396 Miscellaneous. 



on the bodies of internal feeding parasites. Mr. Newport also found, 

 as he formerly mentioned, some remains of the destroyed bee larva 

 in each cell, but no "yellow dust or granules," as stated by another 

 observer. Thus his more recent observations have confirmed those 

 which he formerly communicated to the Society on the Monodon- 

 tomeri. 



Having however collected a quantity of these larvae for further 

 observation, he was surprised to find at the end of a few days that 

 their bodies were covered with multitudes of what at first appeared 

 like microscopic drops of fluid, which each day increased in size, 

 until at length he found, on careful examination, that those supposed 

 drops were the bodies of multitudes of gravid parasites, which in- 

 fested and ultimately destroyed the larvae oi Monodontomerus , as these 

 had done that of the bee. The ceconomy of this microscopic para- 

 site was then traced to some extent, and the fact of their having 

 attained a mature state ])roved in the circumstance that at the end 

 of about three weeks many of them produced multitudes of extremely 

 minute young, which differed from their parents only in the smaller 

 size, and in having no enlargement of the abdominal portion of the 

 body. These young were smaller even than the young of Stylops, 

 as each measured only sixteen thoiisandths of an inch in length. The 

 author stated other facts connected with the ceconomy of this singular 

 parasite, and mentioned that he is still engaged in its investigation. 

 The following are the characters and description of this new Acarus. 



Class ACARI. 

 Family Saucoptides, Koch. 

 Genus Heteropus, Newp. 

 Corpus eloiigatum, subarticulatum. Caput mobile. Thorax a trinico 

 distinctus, ad latera corpusculis clavatis munitus. Pedes anteriores 

 palpiformes ; reliqui (pavium triuin postoviorum) igquales, avcuati, at- 

 tenuati, tarsis giacilibus 4-articulatis, aiticulo terminali lato vesiculari. 

 H. VENTRicosus, pallid^ fenugiueus, capite saturatiore, pvotliorace paribus 

 2 pilorum longoium, pedibus subiobustis ; articiilis omnibus longe pi- 

 losis : tibiae articulo apicali corporis dimidium sequante. — Long. -i— J-lin. 

 $ gravidcB abdomine magnopere inflate vesiculari. 



Hab. In postibus intra nidos AiitJiophorce refuses, apud Gravesend, in 

 Comitatu Kent. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



NOTES ON THE SYNGNATHI. 



To the Editors of the Annals 0/ Natural History. 

 Gentlemen, The Willows, Swansea, Oct. 6, 1850. 



I WISH to record in your valuable periodical the following notes, 

 which may assist towards determining the time at which the transfer 

 of the ova from the female to the male in Syng7iath%is acus and S. lum- 

 briciformis takes place ; their vivification, &c. 



May 14, Langland Bay. Syngnathus lumhriciformis with pouch 

 on the anterior portion of the belly, empty. 



June 10, Langland Bay. S. lumbriciformis, pouch /"m/^ of roe. 



