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Zoologisch-Botanische Datenbank/Zoological-Botanical Database

Digitale Literatur/Digital Literature

Zeitschrift/Journal: Societas entomologica

Jahr/Year: 1910

Band/Volume: 25

Autor(en)/Author(s): Leigh H. S.

Artikel/Article: A Biological Inquiry into the Nature of Melanism in Amphidasys betularia, Linn., 27-28 © Biodiversity Heritage Library, http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/;•Zi www.zobodat.at

Kxpciimenten sind Licht-, Nalininf^'s-, Einatmungs-, nutzen, \iiiliiçlit um durch sie beijui-m zu den Exkre- Hy brilla tions-, Kastrations-, Trauspla.iitiitions-, .Rcgene- menten wilder Büffel geführt zu werden. ratiuns- und Vin'wachsungsversuclie besprochen, uiu Be- Wieder sind 2 gynandromorphe Amei.sen vorgezeigt weis l'ür die Vollständie-keit dieser Aliteiinng. Auch der worden, l''(ii'mica sanguinea und Myrraica scabrinodis. fortgeschrittenste Entomologe wird hier manches Neue finden. In keinem bisher erschienenen i'^achwerke finden wir den allgemeinen Teil in solch' meisterhafter Weise A Biological Inquiry into the Nature geschrieben. — Einem jeden Entomologen, nicht l)loss of Melanism Lepidopterologen, welche Fachwissenschaft er auch be- treibe, kann mit bestem (lewissen die Anschaffung des in Amphidasys betularia, Linn., hervorragenden Buches dringend empfohlen werden; er wird manche Anregung daraus schöpfen! Carl Frings. H. S. Leigh, F.E.S.,

the University, i\Ianchester,

It is well known to entomologists that dark varieties

57 : 08 of several species of moths have recently become increa- Entomologische Neuigkeiten. singly- common in many localities within the British Isles, and also that the dark forms are appearing in Die Zahl der nachts ihr Wesen treibenden Hyme- fresh districts. It is very desirable and important to nopteren ist nicht gross, wenigstens soweit unsere bis- know whether the colour of these dark races is protec- herigen Kenntnisse reichen. Leonardo Fea gewährte in tive or whether it has some other significance. Before, Burma einen Bombus oder (vielleicht Xylocopus), der however, any explanation of these phenomena can be eine nächtliche Lebensweise führte, er sammelte Honig attempted it is necessary to have, if jjossible, a fairly und Pollen im hellsten Mondschein. Nun berichtet correct knowledge of the resting habits of some of the P. Cameron über dieselbe Gewohnheit zweier sozialer species of moths w'hich are known to exhibit this mela- Wespen, der Yespa doryloides und Apoica virginea. nic variation. That is to say it is important to know Erstere hat grosse Aehnlichkeit mit der geflügelten whether the light-coloured .moths (for example the pep- Form von Dorylus, lebt in dichten Wäldern, fühlt sich pered form of A. betularia) generally rest during the im Tageslicht unbehaglich und wird erst nachts mobil. day^ on lichen-covered trunks of trees or am^ other light- Die Apoica hält sich Tags über ruhig in ihrem Nest coloured object, and also whether the dark insects (as auf und fliegt, Honig sammelnd, bei Nacht. the form Doubledayaria of A. betularia) select black Die Grafschaft Aberdeen in Schottland lieferte eine tree trunks or other dark-coloured objects on which hübsche neue Noctuide, die von Sir George F. Hampson to rest. als Peucephila n. g. essoni n. sp. besehrieben wurde. Information of this nature can only be obtained by Das Tierchen kam im Fichtenwald im Juli an den Köder the co-operation of very many entomologists, for the und gehört zu den Hadeninae. Seine Färbung lässt chance of obtaining sufficient evidence from the obser- darauf schliessen, däss es wohl gewöhnlich an Fichten- vations of one or two persons is very remote. V stämmen ruht. I should therefore be extremely grateful if entomo- \, Adalia obliterata und Halyzia 18-guttàta wurden in logists would assist me in collecting information regar- Copula angetroffen. ding the resting habits of any of the undermentioned Li einem englischen Orchideenhäus sehlüpfte die species of moths belonging to the, Geometrae which seltene Castnia therapon aus. Die leere Puppenhülse may come under their notice during the present summer. wurde zwischen den Wurzeln einer Stanhopea gefunden, Although the investigation wbich I am making is

die schon seit einem -Jahr im Besitz Dr. Wallaces war. really on the ,, melanism" of A. hetularia, the chances Sie kam aus Buenos-Ayres, stammte aber ursprünglich of obtaining sufficient records about the resting habits aus Santos in Brasilien, land es ist anzunehmen, dass of this species alone -would be so small that I have inclu- beide, die Orchis und die Castnia den beinahe unbe- ded several other well-known melanic species in the list, kamiten Hügelkomplex südwestlich von Santos be- in the hope that each entomologist may be able to wohnen, der sich zwischen der Sierra und der See hin- make at least one record about one of the species in zieht. \yahrscheinlich sind die Küstenwälder reich und the list from his own observations. Particulars are weniger erforscht, da die meisten Eeisenden sich dem requested concerning the following: — Innern zuwenden. Da die Pflanze geholt worden ist Amphidasys betularia {Peppered Moth). als sie in Trockenzusta^id sich befand, wurde offenbar Odontoptera bidentata {Scalloped Hazel). die Entwicklung der Castnia verzögert, nur so erklärt Phigalia pilosaria {Pale Brindled Beauty). sich die mehrjährige Puiipenruhe. Amphidasys prodrouiaria {Oali Beauty). Auf Ceylon sind eine Blume nachahmende Wanzen Boarmia repandata {Mottled Beauty). beobachtet worden und zwar rufen eine vereinte Menge Boarmia abietaria {Safin Carpet). derselben, Dysdercus cingulatus, diesen Eindruck hervor. Boarmia rhomboidaria {Willow Beauty). Sie leben auf dem ..Suriya" tree, Thespesia populnea Hybernia progemmaiia {Dotted Border). und sind derartig auf der Spitze der Zweige gruppiert, Gnojihos obscurata {Annulet). dass sie der roten Blüte des Baumes gleichen. Confirmatory evidence is of great value, and I Ebenfalls auf dieser gesegneten Insel würden ge- should be very glad to receive records made independ- flügelte' Dipteren tragende Coleopteren gesehen. Auf ently by different persons for the same locality. Scarabaeus gangeticus liefen behende, kleine, zu den Eeplies may be sent to H. S. Leigh, the Univer- Boi-boriden gehörende ,~ Fliegen umher. Einer der Käfer sity. ^Manchester, England. : hatte 12, zwei andere 3 auf sich, doch ist es wahrschein- All help received will be fully acknowledged on lich, dass weitere beim Fang davongeflogen sind. Es publication, and I would like here to express (as it has scheint, dass die Fhegen nicht als Parasiten auf den not yet been possible to publish anything upon the Käfern leben.- sondern diese als Transportmittel be- subject) my great indebtedness: to those English ento- © Biodiversity Heritage Library, http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/; www.zobodat.at — 2?

mologists who have previously sent valuable informa- The lodging house repast was patriarchal, the herds tion concerning the distribution, etc., of the various of black cows that wander among "the pheasant's ey es forms of A. betularia in their own particular districts and red poppies, or Shaarari, on the Plain of Sharon, in compliance with a former request. where we had seen a Blue Jay, we were told were unwell, the mutton proved to be tough like leather and the veal hard and black, scarcely eatable save when made the 57 (.56.9) second day into a stew; and to drink, there was soft Old Inhabitants The water flavoured with grape syrup, or dibs; Those large of a Jerusalem Garden. cauliflowers that provoked the wonderment of Horatius Bonar were only in season when the bright bands of by A. H. Swinton. Orion had set, and shivering mortals awaited the sweet the fifth of of the year I It was May 1906 when influence of the Pleiads and returning horn of the Bull. arrived with a portmanteau at the lodging house kept During the conversation that followed no one mentioned in the suburbs of Jerusalem, by Mrs. Eeardon and the Babylon or Rome, but how were Edom and Moab and Paschal Butterflies, Thais cerisyi, whose notched, red Gilead, once the seat of war, become with young women wings keep in a crown of thorns, bedropped memory had the land of romance, there were no grapes comparable ceased to wander adown the rough slope of Olivet among to those ofEs-Salt, no bridle paths like those of Kerak, a glow of ensanguined cyclamen and the fading glory of no harum-scarum gallop in the moonlight more full of scarlet anemones. The pension in which I found myself sentiment than a ride to the rock-hewn temples of Petra. located, consisted in a central diningroom on which dor- At the conclusion of the sociable repast a sleek cat, long- either hand; behind a kitchen mitories opened on was legged, lean and mouse coloured, was seen with wistful the flat roof an cistern to collect and overhead on open eyes and a paw on the table. the former and latter rain of winter. No doves or pigeons racooed to greet the returning year; they are not now There were a pair of foxy dogs, cousins, I should much kept in Judea, and the last lion that came up from imagine, of the jackals, one brown and the other black, the swelling of the Jordan they say was killed by the that came of their own accord to guard the lodging crusaders, the wild ass does not snuff the air on Olivet house at night with their Barabbas barkings, and I was aroused betimes the following morning by the voice of the and the gazelle of the dawn is not seen there. Adown black descended from Olivet with sour the lanes of Bethlehem a large white sow wanders at its Sophie, who had milk or leben, the customary intimation that she at its own sweet will, for the pale-faced inhabitants are and Bukrah, the after tomorrow. christians; and still a carob tree, Ceratonia siliqua, whose would be paid Bad day flowers have no corolla, lingers beside an arab village, Breakfast over, 1 sauntered out in the garden on which the diningroom opened. What the tree mustard and where it dropped its fattening husks for the Roman swine. gigantic rue of Macherus were no one knew any more How centuries had flown! On entering my dormitory I noticed a whitey-brown, long-legged arachnide, called by than Mathew, Luke and Mark; but in front of the house a so called Pepper Tree, Schimas molle, murmured in the Arabs Ankaboot, on the window pane ; and imagining air, it stood a green, flj^-licking this to be the Accabish, or handy spider alluded to by King the wanton and on vulgaris, which seized col- Solomon, when at leisure I sat down and made a sketch chameleon, Chameleo when lapsed with the squeal of a crushed cabbage, recalling of it which I sent to Mr. Pickard Cambridge who being unable to identify this with the Pholcus phelangioides its Hebrew name of Coach, and became black with that was an eyesore in his Dorsetshire church, desired terror; its relatives the geckoes, my old companions in a specimen in alcohol. The Pholcus abounds some years the Mauritius, I had missed from the window pane; but Fitzjohn, in the west of England and on the western seaboard of presently a manservant arrived from Miss the then superintendent of the school for few girls, on whom France, and it is wonderful to see it wait for the blue- I a call, a dessicated specimen; there are bottle flies at sundown and hang them up like legs of had paid with mutton, screaming in a winding sheet. those who consider the gecko is the spider of the Scrip- a of single Having rested, I strolled out in the cloudless sunshine tures. Behind the Pepper Tree lay waste these, I imagine, with my missionary acquaintance, Mr. JosejDh, to the roses, wild beneath the snows of Lebanon Jaffa Gate where are hotels and tourist agencies, and had been planted here by the catholic proprietor in arrived their here amid the concourse of copper-coloured men and honour of the Virgin: when summer leaves dromedaries resembling shoe leather with a white one became corroded by an orange fungus, which, according died at Bethlehem, A. D. 420, is the among them, flies, the minions of Baalzebub, arose with to Jerome, who prove surging hum from the comestibles exposed for sale by Chasil of the prophet Joel, provided the same bronzed arab traders, who sat crosslegged and motionless not to beithe blight or a leaf-rolling caterpillar. In Isaiah

: spoil shall be gathered like the, gathe- like idol gods. No doubt but what these were the flies we read And your that cause opthalmia and which in the days of King ring of the Chasil, and as the locusts leap shall he leap respecting Soloman contaminated the drugs of the apothecary; upon them' : and Asaph, the Psalmist, adds their with those I found congregated on Mrs Reardon's refuse the plagues of Egypt : „He destroyed vines details not heap on my return, Mr. Wingate, author of the Durham hail and their sycamore trees with frost", Diptera, informed me were the English House Fly, Musca found elsewhere. No sycamore tree grew in the garden domestica, known to the Arabs as Dubban Balady, the and I do not known where it exists on the tree-less hills kitchen Blue Bottle with the Red Cheeks, Calliphora around Jerusalem, the Ficus sycomorus is at home erythrocephala. the Green Fly, Lucilia caesar, and the among the scorpions beside the dusty waj'-side at Jericho,, grey-checkered, carrion loving, Sarcophaga carnaria: where Zaccheus climbed up it : Baal Hanan, the Gederite, the charge around the shade of the trees, Homalomyia sealaris, in the days of King David, was intrusted with that whiles the summer hour in Europe and North of the olives and sycamores in the low plains.

America, went on its circling dance and invited to a {to be continued). garden chair to meditate on Olivet that rose in prospect thinly dotted over with olives and crowned with an arb village and lean Russian belfry.

Eigentum von Fritz Rulil's Erben, Zürich. — Redaktion: M. Riihl, Zurich V. — Fritz Lehmanns Verlag G. m. b. H., Stuttgart. Druck der Sc h ell' sehen Buchdruckerei, V. Kraemer, Heilbronn.