ON SPONTANEOUS OR EQUIVOCAL GENERATION. Sij5 



Art. XLVIII. — Note on Malachms riijicollis, Panz. ; and M. 

 bipunctatiis, Bab. By C. C. Babington, M.A. 



In the Magazine of Natural History, vol. vii. p. 278, fig. 49, 

 I have given, in conjunction with Mr. Westwood, figures of 

 male and female specimens of the latter of the above-mentioned 

 insects. We then considered, that the fact of both sexes 

 having been found, was a sufficient proof of its specific dis- 

 tinctness from M. riificolUs. My friend, Mr. J. L. Brown, has 

 this year taken in Norfolk, specimens of both of these supposed 

 species, and by placing them in company, under glasses, he 

 has been enabled to see them in such a situation, as to prove 

 that they are only the sexes of one species. As one of my 

 specimens of M. hqmnctatus is a female, it must be considered 

 as a curious instance of that sex appearing with the markings, 

 although not the form of the male. Panzer's figure {Index 

 Entom. pt.viii. No. 2,) is not my supposed species, but a rather 

 poor representation of the true ruJicolUs. It would appear 

 also to be a male ! as it has not the prominent abdomen of the 

 females of this genus. Will not this fact throw great doubt 

 upon the specific distinctness of several of the species in this 

 genus and family ? 



As your journal is more generally read by entomologists 

 than any other with which I am acquainted, I send this notice 

 for insertion in your pages. 



Charles C. Babington. 



Oct. 1836. 



P.S. It may be interesting to mention, that I took a single 

 specimen of Carahus clathratus in Glen Castle, Erris county, 

 Mayo, in the month of July, 1836. 



Art. XLIX.' — Observations on Sponta^ieous or Equivocal Gene- 

 ration. By J. B N. 



Sir, — Upon looking over the Manual of Entomology by 

 Burmeister, I observe that he declares himself an adherent of 

 the doctrine of equivocal generation: he speaks of it in so 



no. IV. vol. IV. 3 B 



