BY R. VON LENDENFELD, PH.D. 987 



When at rest the wings of Diptera are more or less askew. "When 

 a fly is immersed in turpentine it is immediately made insensible 

 and lies motionless. Tetanic movements, after a short time, cause 

 slight movements of the legs and then the wings, although 

 remaining in the same position relative to the body, turn their ^. 



face round in such a manner that they firstly become quite flat and i 



then askew in the opposite direction to the original position. U_ ^ 



O "^ 



This movement is slow and can easily be observed. When the fly 

 is dead the wings collapse again and return to their ordinary 

 shape. 



The same movement for which a mechanical action of che 

 resistance of the air is considered the sole cause, is here executed •- 

 in a manner which precludes the possibility of such a cause. q- 



I think this proves my views in an equally simple and decisive Q- 

 manner. 



In connection with this I would like to draw the attention of 

 the reader to peculiar efiect of the " insecticide " on the large 

 viviperous flies. They invariably give birth to the maggots when 

 under the influence of it at a time when the tetanus appears in 

 other parts of the body. The maggots are not influenced by the 

 insecticide to any great extent. 



o 



1^- 



N 



