16 
remarked that the imago has a light band across the front wings 
which is difficult to see when the insect is set, but is very con¬ 
spicuous when it is at rest. Mr. Battley exhibited various lepidoptera 
from Southend (Essex), including Lycoe?ia argiolus , Biston hirtaria , 
Aleucis pictaria , Cilix spinula , several Tseniocampidae, and Psyche 
pullella. Mr. Smith, Pachycnemia hippocastanaria , Ephyra punctaria , 
Anarta myrtilli. , etc., from the New Forest; also on behalf of Mr. 
Tremayne, Lobophora hexapterata , Eupithecia nanata , vars. of Fidonia 
atomaria , Phytometra cenea , etc. from the same locality. 
Dr. Buckell exhibited a series of Biston hirtaria , on which he made 
some remarks. He stated that the bright green ova of this species 
were deposited in large clusters. He had never found them in a 
state of nature, but judging from those deposited in captivity, one 
would expect to find them in crannies of the bark, although the 
lime, its favourite food in London, was not a tree that had a rough 
surface. He suggested that the female might ascend to the boughs 
for ovipositing. The larvae are very general feeders, almost every tree 
and shrub being attacked by them. The imago is interesting as 
having a tendency, especially in the females, towards a diaphanous 
condition. The colour of the blood differs in the two sexes, that of 
the males being yellow, and the females green. The type form in 
London may be said to be yellowish brown, with transverse black 
bands, the band near the hind margin being especially prominent, 
but in some specimens the yellowish brown ground colour is replaced 
by grey, while in others (especially females) the darker colour extends 
entirely over the wing, which thus becomes almost melanic. In 
another variety the transverse bands become reduced to lines, and 
occasionally the area between the outermost band and the hind 
margin, which is normally pale, becomes black. The insect emerges 
from the pupa usually between ir a.m. and i p.m., pairing takes 
place the same night, the pairs remaining together until late on the 
following day, the ova being deposited during the next night. 
He remarked on the abundance of this species in London, where he 
had taken it usually on lime and acacia trees and occasionally at 
light, but judging from the readiness with which it exchanged, it 
would appear that it was not generally common in the country. Mr. 
Tutt stated that he had seen male specimens of this species from 
Germany which were quite black, and that a local race occurred at 
Bannoch, but that although he had reports of the insect from many 
localities in England, it did not seem to be so exceedingly common 
elsewhere as in London. Mr. Prout had bred it from the ova, and 
had found that it would eat hawthorn freely. He had also taken 
the larvae on pear in his garden. He noticed that they were more 
brightly marked when young than when more advanced in age. They 
pupated in or on the earth, without forming any cocoon. Several of 
the females had failed to develop their wings, and he suggested that 
this was owing to the sluggish habits of the insect, and that, as their 
wings were used .so seldom, they were gradually becoming apterous, 
like the allied species, Phigalia pilosaria and Nyssia hispidaria. Mr. 
Battley remarked that he had a specimen in his box, taken at 
Southend, but it was the only one he saw there. He had found the 
larvae common in his garden on the side-shoots of elm and poplar, 
