554? Bristol Museum 



me was between my thumb and finger ; and, therefore, it must, 

 to prevent its escape, have sustained a slight pressure, which 

 was, I imagine, the cause of its then inflicting the pain. A 

 short time after this, a gentleman, with whom I had been 

 capturing some water insects, in taking one from the net 

 which we were using for that purpose, received a wound from 

 it in a similar manner. It is also stated, in vol. i. of Curtis's 

 British Entomology, at the back of p. 10., under N. maculata, 

 that the adult insects are capable of inflicting severe wounds, 

 &c. ; and, as there is but a slight difference between the N. 

 maculata and N. glauca, and that principally in the markings, 

 I should say it is applicable to the present species also. — W. H. 

 Baxter. Bayswater, September 6. 1836. 



Nolonecta glauca capable of inflicting a Wound (p. 492.) — 

 I can speak positively to having received a very painful sting 

 from the Notonecta glauca, the jN^epa cinerea, and another 

 common water beetle, whose name I forget at the moment. 

 This happened to me when I was a boy, and before I became 

 aware of the power which the insects possess of inflicting such 

 a wound, which your correspondent seems to doubt, though 

 I believe the fact is well known to entomologists. A little time 

 seems required to enable them to insert their slender mouths 

 into the skin ; and perhaps, like other insects capable of an- 

 noying man, they produce a greater effect upon some persons 

 than upon others. — J* S. Henslow. Cambridge, Sept, 2. 

 1836. 



Ophiura figured at p. 427., its Specific Name. — In the last 

 Number of your Magazine, you inserted an article of mine on 

 some new species of Ophiura, to one of which I had neglected 

 to attach a specific name: I have called it Ophiura loricata, 

 from the arrow-like arrangement of its protecting plates. If 

 you would note this in your Magazine, you would much oblige 

 me. — W. C. Williamson. Manchester, Sept. 27. 1836. 



Art. XI. Instances of Mans Progress in the Extension of his 

 Ktiotvledge of Natural History. 



Bristol Museum and Philosophical Society. — Attached to 

 the thirteenth report of the proceedings at the Annual Meeting, 

 held February 11. 1836, is a general memoir of the present 

 state and progress of the Bristol Institution, from its com- 

 mencement in 1823. This Institution is well known to the 

 scientific world, from the valuable collection of organic remains 

 contained in its museum; the interest of which is doubly 



