258 Short Communications: — 



jured specimens, on the upper side, at one end, is a circular 

 aperture, sufficiently large to show that the interior of the seed 

 has been entirely eaten, and the space is occupied by a small 

 beetle, which, upon extraction, proves to be a species of 

 ^rilchus (somewhat smaller than the common J5ruchus grana- 

 rius which infests our peas), with the wing cases of a dark 

 reddish brown colour, with several dull greyish lines along the 

 upper surface. Its history is doubtless similar to that of the 

 common pea ^ruchus, the female of which deposits her eggs 

 in the seed, whilst the pod is in a comparatively small and 

 young state. When hatched, the grub feeds upon the seed in 

 which it was deposited, and which is amply sufficient for its 

 nourishment. There seems, however, to be this difference in 

 the economy of the two species : 7?ruchus granarius leaves the 

 pea, and eats through the pod, whilst in the larva state, so as 

 to undergo its transformations in the earth ; whilst it would 

 seem that the jBriichus of the seeds of the Caesalpinm Coriaria 

 passes its pupa state in the seed, in the inside of which it 

 assumes the perfect state. Dr. Hamilton adds, " I have fre- 

 quently received the insects in a living state, when seeds of 

 the Caesalpin/a Coriaria have arrived from Carthagena in July 

 and August. In these cases, on the parcels being opened, 

 they have expanded their little wings, and flown about in all 

 directions." — J. O. Westxwod. May 22. 1833. 



'Melolontha fullo, — A most perfect specimen of this rare 

 insect was taken, some time last summer, at Sandwich, Kent, 

 and is now in the cabinet of Miss Harvey of Upper Deal. — 

 W, T. Bree. Allesley Rectory, Oct. 11. 1833. 



Hemipterous Insects. — Notonectce, the Boatflies. — These 

 are very curious insects. In August last, I caught three in a 

 small piece of water in my garden ; two of which turned out 

 to be the N. furcata, and the other N. glauca ; and, having 

 put them in a large tumbler of water, I kept them for several 

 weeks. These individuals were about three quarters of an 

 inch long, having six legs (or, more properly speaking, four 

 legs, and two other appendages), which they use as oars ; 

 much longer than the others, three-jointed, and fringed with 

 hairs. The eyes are large and prominent. On each side of 

 the abdomen are tufts of hair. The elytra, or wing-cases, 

 are hard ; and, on removing this covering, the wings are found 

 beautifully folded up. Although the water appears to be their 

 natural element, yet they are able to live a long time out of 

 it, as I had an opportunity of experiencing. One of my 

 specimens I discovered one morning lying motionless on the 

 water, to all appearance dead. I took it up, and put it in a 

 box, intending to dissect it the first convenient opportunity. 



