TRANSACTIONS 
OF THE 
(Kxtjj of Honfratt (Sittontologrral mb 
Natural History Stomtji. 
Reports of Meetings & Abstracts of Papers Read. 
Tuesday, 20 tk December, 1892.—Exhibits of Colias edusa were made 
by Messrs. Bacot, Battley, Bayne, Clark, Hill, Lewcock, Nicholson, 
Prout, Riches, Rosevear and Smith, and included several var. Jielice and 
intermediate forms between that and the type, also a preserved larva. 
Coleoptera.—Mr. Lewcock, Nebria complanata, taken by Mr. Cuthbert, 
in Ireland; Pachyta collaris, and several other species from Farnliam; 
Cryptocephalus fidcratus and others from West Wickham, and several 
sjDecies from Brockenhurst. 
Mr. Battley then opened the discussion on “ The Colias edusa of 
1892.” After expressing his thanks to various gentlemen who had sent 
him notes, he gave a general sketch of the appearance of edusa in 1892. 
“ The earliest record was from the New Forest by Mr. P. W. Ridley of 
Bath, on 24th May. On the following day (25tli) edusa was seen at 
Blandford (Dorset), Gussage near Cranborne, and, about this date, at 
Bognor and Weymouth. On 28th, Dorking and Chichester produce 
records, and on the 29th, Cowley (Oxon), and one unaccountable speci¬ 
men at Doncaster. May 30th shows a further extension to Mickleham, 
Bexley, Dartford and Cambridgeshire, and on May 31st, the extension 
in a westerly direction is continued by records from Clevedon and 
South Devon. After this, edusa is recorded almost every day up to 
26th June, reaching St. Bees on the north, and Tenby westwards. He 
then discussed the theories as to the origin of these specimens. The 
first, that they were bred in England the previous autumn and had 
liybernated, was disproved by the fact that edusa was scarce in the 
autumn of 1891, and that the spring specimens were above the average 
in size. The second theory, that they were the result of eggs laid by 
the autumn brood, the larvee having fed up during the winter, was 
hardly possible, as the spring specimens were chiefly worn and faded; 
the few fresh specimens taken being similar to the few Gonepteryx 
rliamni, which could be obtained in good condition in the spring. He 
therefore, held to the ‘ migratory theory,’ as explaining their occur¬ 
rence ; the reasons given being, their large size and tattered condition, 
and the dates of appearance. If they had been English, either hyber- 
nated or freshly emerged, they would appear in a scattered way over 
the country, but on the contrary, the first record (New Forest), was 
followed in regular order by others at further and further distances from 
B 
