570 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



first segmentation spindle, in which, as in the later segmentation divi- 

 sions, about twenty chromosomes appear. The polar chromosomes disin- 

 tegrate and disappear. The primitive ova of the spring generation have 

 not been observed. In an egg from the egg-tube of a young pupa 

 twenty chromosomes were seen in the nucleus. 



The maturation of the spring egg has not yet been sufficiently studied, 

 but it appears that some eggs undergo at least one maturation division, 

 others probably none. In eggs in which maturation has occurred, seg- 

 mentation mitoses show ten chromosomes ; all the eggs laid by one 

 individual female in which the chromosomes could be counted were of 

 this type, and it is suggested that these develop into males. In the eggs 

 laid by other females, however, twenty chromosomes appear to be absent, 

 and it is probable that there has been no maturation division, and that 

 these eggs would develop into females. 



New Host of Lynchia maura.* — E. Massonnat discusses the dis- 

 tribution of Hippol toscidae and of Lynchia maura Bigot in particular. 

 Their range usually depends on their power of flight, and that on the 

 proportion of length of wing to length of body. The genus Ornithomyia 

 stands first and has most hosts, while Cratserhina pallida Olf. with 

 rudimentary wings, is restricted to martin and swallow, and the wingless 

 Melophagus ovinus to the sheep only. In Lynchia maura, however, 

 which has wings as well developed as those of Ornithomyia avicularia, 

 only one host has hitherto been known — namely, pigeons of the Medi- 

 terranean region. The author now records it from Strix bubo, and gives 

 reasons for not regarding this as accidental. 



Caterpillars of Epichnopteryx helicinella.f — 0. Yaney and A. 

 Conte have studied this well-known Psych id. The larva lives in a case 

 coiled in a loose spiral, and the larva is itself coiled. The coiling is 

 essentially dorso-ventral, very slightly lateral. In September all the 

 cases enclose remains of the mother-insects and numerous larva? which 

 hibernate in the shelter of these. As many as thirty-five larva? were 

 found in one tube, each showing the characteristic torsion. In fact, the 

 torsion is the primitive embryonic torsion seen in all Lepidoptera. 



Why is it retained throughout the larval period ? This is due to 

 the pressure exerted on all the larval tissues during the long period of 

 hibernation by the inert and compact substances (vitellus and silk) 

 accumulated in the body. The torsion is not in any way comparable to 

 the torsion of a hermit-crab, which is secondary. 



Mosquito Fed by Ant.J— E. Jacobson found a small mosquito in 

 Java which is regularly fed by the ant Cremastoy aster cliff or mis. The 

 mosquito frequents trees where the ants pass to and fro. It stops one 

 and strokes the head quickly with fore-limbs and antenna?. The ant 

 emits a drop of juice, which the mosquito quickly licks up. Then the 

 ant goes on its way. J. C. H. de Meijere has described the mosquito as 

 Harpayomyia splendens, and points out that there are no piercing organs 

 connected with the proboscis, nor any trace of mandibles and first 



* C.R. Soc. Biol. Paris, lxviii. (1910) pp. 430-2. t Tom. cit , pp. 432-4. 



X Tijdschr. Entomol., lii. (1909) pp. 158-74 (1 pi.). See also Zool. Zentralbl., 

 xvii. (1910) pp. 250-1. 



