37 



space is thus forinoil bofcwoeu tlio gills ami tUo hairy covoriii^ 

 above describod. Tlio water, strained through the tangled 

 hail', leaves the mud ou the surface, and Ho vvs clear an 1 imro 

 over the delicate skin, which takes up the oxygen for the re- 

 sj)iration of the animal. Altliougli the appearance of aphrodita 

 has suggested the common name of sea-mouse, it is really a 

 marine worm, and the under surface of the boly, which is 

 smooth, shews the annulate structure clearly enough. Each 

 segment is developed at the margin into a fleshy and muscular 

 lobe, which servos both as an oar and a foot, propelling the 

 creature through the water, or enabling it to crawl about its 

 muddy homo. Tliose oars are furnished Avith bundles of stilf 

 sharp bristles, whicli assist locomotion, and can be protruded 

 from or withdrawn into their muscular sheath at the will of the 

 animal. The body is also margined with several rows of 

 bristles, stilf, shining, and of a purple colour, which appear to 

 be weapons of attack and defence. Both the richly-coloured 

 hair, and the stiff bristles are interesting and beautiful objects 

 for the microscope. 



On Honcydow and A2)hid?s, hy Mr. G. S. Saunders. 



I wish to call the attention of the meeting this evening to a 

 family of insects called Aphides, as I have some good specimens 

 of one of the most interesting species, Erisoma mali, commonly 

 called the American Bliglit, and as the whole family is interest- 

 ing, not oulj'' to the entomologist and microscopist, but also to 

 the agriculturist and gardener. 



The Aphide belongs to the natural order Homoptcra, which 

 also comprises the Cicadoe, the Lantern flies, Frog Hoppers, and 

 Scale insects. Tliis family contains a very large number of 

 species, and except in the Tropics, where it is almost unknown, 

 is very generally distributed throughout the world. 



There are \evy few plants which are free from their attacks ; 

 those, however, which belong to the natural orders, Fumariacece, 

 Gentiauaceaj and Iridacea) are said to be entirely free from them, 

 and Labiates and Cryptogamic plants nearly so. 



The Aphides when in the perfect state are sometimes Avinged 

 and sometimes wingless ; thej'- do not imdcrgo their meta- 

 morphoses in the usual manner, of the perfect insect lajdug eggs, 

 from whicli grubs, or caterpillars are hatched, which in due 

 time become chrj-salides, from whicli the perfect insects are 

 l)roduced, for sometimes the females lay eggs, and somethnes 

 the 3'oung larva) are born alive. These larvie, whether hatched 

 from eggs or produced alive, veiy much resemble tlieir parents, 

 but their legs and antonn;^ are mucli shorter in proportion. 

 Aiter various changes of skiu they assume the pupa state, in 



