54f SELECTED NOTES FROM 



natural appearance of that organ. I once dissected and mounted 

 one, but certainly nobody would think that the two objects were 

 from the same source. Will anyone explain how the thing is 

 done? C. F. George. 



Trombidium Phalangii.— A bright scarlet mite taken from a 

 Harvestman spider, which was infested with this parasite, its 

 colour causing it to show very conspicuously, sticking about the 

 body and long legs of the trombidium. The mite, having but 

 six legs, is no doubt a young one, and would have acquired 

 another pair had he lived to grow a little older. The curious 

 feathery hairs are worthy of notice. Thos. Ball. 



Tongue of Cricket (PI. V., Figs. 1-4). — I should say that the 

 lines on the tongue are minute channels, or gutters, kept open by 

 half-rings. This is what occurs in a blow-fly's mouth. I have 

 carefully examined this slide, but I cannot satisfy myself that such 

 is the case in this tongue. 



Is this really the tongue ? Insects have a true tongue, but as 

 often as not the lower lip is called the tongue. Unless one could 

 see the organ in j-////, there is little to show whether it is the 

 tongue or the lower lip, minus its base and its palpi. I think, 

 however, it is the tongue, although very unlike the tongue of a 

 grasshopper or field-cricket. 



It is a good plan to mount all the six parts of the mouth (dis- 

 sected) on one slide. A good series of these is very interesting 

 and instructive. H. M. J, Underhill. 



Parasite from Ostrich (PI. IV., Fig. 10) bears a very close 

 resemblance to that from a finch, drawn by Mr. West (PI. XXIII., 

 Vol. II.). The extraordinary forms which different parasites, 

 apparently nearly allied to each other, assume, are very interesting. 

 Great development of a pair of legs in the male (as in the present 

 instance) is frequent, but usually the second and not the third 

 pair are thus altered. H. M. J. Underhill. 



Tongues of Crickets. — I have attempted to mount these, and 

 find that after squeezing out fatty matter (I keep them in gin), 

 there is a bag^ or perhaps it is an upper and under skin, and I 

 believe it is the upper skin which has all the capillary tubes in it. 

 The lower skin seems to prevent the spreading flat of the upper 

 one. I have tried to tear the tongue open and to clear away the 

 under skin, but have not yet succeeded in that plan. I open the 

 tongue by putting it on a piece of glass with methylated spirit, 

 and place upon it a piece of thin cover-glass, which I move about, 

 but the manipulation is not easy to describe. In dissecting a 



