THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 199 



It was pointed out that the close imitation of the stones was mainly 

 effected by the modification of the dorsal shield of the prothorax, which is. 

 with the whole thorax, much flattened and widened, and is further much 

 produced posteriorly, and has its surface roughened or granulated in close 

 resemblance to the surface of the stones. 



In conclusion, he called attention to the bearing of the case of this 

 insect on the question of the origin of species ; and in putting the alterna- 

 tive whether the peculiar station of the Trachypetra had been specially 

 prepared for it immediately before or simultaneously with the creation of 

 the insect, or whether, on the contrary, the insect had been very gradually 

 modified by natural selection in imitation of the stones for the purpose of 

 concealment, he expressed his decided opinion in favor of the latter hypo- 

 thesis. 



Specimens of the insect were exhibited in association with some of the 

 stones among which they were captured, and the very close resemblance 

 between stones and insects excited general remark. Mr. Trimen observed 

 that in nature the mimicry was more effective, the colours of the dead 

 insects having faded considerably, and the shrinking of the abdomen 

 having caused the hind legs to be much more apparent than was the case 

 in living examples. — Nature. 



New Entomological Hooks. The 14th fasciculus of Mulsant's 

 kt Opuscula Entomologica " is just published. The 3rd volume of the 

 " Natural History of the Hemiptera of France'' will be ready in a few- 

 days, and will contain four tribes. M. Mulsant hasifciblished the new 

 edition of his " History of the Lamellicorns of France, as well as the 1st 

 part of the " Staphylinidae." A new edition of the " Iconography and 

 Natural History of Larvae of Lepidoptera,'' by M M. Duponchel and 

 Guenee, is about to be issued : the work gives descriptions and figures of 

 a great number of the larvae of European Lepidoptera, of course including 

 English species \ these figures are contained in ninety-three plates, ex- 

 cellently coloured : the work is published in forty fasciculi, at one franc 

 each. Of the Iconography and Description of unpublished Lepidoptera 

 of Europe, by P. Milliere, twenty-five fasciculi have been published, and 

 these contain more than a thousand descriptions of larvae, pupae and 

 perfect insects, with the plants on which the larvae feed, and other details 

 of their life-history ; the work is worthy the support of all lovers of the 

 science ; nothing can exceed the delicacy and finish of the figures. — Neiv- 

 maris Entomologist. 



