HAEDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



59 



original type form (and it is quite worthy of the 

 distinction), it will be found the two marginal ones 

 retain the shape and general appearance of our type ; 

 those situated next depart in some degree therefrom ; 

 one portion or dentule, if I may use the term, is 

 much more developed, being both longer and broader ; 

 of the two central teeth one may be said to be a still 

 further development of those last referred to, but 

 the large dentule stands out conspicuously robust, 

 whereas the smaller one has not been correspondingly 

 enlarged ; the remaining tooth appears at first sight a 

 simple enlargement of the blow-fly type, but it will 

 be seen the difference occurs in the shape of the inner 

 edges of the dentules. In the original form these 



division of the muscidse, and so far as my investi- 

 gation of their dentition has gone, there appears to be 

 greater uniformity in number of teeth, form, and 

 arrangement, than is met with in other divisions of 

 this order of insects. 



During the coming season I should be glad to 

 receive from any person freshly killed specimens of 

 Diptera, correctly named, with the view of carrying 

 these observations still further. Specimens so in- 

 tended, should be placed in a small quantity of dilute 

 glycerine and sent to my address, 44 Partridge Road, 

 Cardiff. Any specimens having distinctive features 

 shall, with the editor's kind permission, be made 

 known through the pages of Science-Gossip. 



Fig. 4S. — Teeth of Dung-fly (Scafo/Atiga sterco v aria). Enlarged 200 diams. 



edges are quite straight, whereas in the present 

 object they are decidedly curved. Each lobe of the 

 proboscis is provided with six teeth, and the whole of 

 these teeth still further depart from the blowfly type 

 in being very considerably thickened throughout their 

 entire width instead of at the margins only. 



It is well known to those who have been close 

 observers of the diptera that the Scatophagidse are 

 occasionally carnivorous in their habits, they have 

 been frequently seen to seize, crush and extract, the 

 juices of smaller flies, and appear to be rather expert 

 in doing so ; the dentition is very powerful for a 

 creature of its size, and as the two series of teeth can 

 be approximated, it can be readily conceived how the 

 execution is effected. 



All the Scatophagidae are in the acalypterate 



STUDIES OF COMMON PLANTS. 



No. I. — The Cuckoo-Pint. {Arum macu/dlum.) 



By Charles F. W. T. Williams, B.A. Cantab. 



THERE are, perhaps, few plants better known 

 than Arum maculatum. There are many 

 reasons for this. It is very common, and is found 

 growing almost in every spot where there is sufficient 

 earth to nourish it. Then again its leaves are 

 amongst the earliest to present themselves before 

 the delighted eye of the observant rambler ; and, as 

 he gazes on them, he knows that spring, with all its 

 varied forms of infant life, is not far distant. Lastly, 

 there is a recollection of sunny summer days in the 

 distant past, when as happy children, we roamed 



