550 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Proctotrupidae. Special reference is made to the particular conditions of 

 parasitism in different species, and the reactions provoked in the host's 

 tissues. Six different species are considered, all of them living on the 

 larvae of Cecidornyise. The developing ova usually produce gall-like 

 cysts upon the tissues. Tnostemma piricola, for example, produces 

 enormous cysts upon the brain of the larva of Diplosis pirivora. 



Geometridse of United States.* — R. F. Pearsall gives a list of 

 ■Geometridae collected on museum expeditions to Utah, Arizona, and 

 Texas. The list includes a number of new species, which are fully 

 described. 



Life-History of Trichoptilus paludum.f — T. A. Chapman gives 

 some observations on the egg, growth of larvae, and pupation of this the 

 smallest and most delicate of British plume moths. The larva appears 

 to have four instars, and is interesting in the fact that it finds its food 

 plant in Drosera roiundifolia. Without any special means of protection 

 it attacks Drosera with entire impunity. The glands with their secretion 

 .are favourite items of food, especially when the larva is small. 



Rest Attitude of Butterflies.^ — G. B. Longstaff records numerous 

 instances of so-called "negative heliotropism " in various butterflies, 

 • cases of " inverted attitude " of Lycaenids, and gives illustrations of a 

 " sideways attitude " or " list " in various Satyrines. It appears to be 

 ■beyond doubt that a number of butterflies, especially Nymphalids, settle 

 with their backs to the sun. The exact significance of this is not quite 

 clear, but there appears to be no doubt that in such species as Pararge 

 megcera and Precis clelia the diminution of the shadow when the wings 

 are closed helps to conceal the butterflies from their enemies. The 

 inverted position of Lycaenids with the lobes of the anal angle of the 

 hind wings resembling antennae, suggests a " false head " at the upper 

 hind end of the body. These insects possibly by this means perplex or 

 alarm their enemies especially as they may wave or otherwise move in 

 a deceptive way the false antennae. 



Genus Ha3matopota.§ — Gertrude Ricardo gives a very useful 

 account of the species of this genus in the British Museum collection. 

 The species are conveniently grouped in zoogeographical regions, for 

 each of which a diagnostic species-table is given, as well as numerous 

 photographs of wings, designed to save labour in the reading of descrip- 

 tions necessary for identification. 



New Organ in Periplaneta Orientalis.|| — Ruth M. Harrison gives 

 -a preliminary account of an interesting glandular structure which 

 appears to have hitherto escaped observation. It lies on the ventral 

 side of the sixth abdominal segment, between the fifth and sixth 

 .abdominal ganglia, and opens to the exterior between the sixth and 



* Brooklyn Inst. Arts and Sci., Science Bulletin, i. (1906) pp. 203-20. 



t Trans. Entom. Soc. London, i. (1906) pp. 133-54 (1 pi.). 



% Tom. cit.,pp. 97-118. 



§ Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., xviii. (1906) pp. 94-127 (4 pis.). 



H Quart. Journ. Micr. Sci., No. 198 (1906) pp. 377-82 (1 pi.). 



