102 SELECTED NOTES, ETC. 



From what I can make out, the mouths of Hoplophora and 

 Notaspis are very similar. I have made a drawing of the mouth 

 of the latter (Plate lo). It has two well-defined maxiihc — to give 

 the organs a name, — although I very much doubt whether they be 

 homologous with the raaxilte of insects. I have drawn the palpi 

 standing out from the mouth instead of, as they naturally are, lying 

 close to it, in order that the peculiarity of the termination of the 

 head may be seen. This forms a kind of hood over the mouth, 

 and the arrangement in Hoplophora is similar. 



No Beede-Mites have eyes, but it appears that for a long time 

 the curious breathing-pores were mistaken for them. 



H. M. J. Underhill. 



I have found Acarida on the Dung-Beetle, some of which 

 have been brown and others white ; perhaps these have been 

 different stages of the same Acarus. 



W. LOCOCK. 



[Since the above Notes were written, various observers have 

 been at work upon the 0?'ibatidcr, and several new species have 

 been discovered, while the transformations of some of these have 

 been carefully watched : — much, however, remains yet to be done. 

 One of the most careful and successful workers is Mr. A. D. 

 Michael, F.L.S., who has read papers on the subject before the 

 Royal Microscopical Society, illustrated with drawings of very 

 curious examples of the family. These have been published in 

 the "Journal" of that Society. His latest, conclusions, as there 

 stated, are to the effect that the O? ibafidcE are not wholly vivi- 

 parous, as some have thought, but chiefly " oviparous " ; and that 

 the young are brought to maturity in, at least, four different 

 modes : — First, the egg is deposited in a slightly-advanced stage, 

 as in insects ; Second, egg deposited with the larva almost fully 

 formed ; Third, the female is occasionally viviparous, when only 

 one egg is usually ripe at a time; Fourth, several eggs are matured 

 at once, but not deposited. The mother dies ; the contents of 

 her body, all but the eggs, dry up ; and her chitinous exterior 

 skeleton forms a protection throughout the winter to the eggs. 

 The occurrence of a daitoviun stage in the egg is also recorded — • 

 i.e., the egg has a hard shell which splits into two halves as the 

 contents increase in volume, the lining membrane showing 

 between, and gradually becoming the true exterior envelope of the 



egg. 



The history of the death of the parent insect before the 



