ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 21 



Seminal Vesicle-duct of Queen Bee.* — E. Bresslau finds that the 

 so-called " circular muscle " or sphincter of the seminal vesicle duct 

 does not exist. What is actually present is a complicated pump-like 

 apparatus, whose main parts consist of a parallel pair of longitudinal 

 muscles and. a dorsally-placed, semicircular, more weakly developed, 

 muscular band. 



Coloration in Polistes.f — W. E. Enteman gives a general account 

 of this genus of wasps, and discusses variations of colour-pattern and its 

 development, the physical and chemical character of the pigment, the 

 geographical distribution of the types of colour-pattern, and several 

 other factors bearing on evolution theories. 



Experimental Alteration of the Colours of Lepidoptera.J — Countess 

 M. von Linden summarises past experiments, and gives an account of 

 some which she has made bearing on the changes of coloration and 

 marking, which can be induced by abnormal conditions during the pupa 

 period. We notice some conclusions. The formation of dark pigments 

 in the insect body is ultimately due to reduced oxidation in the plasma, 

 to an imperfect metabolism in the body of the pupa. Abnormal cold 

 and heat affect the normal irritability of the plasma, acting like narcotics. 

 The new colour-characters of the butterfly may be so deeply rooted that 

 they are repeated in the offspring when these are reared in normal con- 

 ditions. The offspring of modified specimens of Vanessa ichnusoides 

 bear the marks of disturbed metabolism and are themselves modified. 



Variability of Cobas Myrmidone.§ — A. Pieszczek gives an account, 

 with an exceedingly fine coloured plate, of the variations of this butterfly. 



Colouring Matter in Vanessa. |j —Countess M. von Linden has 

 studied this subject, and finds that the red pigment contains an albu- 

 minoid body, a combination of a parent substance of the albuminoses 

 and a colouring matter having the property of bile pigment. It' recalls 

 hemoglobin ; it changes colour with the degree of oxidation. It is 

 present in the epiderm of the caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly, and 

 also in the cells of the blastoderm. The different colours in the butter- 

 fly's wing correspond to different degrees of oxidation. The change of 

 colour which is produced in the epidermis of the caterpillar and the 

 chrysalis during development and the evolution of colour is the result 

 of reduction and of oxidation. The pigment of Vanessa has a respira- 

 tory significance, forming with oxygen less stable combinations. The 

 red substance arises from chlorophyll. This transformation may happen 

 in the plant-cells, or in the intestinal epithelium of the caterpillar, or in 

 its skin, or in that of the chrysalis. Chlorophyllane is an intermediate 

 product of the transformation. 



Digestion in Caterpillars.^ — L. Sitowski has studied the process of 

 digestion in some moth larvse, e.g. of Tinea and Tineola, which feed on 



* Zool. Anzeig., xxix. (1905) pp. 299-323. 



t Publications Carnegie Inst. Washington (1904) 88 pp. (6 pis.). 



% SB. Med. Ges. Bonn, 1905, Zweite Halite, pp. 25-33. 



§ Verb. Zool. Bot. Ges. Wien, lv. (1905) pp. 401-23 (1 pi.). 



|| Ann. Sci. Nat., xx. (1904) pp. 295-363 (3 pis.). 



*{ Bull. Internat. Acad. Sci. Gracovie, 1905, pp. 534-48 (1 pi.). 



