304 SELECTED NOTES FROM 



Coniferous Wood from Coal Measures (vert. sec). — Traces of 

 the glandular tissue (peculiar to the cone-bearing trees) can be 

 found in many parts. But the principal interest in the specimen 

 lies in the fact, that while in the condition of ordinary wood, it 

 was perforated by the larva of some insect, and that the perforations 

 have been left filled ivith excreta, just as we should find a bit of 

 worm-eaten wood of the present day. W. Pumphrey. 



No doubt the black, roundish bodies in the cavities are the 

 remains (carbonised) of the animal which burrowed, but it seems 

 to me doubtful if they are excrement. If so, the animal produced 

 a bulk about equal to himself, and the several pellets are large in 

 proportion to the size of the larva, which would not have been 

 larger than the cavity it occupied ; and if these are all excremen- 

 titious, what has become of the animal itself? Possibly I may be 

 answered that the animal has come to maturity and crawled out, 

 leaving its excrement, but in that case we may suppose the latter 

 would have been at one end of the cavity and not distributed all 

 through it. G. D. Brown. 



I do not think the above an improvement of Mr. Pumphrey's 

 explanation of his slide. From observations of similar burrows 

 in wood, I am convinced that those in the slide are, as Mr. P. 

 says, filled with excreta, just as we should find a piece of insect- 

 eaten wood at the present day. 



The rounded bodies are not remains of the animal itself, but 

 its excreta, which are likely enough to fill the burrow. The larva 

 can only progress by passing every particle of the excavated 

 material through its intestines. A. Hammond. 



Cyclostoma elegans, Palate of. -This small snail is common in 

 most chalky districts ; its shell is closed by an operculum. The 

 palate contains seven rows of teeth, and is different from that of 

 the other land-snails. M. Farhall. 



Cyclops quadricornis.— I direct particular attention to the three 

 eyes or lenses. I protest against the word facets, as applied to 

 them. It will be found that the two upper eyes are directed 

 respectively to the right and left, whilst the under one is straight- 

 forward, though probably it may be used to view objects imme- 

 diately below it approaching the mouth. 



