84 



Till-; A Mi; UK AN MONTHLY 



[Mareli, 



Tact that the creature in question is tlie larva of" one of tlie 

 Elateridiv, or *• spring-beetles." These spircales are of reniark- 

 aMc shape ami develupnient. The manner in which the ellipti- 

 cal opcninjj is sulxliviiled into two synmietricaf divisions, and 

 these overarched l>v plates like translucent whalehone, is hest set 

 forth in a drawinj;. l>ein«; diHicult of any aileipiate xerhal tlescrip- 

 tion. Lininj^the inner walls of the spiracle niav he seen numerous 

 hairs. The otVice of" these is obvious. Hut it is the otlke of the 

 remainini; constituent parts which need explanation- the ovoid 

 sac and the tube with its funnel like expansion. The recent 

 preparation shows very clearly that the iar«jest trachea- be<;in at 

 one border of the ovoid sac anti extend a measurable distance 

 before subtliv idin^j The spiral threail which holds open the 

 largest trachea* is paiticularly well developed and heavv. The 

 function of the sac and the ti umpet-shaped tube have no further 

 lijjht shed upon them. 



Of what character the spiracles and trachea* of the adult beetle 

 are, whether of the same type as those of the larva or otherwise, 

 is not at present known to the writer, no material of this character 

 bcinjj thus far available. 



In the fi<;ure below which shows the spiracle and accessories of 

 the larva of click-beetle X So. a = spiracle, /> = sac, c = tube, d = 

 fimnel expansion, and c = otol ihs. 



%/. 



J-.fS' 



A human tear (7) 



Spiracle!. (Gray). 



FDnOHIAL. 



Newspaper Trash. — Sometime since, one of the New \'ork 

 city newspapers, which claims a large circulation, published an 

 article upon the dramatic uses of weeping. It filled a C(dumn 

 with the cheapest of trash, amongst which was a picture labelled : 

 " A human tear under the microscope," and the following para- 

 graph : 



"• A tear seen under the microscope presents some interesting 

 deep-.sea views. When magnified, say, 10,000 diameters, minute 



