Miscellaneous. 165 



while young, and had grown up without parental care, which has 

 caused a slight modification." It also shows that the Scrag Whale of 

 the east coast of North America is not the same as the Finner of the 

 coast of Spain, as it ought to be, according to Prof. Van Beneden's 

 theory of the distribution of these animals. 



Mr. Cope describes, as a second species of the genus, Agaphelus glau- 

 cus, or the Grey Whale of the coast of California. Mr. Cope thinks 

 that Balcena agamachuschiJc of Pallas is allied to it, and he observes 

 that " Dr. Gray has already (Cat. Brit. Mus.) indicated that this, if 

 reliable, indicates a genus unknown to him." Two skeletons, and 

 the baleen of a third, of the Grey Whale are known as existing in 

 America. — J. E. Gray. 



Investigation of the Organization and Development of tlie Dipterous 

 genus Volucella. By Jules Kunckel. 



One portion of my investigation enables me to demonstrate certain 

 unexpected facts with regard to the development of the appendages 

 and tegumentary pieces. When we open a larva of Volucella we 

 detect some small bodies grouped round the pharynx and nervous 

 centres, and arranged symmetrically in pairs. I have ascertained 

 that these bodies are the first rudiments of the head, thorax, and 

 appendages of the adult Volucella. The two foremost masses are the 

 embryonal parts of the pieces of the head which will form the frontal 

 region ; the second, which rest upon the brain, are the rudiments 

 of the eyes ; the third, placed upon the sides, will constitute the 

 superior segment of the pro thorax ; the two following will unite to 

 form the superior segment of the mesothorax and the wings ; the 

 fifth pair of these embryonal masses will form the dorsal segment of 

 the metathorax and the halteres ; and the three other pairs will give 

 origin to the three inferior segments of the thorax with their appen- 

 dages, the feet. 



Each of these bodies consists of an aggregation of large cells held 

 together by an envelope ; the cells commence their activity during the 

 transformation into a pupa. At the moment of the metamorphosis, 

 there is an increase in the size of these rudiments ; and the work of 

 organization of the cells takes place with such rapidity that, as early 

 as the second day, we may recognize the different joints of the limbs 

 in the embryonal parts. 



All these parts have an identical and very remarkable mode of 

 development. The cells which they contain group themselves at first 

 in such a manner that we may distinguish a peripheral zone and a 

 central mass. The peripheral portion will constitute the tegumentary 

 pieces ; the central portion the appendicular pieces of the thorax. 

 It is by the same principle of division that these appendicular pieces 

 are formed. I have thus followed throughout, and with the greatest 

 care, the course of development of the integuments and of the appen- 

 dicular system ; in this case the observations bring to light an 

 important fact in the embryogcny of insects, namely, that the integu- 

 ments and appendages of the adult, at least in the Diptera, are not 



