|90pttlar JBtcttonarji of &mmatr& jlaturr. 519 



body, slender, setaceous, and multi-artieu- ] 

 late ; the mouth consists of an elongated j 

 upper lip ; the prothorax forms a very short i 

 collar ; and the mesa- and meta-thorax are I 

 dilated into an oval or orbicular mass. The I 

 anterior wings are elongated and lanceolate j 

 in the females, but rather more obtuse in the j 

 males ; deflexed at the sides of the body j 

 during repose, and are furnished with nu- 

 merous branching veins ; the posterior pair , 

 are shorter, but considerably broader, than ; 

 tne anterior, and are folded when at rest. | 

 The larvae ordinarily live in cylindrical j 

 cases, open at each end, some composed of 

 fine sand, and others formed of bits of stick j 

 and various other light materials, which | 

 they attach to it by the assistance of silken 

 threads spun from the mouth in the same 



manner as caterpillars. Here the larva re- 

 mains, exposing only its head and three 

 anterior segments of the body, and which 

 on the slightest alarm it suddenly withdraws. 

 The food of the larva in some species con- 

 sists of minute aquatic larvae, but the greater 

 number are purely herbivorous. 



" When the period for assuming the pupa 

 state is arrived, the larvae, which reside in 

 movable cases, fasten them to some fixed 

 substance beneath the water, and close the 

 two extremities with an open-work fence, 

 which varies in form in the different species, 

 and which, by admitting a current of 

 water, permits the respiration of the pupa ; 

 indeed, Reaumur states, that he actually 

 saw this grate-work in alternate motion from 

 convex to concave, as the water passed out 

 and in. Within this retreat they then be- 

 come inactive pupae, in which they bear a 

 considerable resemblance to the imago, ex- 

 cept that the antenna;, palpi, wings, and 

 legs are shorter, enclosed in separate sheaths, 

 and arranged upon the breast ; the antennx, 

 in the species which have those organs, 

 greatly exceeding the length of the body ; 

 being extended beyond the abdomen, with 

 the extremities curled up." * * * * " The 

 perfect insects are of small or moderate size, 

 seldom reaching a couple of inches in the 

 expanse of the wings. They are very active, 

 running with agility, with a kind of gliding 

 motion, not unlike that of certain Tipulidse, 

 and other insects with long tibial spurs ; but 

 their flight is awkward, except in some of 

 the smaller species, which assemble in troops, 

 and fly over the surface of the water towards 

 sunset : they frequent damp, marshy situ- 



ations. From the weak structure of the 

 mouth, it is evident they can live but a very 

 short time in the perfect state, taking no 

 nourishment, and only anxious to continue 

 their species. Their colours are obscure, 

 being ordinarily brown or gray ; when 

 handled, they emit a very disagreeable odour. 

 A very few exotic species are ornamented 

 with spots and markings. Few only have 

 been brought from extra-European coun- 

 tries." Westwood. 



PHRYNISCUS. A genus of Batrachian 

 Reptiles, containing the Phryniscus niyri- 

 cans, which is the toad so graphically de 

 scribed by Mr. Darwin, who noticed it at 

 BuhiaBlanca "Amongst the Batrachian 

 reptiles," he remarks, "I found only one 

 little Toad, which was most singular from 

 its colour. If we imagine, first, that it 

 had been steeped in the blackest ink, and 

 then when dry, allowed to crawl over a 

 board freshly painted with the brightest 

 vermillion, so as to colour the soles of its 

 feet and parts of its stomach, a good idea of 

 its appearance will be gained. If ?t is an 

 unnamed species, surely it ought to be called 

 diabvlicus, for it is a fit Toad to preach in the 



(PHRY 



1CANB.) 



ear of Eve. Instead of being nocf nrnal in 

 its habits, as other Toads are, an-i living in 

 damp and obscure recesses, it crav> Is during 

 the heat of the day about the dry sand-hil- 

 locks and arid plains, where not a single 

 drop of water can be found. It must neces- 



sarily depend on the dew for its moisture ; 

 and this probably is absorbed by the skin, 

 for it is known that these reptiles possess 

 great powers of cutaneous absorption. At 

 Maldonado I found one in a situation nearly 

 as dry as at Bahia Blanca, and thinking to 

 give it a great treat, carried it to a pool of 

 water ; not only was the little animal unable 



Y T 2 



