4 
in intensity, sometimes rather closely uniting the two bands. The 
basal half of the inner band may be strong, or weak, or obsolete. The 
outer band is sometimes weak apically, the black inclining to greyish. 
In one specimen, forced in 1893, from a Rainham (Essex) pupa, the 
left hind-wing has a pale, almost obsolete, inner band.” 
January 19th, 1897. — Captures at Brockenhurst and Loughtonin 
1896. — Mr. E. Heasler : a series of Aplecta prasina [her bid a) taken at 
sugar, in June last, at Brockenhurst; series of Hyiophila bicolorana, 
bred from larvae taken at Loughton, and H. prasinana captured at 
sugar in the New Forest. Dark aberration oe Acherontia atropos. — 
Mr. J. A. Clark : a dark specimen of A. atropos, the larva being taken at 
Walthamstow, in August, and imago emerging Nov. 25th. Aberra¬ 
tions of Angerona prunaria. —Mr. Clark : also picked variable forms 
of A. prunaria var. sordiata, 6 males, 4 females, bred from ova laid by a 
female, the last of three impregnated by the same male. The brood 
consisted of 82 larvae, of which about 65 successfully passed through all 
stages. Amongst the males, variation occurred in the size of the orange 
marking near the apical angle of fore-wings, which marking coalesced 
with the central orange area in one specimen; in another, the orange 
area was streaked with black lines. A female was asymmetrically 
marked, the left hind-wing being without the broad dark border present 
on the right. Aberrations of Aglais urtic.e and Pieris rap.e. — Also 
A. ( Vanessa ) urticae, caught in August last, at Ponder’s End, with the 
black spots at costal margin much suffused, and the two outer con¬ 
fluent. Also two abs. of P. rapae from the same locality, the upper wings 
of one, a male, being almost perfectly white, with no darkening at tip 
of fore-wings, and the black spot in the middle showing dimly ; the 
second, a female, having the hinder of the two spots on the upper wing in 
duplicate. Lar\ve of Trochilium crabroniforme. — Mr. G. R. Garland : 
larvae of T. crabroniforme (bembecifminis') from Manchester, feeding on 
wood of willow. Nyssia zonaria. — Mr. Garland also exhibited a series of 
N. zonaria taken at Blundellsands, near Liverpool; and a sample of cotton 
made by a new patent process to imitate silk. Dasychira pudibunda 
emerging in November. — Mr. D. C. Bate : Five well-marked male and 
one female Dasychira pudibunda, bred from larvae with black hairs ; all 
emerged in November, having been kept indoors. Pcecilocampa populi. 
— He also exhibited P. populi, the larva having been beaten at Dorking. 
Dwarf IIybernia defoliaria. — In endeavouring to breed H. defoliaria , 
Mr. Bate said his imagines emerged dwarfs, three being exhibited. The 
lame were obtained at Dulwich, and wild moths shown from the same 
locality were of normal size. Mr. Clark suggested that the dwarfing was, 
perhaps, caused by keeping the larvae too dry. History of silk. — 
Mr. L. J. Tremayne read a paper entitled “ The History of Silk,” and 
a vote of thanks was heartily accorded him. 
Feb. 2nd, 1897. — Larvae of Bombyx (Lasiocampa) quercOs and B. 
spartii. — Mr. Bacot exhibited larvae of liombyx spartii and B. quercus 
from ova laid by parents (received from Mr. Warburg) from S. France, 
and larvae of English quercus (received from Mr. Goymour). Also blown 
larvae of Bombyx rubi, B. trifolii , Clisiocampa castrcnsis, for comparison. 
He said that the difference between spartii and tho French quercus was 
quite apparent aftor the 2nd moult, but was more marked after the 
