 
them. It was invented by Messrs. Hughes & Cooper, of Thornton 
Heath, by whom it was sent for exhibition, and consisted of an 
oblong tin box, fitted with a glass front, a ferrule at the bottom, 
into which a stick can be placed. The back of the box slides 
up and down, being worked by a spring. In working the appara¬ 
tus the back is pulled down by a string held in the hand, the open back 
of the box is placed over the moth on the lamp, the string is allowed 
to go, and the back closes rapidly with a click. The members 
considered that many of the specimens would most likely be cut in 
pieces with the upsliding back. Mr. Heasler exhibited a beautiful 
specimen of Phorodesma pustulata, which he had found when freshly 
emerged at Hendon, the empty pupa-case being near; also two 
Aventia flexula from the New Forest. Mr. Tutt called attention to the 
unsatisfactory state of our knowledge with regard to the affinities of 
Aventia flexula. He pointed out that Stainton included it among 
the Geometrides. Newman did not include it in his book at all, so 
that he evidently considered that its affinities were not with any 
of the super-families he described as comprising the Macro-Lepidoptera. 
Some authorities give it a position in close proximity to the Deltoides, 
treating it as a distinct family. The peculiar larval structure sug¬ 
gested that its affinities were rather with the Catocalids, and most 
recent authors are agreed as to this. He remarked that, in a recent 
paper, Prof. Grote places this genus in the Boletobiini, a tribe of the 
Catocaline moths, and writes :—“ The suppression of the prolegs in the 
Catocalinae, especially in the Boletobiini, where it reaches its maximum 
in Boletobia and Aventia, would seem to be of phylogenetic importance.” 
He reminded the members, however, that Mr. Tugwell considered 
the larva of Boletobia fuliginaria a true Geometrid, but as he troubled 
little about structural peculiarities, his opinion may not be worth 
much, and although Mr. Tutt saw the larva that Mr. Tugwell roared, 
he carried no remembrance of it sufficiently definite to be of service. 
Mr. Heasler also showed a specimen of Geometra papilionaria, captured 
about 9.80 p.m., at Polegate. In a discussion which ensued it was 
elicited that the species is on the wing, as a rule, from 9 p.m. until 
very late, and that it frequently oame frooly to light, but always at a 
late hour. Mr. May stated that Asplialiaflavieonm was not nearly so 
