ZOOLOGY. < i O 



only, if that surface be vertical and if the body of the fly be in contact 

 with the glass. (J. R. M. S.. Oct., 1885; Am. Nat., v. 20, p. 1221.) 



Insects of the coaljjeriod. — The additions to our knowledge of the in- 

 sect fauna of the early periods of the earth's history have been very 

 great during the past few years, and a deposit of species from the Car- 

 boniferous beds at Commentry, in the department of Allier, France, has 

 contributed a number of new types and furnished data for forming an 

 enlarged survey of the ancient insects. A French naturalist, Mr. C. 

 Bronguiart, has been able to study the remains of 1,300 specimens, 

 among which not only the wings but sometimes the bodies have been 

 preserved. He corroborates the impression that has already obtained, 

 that the venation of the wings, which is generally so good a guide in the 

 appreciation of recent species, not only fails to a large extent, but is 

 even liable to lead into error in the case of the ancient forms; neverthe- 

 less, in spite of such discrepancies, the most ancient insects are, in some 

 respects at least, surprisingly like those of the present time, and only 

 differ in comparatively unimportant respects. 



Among the insects of the Commentry deposit occurs the first fossil 

 Thysauuran, represented by 45 specimens. It is supposed to be re- 

 lated to the existing Machilis, but differs from all living representa- 

 tives of the order by having a single caudal filament. The species has 

 been named Dasyleptus lucasi. 



The Orthopterous insects are represented by species which recall the 

 Phasmids or leaf insects of our day, but are segregated by Brongniart 

 in a special order under the name Neurorthoptera. Of this type two 

 major groups or suborders, with numerous distinct generic types, refer- 

 able to about five families, have been made known. 



The Homopterous insects were represented in the deposit by five 

 genera. 



The Pseudo-neuroptera had forms that were still more varied ; six 

 families have been recognized for the carboniferous species. (1) One was 

 a group of eight new genera of a family to which the name of Megasc- 

 copterida has been given: The abdomen had respiratory appendages 

 and the problematical Breyeria Borinensis is regarded as being a species 

 of the family. (2) Another family, called Protodonata, is recognized 

 for forms somewhat resembling the dragon flies or Libellulidte of the 

 present age. Four other families, the Homothitida, Protephemerina, 

 Protoperlida, and Protomyrmeleonida, furnish additional species of the 

 Pseudoneuroptera. [Am. Nat., v. 20, pp. 68, 69.) 



Griclcets infested hy Gordius or thread -worms. — Numerous insects har- 

 bor Gordius or thread-worms during some portion of their life history, 

 and some recent interesting observations were communicated by a lady 

 of Groton, N. Y., Mrs. C. W. Conger, to the Eev. Dr. Henry C. McCook. 

 On one occasion she noticed that a cricket mounted upon the edge of a 

 pail, and after some uneasy movements brought the tip of the abdomen 



