130 liETIEWS. 



consumed, and on the empty shell the Sitaris undergoes its first trans- 

 formation. The life of almost all insects is divided iuto four stages ; 

 the Egg, Larva, Pupa, and Imago: the larva, indeed, may moult several 

 times, but the conditions of life being unaltered, the form is generally 

 the same, and the change is only in size. Very different is the case 

 with our Sitaris : the honey v^'hich was before fatal is now necessary; 

 the activity which before was necessary, is now useless; consequently, 

 with the change of skin the active, sHm larva changes into a white, 

 fleshy grub, so organised as to float on the surface of the honey, Avith 

 the mouth below, and the spiracles above the surface ; " grace a I'em- 

 bonpoint du ventre, la larve est a I'abri de I'asphyxie." In this state 

 it remains till the honey is consumed ; then the animal contracts, 

 and detaches itself from its skin, within which the other transforma- 

 tions take place. In the next stage, which M. Fabre calls the Pseudo- 

 chrysalis, the larva has a solid corneous envelope, and an oval shape, 

 and in its colour, consistence, and immobility reminds one of a Dip- 

 terous Pupa. The time passed in that condition varies much. When 

 it has elapsed, the animal moults again, and once more resembles the 

 second stage (?). After this it becomes a pupa without any remark- 

 able peculiarities ; and finally, after these wonderful changes and 

 adventures, in the month of August the perfect Sitaris makes its 

 appearance. 



We wish that we could have done M. Tabre's paper more justice; 

 that we could have given some specimens of his peculiar raciness of 

 style, his wonderful power of description. But already we have been 

 tempted beyond our limits. "We can do no more than mention his 

 observations on Meloe, and his excellent paper on the Myi^iapodes. 

 All lovers of nature, however, should read what he has written, and 

 we think we can promise them that they will not be disappointed. 

 Por oursehes, we offer our cordial thanks to M. Fabre for the 

 pleasure which his writings have given us. 



XIV. — A History of British Sessile-etek Crustacea. By C. 

 Spence Bate, Esq., F.E.S., E.L.S., and J. O. Westwood, Esq., M.A., 

 E.L.S., Hope Professor of Zoology at Oxford. (J. Van Voorst.) 



EECHERCnES SUR LA EaUNE LiTTORALE DE BeLGIQUE ; CRUSTAcfes. 



Par p. J. Van Beneden, Professor a rUniversite Catholique de 

 Louvain. 



The work which we have placed at the head of the present article, 

 and of which three nmnbers only have as yet appeared, will be a very 

 valuable addition to our knowledge of the British Crustacea. The 

 classification proposed by Messrs. Spence Bate and Westwood is as 

 follows : — 



