Retrospective O Iticisnu 



a5: 



Virey seems to have some forebodings of this kind, when, after having ad- 

 vocated the substitution of these "pattes volantes " for the wings of birds, 

 he thus concludes: "La nature modifie done les organismes selon les. 

 fonctions qu'elle leur attribue pour ses desseins, dans la republique de' 

 chaque monde ! " * I remain. Sir, yours, &c. — T. Murray. Aug. 8. 1830. 



Your correspondent A. L. A. (Vol. III. p. 458.) is too bold in attacking 

 the authority of so eminent an entomologist as Mr. Kirby, upon a question 

 which nobody but himself doubts. The insect is a Cecidomyia, belonging 

 to the family CTipuiidse, and does . not possess, neither does Mr. Kirby's 

 figure represent, what your correspondent unscientifically terms a trunk ; 

 and yet the supposed possession of this trunk is the only reason which 

 A. L. A. offers for considering the insect to belong to the Culicidse. — 

 J. 0. W. Sept. 1830. 



Pterostichus parumpunctatus. — Your juvenile entomological readers will 

 thank you to correct the confused account of two very distinct insects 

 which a correspondent has sent you under the head of Pterostichus parum- 

 punctatus (p. 477.).— J. O. fF. Sept.\m(). 



J. C. Farmer must furnish a description of his two curculios (p. 477.) 

 ere he can receive any exact account of its habits, name, &c. Why did he 

 not himself endeavour to discover some of these things without asking for 

 information ? I recollect, when I was a schoolboy, the maxim constantly 

 impressed upon me was, " Read, and you will know." So I would say to 

 some of your correspondents, " Endeavour to find out these things your- 

 selves; and the pleasure and information which you will derive will amply 

 repay your trouble." — J. O. W. Sept. 1830. 



Erratum. — The following explanation should have accompanied the 

 figure illustrative of the metamorphosis of a species of Cassida given in 

 our last Number. For the sake of greater clearness, the cut is here re- 

 peated : — 



, «r, Cassida, the perfect insect, natural size, b i. The same, under and 

 upper views magnified, c. The larva, side view, natural size, c?. The same, 

 a posterior view, natural size, e. The larva, as it appears stripped of the 

 faecal secretion. /, The tail of the larva, as it appears in the early stage of 

 formation, g. The larva under change to the pupa state. 



* " It appears, then, that Nature modifies the organisation of animals 

 according to the duties imposed upon them in the various departments of 



^■i^s^svtM-^a^y.j."" ■ - . . 



G 3 



her works 



