52 SELECTED NOTES FROM 



Larva of Beetle (see Mr. West's note on p. 46). — An old 

 sewer-rat used to pay his visits every dinner time ; he was caught 

 at last, and killed by drowning. I was surprised, on taking him 

 out of the pail, to see three large horny larvae escape from his fur. 

 In life they resembled meal-worms, slightly darker and more 

 active. Shall be glad if some friend will name them. 



B. Wade. 



Barnacle.— T. R. Jones, in "The Animal Kingdom," p. 236, 

 states that the Barnacle, when young, has six ^^ pairs" of swim- 

 ming legs that act in concert, like oars. There is a very good 

 description of the Cirripedia in this book, which will be interest- 

 ing if read as a sequel to Mr. Tuffen West's valuable notes. 



E. E. Jarrett. 



Tail of Larva of Puss-Moth.— I have a slide showing the red 

 thread exserted, but I cannot make anything of its structure or 

 use. There is a short, stiff bristle at each spur, which is worthy 

 of notice. 



H. E. Freeman. 



Living Insects. — I am endeavouring to make myself acquainted 

 with the appearance and habits of living insects in their native 

 beauty, on the wing, feeding, and at rest. It appears to me that 

 far too much time is devoted to mounting and examining slides, 

 and very little to studying insects alive. It is generally much 

 easier to identify mounted insects from living, or at any rate 

 unflattened insects, than to identify living specimens from the flat 

 preparations of the opticians. These beautiful preparations have 

 their uses, and I am a strong advocate for " whole mounts/' but I 

 hope all our members will not be content without seeing, as far as 

 possible, living specimens. I believe many so-called unco77imon 

 insects are merely so because people fail to recognise them, or 

 that they seek them in wrong places. Further, it is desirable 

 to confine one's attention — say, for each season — to, at most, one 

 order, or, better still, one genus of insects. 



H. E. Freeman. 



