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Wednesday, June 2nd, 1915.

The Honble. N. CHARLES ROTHSCHILD, MA., F.L.S., F.Z.S., President, in the chair.

Election of a Fellow.

Dr. A. B. NORTHCOTE, Blenheim House, Monkgate, York. was elected a Fellow of the Society.

Exhibitions.

LARVAE OF AGRIADES ESCHER1.-Dr. CHAPMAN exhibited some full-fed larvae of Agriades escheri bred from the egg. They were of the Pyrenean form (var. rondoui), which is smaller and less heavily marked than the central European form. The larva is also smaller and paler. As distinguished from other similar larvae of blue butterflies (Polyoininatus and Agriades), perhaps the most definite points are the brightness and especially the narrowness and definition of the yellow lateral line, and the absence, or all but absence, of the dorsal yellow lines. The colour of the hairs distinguish it from P. icarus and A. thersites, which otherwise it perhaps most nearly resembles.

VARIATION IN ORNITHOPTERA ALEXANDRAE. - Mr. 0. E. JANSON exhibited specimens of Ornithoptera alexandrae selected from a series to show the extreme variations in the wing- markings ; also a female example of Morphotenaris kenricki; all from New Guinea.

METHOD OF BREEDIKG PSOCIDAE, ETC.-Mr. c. B. WILLIAMS exhibited a method of breeding Psocidae and other sinall insects which feed on fungi, etc. It consists of a large test-tube with a constriction near the base ; the lower conipart- ment was partly filled with water and the constriction plugged with absorbent cotton-wool; in the upper part the medium on which the fungus is growing (bran, potato, wood chips, etc.) is placed, and finally the mouth of the tube is also plugged with cotton-wool. The water in the lower chamber keeps the upper one sufficiently moist for fungus and insect life without any condensation on the glass. The tube shown

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contained Psocidae (species undetermined) which were thriving on bran on which fungi were growing (Trichothecium and Penicillium). A few of the Psocidae were introduced into the tube last September, and now, after about nine months, during which time the tube has not been opened, there were large numbers of all stages in very healthy condition.

BEE AND PLANT FERTIL1SATION.-The Rev. F. D. ORICE ICE exhibited a 9 of the solitary bee Andrenu labialis taken near Woking on May 19, 1915, having attached to the disc of its clypeus a vegetable substance apparently a pollinium of some orchid.

NOTEWORTHY ANTS. - Mr. DOWISTHORPE exhibited speci- mens of Anochetus cameroni, Forel, a new species taken by Dr. Cameron a t San Roque, December, 1914, and Cremasto- gaster inflaflata, I?. Smith, taken by Mr. Bryant a t Sarawak, December, 1913. The latter species has the thorax distended, which acts as a reservoir for honey, in the same way as the distended gasters of the true " Honey Ants."

FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON AFRICAN INSECTS BY DR. G. D. H. CARPENTER.-PrOf. POULTON said that he had re- ceived another consignment of insects and further letters from Dr. Carpenter, who still remained in the same locality, viz. Kakindu. about 30 miles west of the Victoria Nyanza, 1" 10' South lat. and 31" 30' East long. Writing March 22, 1915, Dr. Carpenter had added the following information to the notes read to the Society on May 5 last :-

" By the way, in my ' Wagtail observations ' I forgot to mention that though Acraeines were not a t the pool drinking, Tirumala mercedonia [Karsch] was there, and a t one time I saw a wagtail sitting on a large stone on which half-a-dozen mercedonia were also sitting, within a few inches of it, but taking not the. least notice of them (even less than it did of the numerous ' whites'), although it would eagerly seize any of the numerous Atella which it could get, when they settled there."

The following captures were exhibited to the ineeting :- 1. Nineteen males of Papilio ridleyanus, Ward. - Dr.

Carpenter, in his letter published in Proc. Ent. SOC. 1915, p. Ixiv, had called attention to the frequent occurrence of

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an orange subapical patch on the fore-wing upper surface of ridleyanus from Kakindu and had suggested that the marking was related to the pattern of the eastern Acvaea zetes, L., viz. the form acaya, Hew. The comparison of Dr. Carpenter’s 19 male examples with those from further west had confirmed this suggestion (p. lxvii, n.). Nineteen additional niales captured between February 23 and March 10, and received in Dr. Carpenter’s second consignment, were now exhibited, providing still further confirmation. The orange marking was conspicuous in 3 examples, small in 4, represented by a slight dusting of orange scales in 6, and absent from 6.

2. A new Lopigicoria inirnic of the Lycidae.-Dr. Carpenter had noted concerning the longicorn beetle (Lainiidae), Syn- nupserha honzeyeri, Har., var., that it was an “ excellent lycoid on wing.” The specimen, captured in thick forest, February 13, 1915, had been kindly named by Mr. C. J. Gahan.

3. A Pyrrhocorid bug nzimicking a Mutillid.-Dr. Carpenter had written the following note with reference to the Pyrrho- corid Myrwboplasta potteri, Martin : ‘ L Captured, Kakindu plain, March 7, 1915, as a Mutillid. General appearance and movements aery like. Abdomen when alive plump and rounded, and of brighter red. The insect quite took me in.”

A COMMON SYNAPOSEMATIC ASSOCIATION OF MALE AFRICAN PIERINAE PROBABLY SPECIALLY RELATED TO THE HABIT OF

DRINKING AT DAMP MUD.-D~. Carpenter had spoken (Pro- ceedings, 1915, p. lxvi) of the immense numbers of Pierines assembling to drink a t damp mud, of the evidence that they were but little attacked by wagtails, and of the mimicry of one of the commonest Pierine underside patterns by a Lycaenid, Phylaria cyara, Hew., which also came to drink at the same place.

The Pierines which thus assembled were probably always males. Mr. C. A. Wiggins had captured 153 specimens over a pool a t the Rippon Falls, Jinja, February 2, 1906, and all were males (Proc. Ent. SOC., 1906, p. 1). The simple and characteristic underside pattern niimicked by Phylaria cyara was best represented in these Kakindu collections by the

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males of Mylothris spica, Mosch., and M . poppea, Cr., closely resembled by the niales of Pinacopteryz dizeyi, Neave, and Phrissura Sylvia, F., respectively-associations described many years ago by Mr. S. A. Neave (Trans. Ent. SOC., 1906, p. 221) and Dr. F. A. Dixey (Proc. Ent. SOC., 1907, p. xviii). The pattern a t Kakindu consisted of a white ground-colour with black marginal spots, a large orange flush a t the base of the fore-wing and a much smaller one a t the base of the hind-wing costa. This latter marking in some species formed a narrow costal streak varying in length in different forms, or in varieties of the same species. The black apex of the fore-wing upper side was also more or less obscurely visible on the under- especially so in Phrissura sylvia. Other Kakindu species exhibiting niodifications of the same pattern were the males of Mylothris agathina, Cr., with smaller inarginal spots, orange of a deeper tint, and exposed ground-colour yellow instead of white, mimicked by some males of Piizacopteryx pigea, Boisd., with still smaller spots, smaller flush of the same deep tint, and paler yellow ground-colour ; the male Gluto- phrissn epaphia, Cr., without the spots, but with orange flush like that of the first-named four species and ground- colour only slightly yellower than these ; the male Phrissura phoebe, Butl., with smaller spots, linear flush on the hind- wing only, and nearly white ground-colour ; the commonest forms of male Pinacopteiyx yigea, with spots and hind-wing flush evanescent and faint greenish or yellowish ground- colour.

Although Dr. Carpenter’s specimens were always accom- panied by the most excellent data, the fact of capture a t mud was not specially recorded. We knew, however, froin Mr. C. A. Wiggins’s specimens from Jinja, that P. pigea had this habit, for 17 out of the 153 butterflies belonged to this species. Furthermore, Dr. Carpenter had written that on February 19 he had ‘’ visited a sinall puddle of water where many butterflies congregate and got some nice Pierines ” (Proceedings, 1915, p. lxix). Among the butterflies captured on Kakindu plain and bearing this date were the following male Pierines : 1 M . agathina, 3 P. pigea, 1 G. epaphia, 2 P. phoebe. The pool was again visited on February 20

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and the following males froni the plain bear this date: 1 M . agathina, 3 P. pigea, 1 G. epaphia, 2 P. phoebe-rather a curious coincidence that the numbers of each species should have been the same on the two days. Prof. Poulton had written to Dr. Carpenter and hoped to receive examples of all the species which congregated a t mud, showing their relative numbers ; but in the meantime it was already evident that the males of several species in this Pierine association have the habit.

With regard to the Lycaenid mimic Phylaria cyava the evidence was stronger. Dr. Carpenter had definitely stated that the species drinks with the Pierines a t Kakindu, although it was not specially recorded of the four specimens from this locality exhibited to the meeting. But the same naturalist had noted that 2 out of 5 examples, from 6 miles N.E. of Jinja, were captured, December 3, 1910, a t a damp spot by the roadside. Furthermore, Mr. W. A. Laniborn had made the following notes concerning 17 specimens of the allied western species PhyZaria stactaZla, Karsch, which possesses a similar Pierine pattern on the under surface.

2 $, " on path + mile from Oni : When one settled the other settled also a few inches off, and then, gradually sidling up, caused the first to take to flight. This was repeated each time the latter settled, the other walking sideways."

July 24, 1910. 2 $, on mud, forest, 1 niile E. of Oni, 70 miles E. of Lagos.

August 3, 1910. 1 8, on sandy soil, forest, 4 mile E. of Oni.

August 26, 1910. 1 9, in clearing, Oni. August 28, 1910. 1 8, on mud, forest, + mile E. of Oni. September 10, 1910. 1 0, on flower, forest, mile E. of

Oni. September 17, 1910. 1 8, on sheep's excrement, native

village, 1+ miles from Oni. September 19, 1910. 2 $, on lagoon shore mud, near Oni

clearing. September 24, 1910. 1 $, on mud, forest, 1 mile E. of

Oni.

June 29, 1910.

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1 S, on mud, forest, + mile E. of September 27, 1910.

October 10, 1910. October 10, 1910. September 20, 1911.

October 1, 1911. Mr. Laniborn’s most interesting notes, copied from speci-

mens in the Hope Department, made it clear that drinking a t damp places was a marked habit of the male P. stactalh, thus supporting Dr. Carpenter’s suggestion as to the meaning of the under-surface pattern.

hibited a family of five examples of Acraeajohnsto.izi, Godm., bred by the Rev. K. St. A. Rogers a t Sagalla, British E. Africa, together with the female parent. The latter and four of the offspring were of the form coizfusa, Rogenh. In the parent the hind-wing patch was yellow, in one of the offspring it was of a slightly paler shade, and in three others it was nearly white. The fifth specimen was an aberration perhaps due to starving. It was a small male in which the fore-wing spots were almost transparent, and the pale hind-wing patch much reduced, giving the example somewhat the appearance of A. Zycoa f . keiaia, Eltr.

It was interesting to note that the offspring were all of the confusa form, whereas in another recorded family bred a t Nguelo, Usambara, there were three of the sew$uZcescens or typical form, four fuluescens, one confusa of the black and white variety, and one cohfusa with yellow patch on hind- wing. Another point of interest in the family exhibited was that though the actual date of pupation varied in the different examples emergence had taken place in every case in nine days after pupation.

I n view of a recent discussion he also exhibited a pair of Acraea braesia, Godm., taken in coitc, in which case the male was carrying the female. The captor, Mr. Rogers, had written to say that this was apparently always the case in this species.

LIVING ELATER SANGUINOLENTUS. - Comm. WALKER ex- hibited living specimens of E. sanguinolentus, Schr., beaten

Oni. 1 8, in clearing, Oni. 1 9, forest, 1 mile E. of Oni.

1 9, on top leaf, forest, 4 mile E. of Oni.

1 3, forest, h mile E. of Oni.

A FAMILY O F ACRAEA JOHNSTONI.-DR. ELTRINGHAM ex-

( lx= 1 from Piizus sylvestris a t Brockenhurst on the morning of the nieethg.

Paper. The following paper was rend :- " What the larva of Lycaeyia avioiz does during its last

instar," by T. A. CHAPMAN, M.D., F.Z.S., F.E.S.

Wednesday, October 6 t h , 1915. The Honble. N. CHARLES ROTHSCHILD, 1\1.-4., F.Z.S., F.L.S.,

President, in the Chair.

Electiou of Fellous. hlessrs. ARTHCR GIBSON, Entomological Branch, Dept. of

Agriculture, Ottawa, Canada, and HAROLD BEC'K WILLIANS, 62, Filey Avenue, Rtoke Newington, N., were elected Fellows o€ the Society.

Exlnbitioiis. LIVING LARVAE O F LPCAENA ARIOK.-capt. P C R E F G Y

exhibited young larvae of Lycneizn arioii, with an accoin- panying ant.

DRAWINGS OF LYCAEWIU LARVAE.-DL.. CHAPMAN exhibited drawings of various Lycaenid larvae with the Epidiascope.

DUTCH CHRYSOPIIAXUS DISPAR.-The Hon. N. c. ROTHS- CHILD exhibited four specimens of Chrysophanus dispwr, taken this year in Holland. The exhibitor stated that he believed the specimens in question were identical with the extinct British race. The examples were secured by Xr. R. A. Polak, 5 Noordstraat, Amsterdam. Two speciiiiens of this insect from Hungary were exhibited for coin parison.

CHAPMAN exhibited a specimen of a Dipteron, a species of Xemotelus (Fam. Stratiomyidae), sent him by Mr. F. 0. Whittle, who said it was quite common where the cases of Lu@a fer- chattltella occurred, and seemed of interest in view of a corn- munication to the Society by the exhibitor (Proc. Ent. SOC. 1901, p. viii) as t o the cases of Lt@a being imitated by R spider

A CURIOUS CASE OF SYNCRYPTIC RESEMBLANCE.-Dr.