HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



5 



are said to be in the head. (Some readers will 

 recollect that in Trombidium and some of the 

 Acari this is the position assigned to the spiracles.) 



When sweeping nettlebanks for insects, I have 

 found Smynthurus and Papirius in the muslin of 

 the net in abundance, and a dip of the collecting- 

 bottle among the weeds at the surface or margin 

 of a pond has often yielded some, together with 

 many examples of the second family, which we 

 must now turn our attention to. I have never met 

 with Dycyrtoma. 



Before quitting this subject I may, perhaps, call 

 attention to a curious performance by these insects, 

 which I have frequently observed when I have con- 

 fined a few in a] test-tube. Two of them will lock 

 their antennaj together, and drag each other about. 

 The movement may be an amative one, but, to my 

 superficial observation, it rather conveyed the no- 

 tion that the fun of wrestling was enjoyed and 

 practised by certain creatures very much unknown 

 to the patrons of the " noble art, &c." 



Fig:. 3. 



Lepidiicyrlnb jrirpureus, X 32. 



Fig. 4. 

 L. gibbulus, 



X 32. 



The Podurada consist of many genera. The 

 scale-bearing genera are Macrotoma, Lepidocyrtus, 

 Templetonia, Seira, and Beckia. The non-scale- 

 bearing are Orchesella, Degeeria, Podura, Isotoma, 

 and Achorutes. 



We will first take a rapid glance at the scale- 

 bearing genera. 



Macrotoma, of which there are several species, is 

 frequently of large size ; a quarter of an inch in length 

 and more (see Monthly Micro. Journ., 1869, Plate 

 VIII., and Science-Gossip, 1867, page 59, fig. 50). 



Lepidocyrtus. — There are many species, including 

 the celebrated " test" insect, which is L. curvicollis, 

 in all probability (Science-Gossif, 1867, page 55, 

 figs. 38, 39, 40, 42, and Monthly Micro. Journal, 

 1869, Plate VIII.). I give additional figures of 

 two of the smaller species. They are all gorgeously 

 iridescent figures. 



Templetonia, so far as I know, is represented by 

 only one species — a glistening white insect, with 

 five-jointed antennae, the last joint being ringed 



(Science-Gossip, 1867, figs. 46 and 47). It is one 

 of the easiest to rear in cork cells, and will multiply 

 freely, repaying the observer for his trouble by its 

 beauty and interesting habits (see also Monthly 

 Micro. Journal, 1869, Plate VII.). It inhabits 

 cellars chiefly. 



Seira (separated from Degeeria by Sir John Lub- 

 bock) consists of only two species : Seira domestica 

 (formerly Degeeria domestica) and Seira Buskii. 

 The former I have called (Science-Gossip, 1867, 

 and Monthly Micro. Journal, 1869, Plate VII.) 

 "Speckled" Podura; and the latter is figured in 

 Monthly Micro. Journal, 1869, Plate VII., as the 

 "Greenhouse Degeeria." It is a pretty little 

 creature, and is interesting, not only from the re- 

 markable character of its scales, but also from the 

 suspicion which some entertain (myself included) 

 that it may be only a sexual distinction of Degeeria 

 Nicoletii, which it much resembles, as well as con- 

 sorts with. It is found about old woodwork and 

 flowerpots in greenhouses. The late Rev. J. B. 

 Reade called it Podura transit, because he used 

 to find it on his transit instrument. 



Fig. 5, Beckia niliia (cream -colour), x 32. 



Beckia is a new genus, named by Sir John Lub- 

 bock in honour of Richard Beck, and, so far as I 

 know, represented by only one insect ; cream- 

 coloured, and active to an astonishing degree ; 

 found chiefly in manure-heaps and decaying leaves. 

 It has no eyes; yet is apparently under no dis- 

 advantage from this, as the use it makes of its 

 antenna; evidences. Its scale is of no value, though 

 its structure is akin to that of the scales of Lepido- 

 cyrtus. 

 Now for the non-scale-bearing genera : — 

 Orchesella is one of the largest of the Podurse, 

 and I have only met with two species. Orchesella 

 pilosa is a very hairy creature, often found asleep 

 under stones and in moss ; exceedingly active when 

 woke up. 0. cincta is found in similar situations. 

 It is not so large as 0. pilosa, nor yet so hairy. It 

 is brown with dark markings, and a pale greenish 

 band and patches across its back. Both species 

 have six-jointed antennae. It is in this genus that 

 the evidence of the faculty (common to all the 

 group) of renewing the limbs is most striking. 

 Owing to accidents, a joint or two of the antennae 

 are frequently broken off, and the progress of the 

 repairing process may be observed in the majority 



