THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 189 
their young against contingencies to which the insect- 
piercing species are liable, must have at first been arrived at 
with a consciousness of the object to be effected, but that they 
have gradually become instinctive, and are now unconsciously 
inherited from generation to generation.” Thus the “increased 
energy, intelligence, and adaptability,” which he adduces in 
the first instance as the “ basis” of such advances made with 
a conscious object, have gradually lapsed into a retrograde 
stage of degenerate unconsciousness of purpose, merging into 
the more familiar phases of hereditary habit ; although, as he 
subjoins, “it is impossible to watch a wasp at work without 
feeling that, with these inherited customs, or so-called instinct, 
much individual effort also comes into play.” We have yet 
to wait for his ulterior comments on the instincts of the 
honey-bee, which, by a parity of reasoning, must be considered 
to emanate from conscious intellectual antecedents, since 
degraded to unconscious inheritance. Meanwhile another 
athlete, Dr. Anton Dohrn, has sprung up to contest the palm 
in a new arena, having published a pamphlet wherein he 
maintains the principle of universal degradation and retro- 
gressive development, as opposed to, and entitled to supersede 
that of, universal progress ! 
“ Who shall decide when doctors disagree?” 
FEBRUARY 2, 1876. 
Sir Sidney Smith Saunders, C.M.G., Vice-President, in the 
chair. 
Habits of Cychrus cylindricollis.—Mr. M‘Lachlan directed 
attention to an article, by M. Flaminio Baudi, in the ‘ Petites 
Nouvelles Entomologiques,’ respecting the habits of Cychrus 
eylindricollis, which he had taken on Monte Codeno feeding 
on the body of a snail (Helix frigida), into the shell of which 
the beetle was enabled to thrust its head and long narrow 
prothorax. Some interesting remarks were made by Mr. 
Bates and others on the peculiar structure and habits of the 
insect, which appeared to have been found only on a very 
sterile portion of the plateau of the mountain, and in no 
other part. 
Slaphylinide of the Amazon Valley.—A valuable paper 
was communicated by Dr. D. Sharp, entitled “ Contributions 
to an Insect Fauna of the Amazon Valley—(Staphylinide).” 
