ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 33 



most dreaded parasite in the case of the cork-oak is the ant Gremasto- 

 ijnster scutellaris, which constructs its nests in the corky layer, and by 

 means of its formidable mandibles works great destruction, rendering 

 the cork quite useless. Again the valuable wood of Quercus mirbechi 

 is attacked by the larvae of Cerambyx mirbechi, whose habits the author 

 was unable to study. In addition, the wood after felling is liable to the 

 attacks of a large number of insects, whose structure and habits are 

 noted. 



New Genus of Flies.* — G. Wasmann records four species of an 

 interesting new genus of flies found in nests of Termites. The point of 

 interest is the external resemblance to the physogastric AleocharinaB, so 

 that the author did not at first doubt the label " Staphylinid beetle " 

 which accompanied the first specimen sent to him from Natal. Later 

 he found that the insects in reality belong to the order Diptera, family 

 Stethopathidte, and he describes four species all belonging to Termito- 

 xenia g. n. From the somewhat lengthy diagnosis the following, as 

 illustrating the most important characters, may be quoted : — "Labium 

 biarticulatum, longe productum instar stili vel rostri, art. 2° fisso, 



apicibus acutis, sub-corneis Prothorax angustus, oblongus, 



convexus, sub angulo basali externo utrimque appendice mobili (ple- 

 rumque erecto), vel stiliformi vel hamiformi, munitus. Meso- et meta- 

 notum sub abdominis basi occulta. Abdomen infra recurvatum, ano 

 antrorsum directo, peramplum in 5 , modice inflatum in $ ." It is the 

 shape of the abdomen especially which renders the resemblance to such 

 beetles as Corotoca and Spiracldlia so striking. The remarkable thoracic 

 appendages are believed by the author to function as transporting organs, 

 enabling the flies to attach themselves to the hosts. Further, he believes 

 that from the characters of the mouth-parts the flies must be regarded as 

 ectoparasites of the Termites. Further details, especially in regard to 

 histology, are to follow. 



Structure of Insect Testes. - ]" — Herr N. Cholodkowsky maintains the 

 view that the giant cell or Verson's cell is to be regarded partly as a 

 " rhachis " — a residue of the division process with nutritive significance 

 for the developing spermatozoa — and partly as a primitive sperm-cell, for 

 it may exhibit mitoses. The varied occurrence of the " rhachis " in 

 different types is discussed. 



Bees as Reflex Machines.^ — Abraham Netter directs attention to 

 the numerical and geometrical regularities illustrated in the life and 

 labours of bees, and indicates a number of facts, such as the result of 

 shifting the hive, which point to the conclusion that they are automatic 

 reflex machines. He also asks a number of curious questions, e.g. 

 whether the hexagonal mosaic of the eye may not be associated with the 

 plan of the combs. 



/3. Myriopoda. 



Volatile Poison of lulus terrestris. — C. Phisalix § has studied the 

 yellowish secretion which escapes from the cutaneous glands of this 



* Zeitschr. wiss. Zool., lxvii. (1900) pp. 599-617 (1 pi.). 



t Trav. Soc. Imp. Nat. St. Pe'tersbourg, xxx. (1900)5 pp. (Russian, with German 

 summary). See Zool. Centmlbl., vii. (1900) p. G99. 



X Comptes Rtcdus, cxxxi. (1900) pp. 976-8. § Tom cit., pp. 955-7. 



Feb. 20th, 1901 D 



