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Journal of Proceedings.
exterminated by a man who collected it to supply nurserymen for graft-
ing purposes ; since that time he had seen specimens in Monk's Wood
on two occasions.
The President said that Mr. Woodrow had just placed in his hands
a flint implement, the history of which was not known. It appeared
to be a very fine specimen of a flint arrow-head.
Mr. T. R. Billups exhibited several rare and interesting species of
Coleoptera taken in Essex, and referred to in the President's Inaugural
Address. Amongst them was Spercheus emarginatus, which had become
so rare as to be considered extinct. Mr. Billups took many specimens
at West Ham during the years 1878-9. The female beetle carries the
egg-sac or pouch about until the young larvae are hatched. Also the
very minute but excessively rare Trichopteryx ambigua (Matthews). Of
this only two specimens were known from Belgium until Mr. Billups
discovered it in rotten Hornbeams at Loughton.
Mr. B. G. Cole exhibited a specimen of Sterrha sacraria, taken in the
meadows lying in the valley between Buckhurst Hill and Chigwell, on
the afternoon of August 17th, 1879 ; being the first recorded appearance
of the moth in Essex. He also exhibited a very beautiful aberration of
Cynthia cardui (the "Painted-lady" butterfly) caught in his garden at
Buckhurst Hill last summer.
A paper by Mr. John Gibbs, on "An Abnormal Form of Cardamine
pratensis," was read by the Secretary. (Transactions, Vol. I., p. 64).
Mr. R. M. Christy communicated a note on the habits of the Common
Weasel and Stoat. (See Transactions, Vol. I., p. 66).
The President pointed out that the most important point in Mr.
Christy's communication appeared to be the statement that an unusually
large number of white stoats had been seen during the past winter, an
observation which, if confirmed by naturalists in other parts of the
country, might be found to bear some relationship to the extreme cold
which had prevailed at that season.
Mr. Letchford asked whether the severe winter temperature might
not have caused the animals to become white by acting directly on
the circulatory system in such a manner as to influence the colouring
matter of the fur ; and he called upon the President to supply more
details with reference to his statement that the white colouration might be
in some way connected with the Arctic character of the winter of 1879-80.
Mr. W. Cole pointed out that no circulation of fluid could take place
in hair or fur, inasmuch as hair was not tubular, but was simply com-
posed of modified and elongated epidermal cells, with pigment diffused
throughout.
The President was disposed to believe that the occurrence of an
unusually large number of white stoats after a particularly severe
winter might be due to reversion. It was well known that all animals
and birds inhabiting the Arctic regions had a tendency to be of a white