9tcttanarg) of &ntmatett flature. 459 



the legs of the larva are reduced to six short 

 tubercles. The insect is then very fat, in- 

 animate, and of an orange-yellow colour, 

 has ten pair of spiracles, and greatly resem- 

 bles the full-grown Hymenopterous larva. 

 It remains but a short time in this condition 

 before it changes to a nymph, and soon 

 afterwards to an imago, in which form it 

 passes the winter in a state of hibernation, 

 and comes forth in the spring. 



In the course of this paper, while detailing 

 the influence of light on the larva of Meloe, 

 Mr. Newport stated that he had been led by 

 these and other facts, which showed the 

 great influence of light on the instincts of 

 the young animal, " to regard light as the 

 primary source of all vital and instinctive 

 power, the degrees and variations of which 

 may, perhaps, be referred to modifications 

 of this influence on the special organization 

 of each animal body." This view had sug- 

 gested itself to him in connection with the 

 discovery recently made by Mr. Faraday of 

 the analogy of light witli magnetism and 

 electricity, and the close relation previously 

 shown by Matteucci to exist between elec- 

 tricity and nervous power, on which not only 

 all the vital actions, but also the instinctive 

 faculties, seem to depend. 

 | In another paper, read on the 19th of 

 January, 1817, in which this subject is re- 

 j sumed by Mr. Newport, he entered on an ex- 

 j aminatioii of the habits of the entire group 

 i of insects allied to Meloi : , and showed that 

 the whole of them in their larva state bear a 

 general resemblance to the larva Aleloe, not 

 only in their organization, but also in their 

 habits ; and that the more closely the larvae 

 of different genera approach in structure, the 

 more nearly also are they allied in instinct j 

 and economy. This accordance between 

 structure and instinct he regards as universal 

 throughout nature, and as particularly 

 marked in the Articulata: and he believes 

 that, by carefully comparing our observa- 

 tions on the natural history of animals with 

 their peculiarities of structure, and these on 

 the other hand with their instincts, what 

 might otherwise remain useless and isolated 

 facts, may be rendered truly important to 

 science, " as data on which a correct know- 

 j ledge of the laws of creation and life may be 

 established." In this way, he states, " na- 

 tural history may be made to occupy its 

 proper position as an important branch of 

 useful knowledge, and mainly help to de- 

 monstrate the connection which subsists be- 

 tween structure and function, and function 

 I and the habits of animals." In pursuing 

 this view, he showed that the organization 

 and instinct of the larva Meloe closely agree. 

 At the moment of birth, when the larva is 

 destined to attach itself parasiticatly to the 

 Jlt/tnetioptera which alight on flowers to 

 collect polle_n, and which are to convey it to 

 their nests, its organs of vision are largely 

 developed, and those of locomotion areelon- 

 gn ted, powerful, and constructed like those 

 of the parasitic A twphira ; and it is ex- 

 tremely active and sensitive of light. But 

 when, at the period of full growth, it is found 

 in the cell of A nthophora, it is a fattened, 

 yellow- coloured, almost motionless larva, 



with its legs atrophied and reduced to mere 

 pedal tubercles previous to a further change 

 in their structure when the larva passes to 

 the state of nymph. 



It was further observed, that the limbs of 

 this beetle, although strons,are unguiculatcd, 

 like those of the Anoplura, and fitted for 

 clinging rather than for regular progression; 

 and its mandibles, retaining the jointed 

 pediform structure of the corresponding 

 organs in the carnivorous Chilopoda, are 

 fitted for piercing soft structures, rather than 

 for triturating or for incising their food. 

 This fact, overlooked by the author in his 

 former memoir, now induced him to believe 

 that the young J/efoP pierces and preys on 

 the bee larva rather than that it subsists on 

 its food. 



OLJVA. A genus of Mollusca, common 

 in the seas of warm climates. The species 

 are very numerous ; some of the shells being 

 large, and ornamented with a great variety 

 of rich markings and brilliant colours. The 

 animal has a small head, terminated by a 

 proboscis ; two tentacula enlarged at the 

 base, and having the eyes situated in the 

 middle ; foot very large, as is also the mantle. 

 The shell is oblong, cylindrical, smooth, 

 and shining ; spire short, with sutures dis- 



OLIVA I8PIDDLA. 



tinctly grooved ; aperture narrow and long, 

 and notched at both extremities ; outer lip 

 generally thick ; columella obliquely stri- 

 ated ; operculum horny and small in some 

 species, in others riot existing. They are 

 brought principally from Asia, but some are 

 also met with on the coasts of Africa and 

 America. 



ONCIIIDIUM. A genus of Mollusca, be- 

 longing to the Aq>.iatic Pulmonea (a class 

 remarkable for their coming frequently to 

 the surface to breathe, and which in conse- 

 quence can only inhabit waters of incon- 

 siderable depth). The Onchidium has a 

 large fleshy buckler-shaped mantle, which 

 overlaps the foot on every side, and even 

 covers the head when this is contracted. 

 It has two long retractile tentacula, and 

 over the mouth a veil, sinuated, or formed 

 of two triangular compressed lobes. The 

 anus and air-passage are under the hinder 

 margin of the mantle, where, a little deeper, 

 is also the pulmonary sac. Destitute of 

 jaws, they have a muscular gizzard, suc- 

 ceeded by two membranous stomachs. Se- 

 veral species inhabit the coasts of the sea, 

 but always in such a situation that they are 

 uncovered at ebb tide, when they obtain the 

 air necessary to respiration. 



We have the following account of a species 

 of Onchidium in Mr. Arthur Adams's ' Notes 

 on the Natural History of the Countries 

 visited during the Voyage of H. M. S. Sama- 

 rang : ' " Among molluscous animals, the 

 Onchidium of Singapore offers a curious in- 



n K 2 



