THE MERA COLLECTION OF BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA. 125
EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE.
1. Common Barberry, a. Part of a normal shoot with leaves reduced
to a three-armed spine; one axillary leafy shoot only figured ; b. to
d., a series of leaves from the base of a sucker, showing stages between
a much-branched spine and a fairly normal leaf; the axillary leafy
shoots are omitted.
2. a to c. Leaves of Shepherd's Purse; varied forms from the basal
rosettes.
3. Holm Oak (Quercus Ilex), a. Spiny leaves from a sucker-shoot, the
bud-scales have long persistent stipules; b. Nearly entire leaves
from an upper twig.
THE MERA COLLECTION OF BRITISH
LEPIDOPTERA.
By W. S. GILLES, F.E.S.
HAVING been asked to report on the collection of British
Lepidoptera formed by the late Mr. A. W. Mera, formerly
of Forest Gate and later of Loughton, now in the Essex Museum
at Stratford, I have carefully gone through the cabinets and
made notes on the more interesting specimens.
The main collection is contained in two cabinets, one of
twenty, the other of forty drawers. The insects are generally
in excellent condition, a few only of the internal feeders being
affected with verdigris, the collector not having adopted the
modern practice of setting these on non-corrosive pins.
The now rather old-fashioned "low setting" is universal.
Mr. Mera had not confined his activities to his own neighbour-
hood, but had evidently visited many of the well-known collecting
grounds throughout the country. He had also acquired a fair
number of rare and interesting species by purchase, his being a
well-known figure at Stevens' Auction Rooms.
The collection is not rich in aberrant forms, though there are
several well worthy of notice.
Dealing with the Butterflies, I notice first an orange-coloured
Swallow-tail (P. machaon) ; while not so rare as the wholly
black form, this is an interesting variety. The single represen-
tative of the Bath White (P. daplidice) was taken at Deal in
1874 on the unimpeachable testimony of the late Mr. W. H.
Harwood. This rare immigrant is believed very occasionally
to produce progeny in this country, but is unable to resist the