132 



MARDWICKKS SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



crocodiles and caymen made a feeble roaring sound. 

 One kind of frog had a sound bag at each side of its 

 mouth that acted as a resonance chamber. This 

 must have been the case with an African frog he had 

 heard at the distance of about loo yards. It 

 made a noise like a loud barking. The tortoise 

 gave a mere snuffling sound. Snakes had no vocal 

 cords ; they only produced a hissing sound by driving 

 air through the narrow opening of the glottis. Most 

 fishes were mute, yet it was said the mackerel was 

 an exception, for when taken out of the water it 

 made a moaning sound, caused by the friction of the 

 bones of the larynx. Insects, such as crickets, grass- 

 hoppers, and bees, were considered by the French 

 naturalist, Goureau, to be more musicians than 

 singers. Most of their sounds were caused by the 

 friction of their wings together, or their legs against 

 their bodies, or by the rapid vibrations of their wings 

 in flying ; and in bees and wasps the sound might be 

 increased by the air passing rapidly through the 

 thoracic air holes. Dr. Carpenter said that "in 

 Brazil there was a grasshopper that could be heard at 

 the distance of half a mile, which was as if a man 

 with a big voice could be heard all over the world." 



NOTES ON NEW BOOKS. 



yiN INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY 

 ./^ OF BOTANY, by E. Aveling (London : 

 Swan Sonneschein & Co.). Although students of 

 plants need not fear for lack of good manuals, there 

 was some room for such a work as Dr. Aveling has 

 produced. It is laid on new and original lines of 

 treatment, and is a capital introduction to the 

 study both of plants and plant-life. Dr. Aveling 

 here proves himself a thorough teacher — a role which 

 requires something more than mere technical 

 knowledge, however full and thorough. His style 

 and manner of treatment of his subject are as simple 

 as it is possible to be. The illustrations are 

 numerous, and mostly original. We cordially 

 recommend Dr. Aveling's manual to all those who 

 are anxious to familiarise themselves with the 

 fascinating science of Botany. 



Botany, A concise Manual for Students of Medicine 

 and Science, by Alex. Johnstone (Edinburgh and 

 London : Young I. Pentland). This is another new 

 work on the same subject, treated, however, in a 

 somewhat different manner — that is, in the shape of 

 concise notes and summaries of the chief subjects of 

 botanical science. Mr. Johnstone's book is a kind 

 of "illustrated digest," and is therefore very useful 

 for reference or memoriter suggestions. It contains 

 one hundred and sixty-four illustrations, besides a 

 numerous series of floral designs. Students will find 

 Mr. Johnstone's little work of great use to them. 



The Medical Annual, 1891 (Bristol : John Wright). 

 The present is the ninth issue of this increasingly 

 useful book. It includes among its contributors the 



best medical writers of the day. The articles deal 

 with the latest discoveries and subjects relating to 

 every department of surgery and medical science. 

 This year's Annual contains thirty-six original papers, 

 on as many subjects, by various authors. There is 

 also a medical, hospital, and asylum directory, and a 

 large miscellany of information useful to medical men. 

 The Fishes of North America (New York : Wester- 

 mann & Co.). We have received the first part of 

 this work, dealing only with fishes " caught on hook 

 and line." The two full-sized coloured plates are 

 fine examples of oleographic art. The wood 

 engravings, letterpress, and paper are superior, and 

 altogether this work (which is to consist of forty 

 parts) will be about the finest yet published on the 

 subject. The two coloured plates represent the red- 

 spotted Mascalonge {Lucius masquinongy), and the 

 Rocky Mountain Trout (Salmo my kiss). We will 

 duly apprise our readers of the further issues of the 

 parts of this magnificent work. 



AN INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF 

 BRITISH DIPTERA. 



By E. Brunetti. 



[Continued Jrom p. 55.] 

 BRACHYCERA. 



THE Brachycera are more stoutly built than the 

 Nemocera ; the legs are shorter and thicker ; 

 the antennse apparently of only three joints, never 

 flexible (except in Xylophagidce) ; the veins in the 

 wing are less numerous and more reducible than 

 those in the Nematocera to a type form ; the alula are 

 large ; the palpi one or two jointed ; the anal cell in 

 wing closed. 



The larvae are aquatic or terrestrial, some feeding 

 on animal matter, some on vegetable, principally 

 when either is in a decaying state ; a few species are 

 parasitic. The flies inhabit almost every nature of 

 habitat, and live on the juices of animals or plants. 



Mr. Pasco (1880) recognises the Tabanidce as the 

 most highly developed family, in having nearly all the 

 parts of a mandibulate mouth, placing the (Estrida:, 

 in which that organ is more or less obsolete, as the 

 lowest. 



Macquart's Brachycera (agreeing with mine) is 

 divided into three divisions (on the number of 

 pieces composing the haustellum), named respectively 

 HexachixtcE ( Tabanidce only — the haustellum composed 

 of six pieces) ; TetrachcEtce (the majority of the 

 remaining families — haustellum of four pieces) ; and 

 Dichceta: {Louchopteridic to Fhoridce, and the 

 .Sj'r//^/^/^^— haustellum of two pieces). 



In the short analytical tables of genera under each 

 family, it is of course understood that only the 

 principal ones are given. 



I. Third antennal joint ringed, style or bristle, when 

 present, always terminal ; third longitudinal vein 

 always forked. 



