404 Miscellaneous. 



of species to read that most remarkable book, the ' Origiu of 

 Species,' without feeling that, whether the hypothesis maintained in 

 it were true or false, its perusal had given him a new and broader 

 view of the relations of organisms to each other and to the world at 

 large. In the light thrown on it b)' the genius of Darwin, syste- 

 matic natural history assumed a new form ; new methods and new 

 purposes of research grew out of the new views ; and the investi- 

 gations of naturalists carried out in accordance with these speedily 

 led to the recognition of the fact that the doctrine of the origin of 

 species by descent with modification, was, if not absolutely true 

 in the particular form given to it by Mr. Darwin, at any rate the 

 best scientific explanation of the observed facts of natural history. 



Thus, by his publications of the last twenty- four years, Mr. 

 Darwin, already known as one of the best of English naturalists, 

 has exerted a greater influence upon the study of biology than any 

 one since the days of Linnteus. But this is only the direct result 

 of his labours ; indirectly they have changed the whole current of 

 modern thought, and led to a conception of nature and of man liim- 

 self, the consequences of which are already widely felt in all civilized 

 communities, and will infallibly, in course of time, efiect a funda- 

 mental change in all our philosophies. 



Ey the influence that he has exerted in this direction, Mr. Darwin 

 will rank, not only as the greatest of English naturalists, but as one 

 of the foremost men of all time ; and we cannot but rejoice that 

 the prejudices which for some time prevailed against his views have 

 been so far dispelled as to permit the burial of his remains in the 

 resting-place of those Englishmen whom their country delights to 

 honour. Those who assisted at his funeral Avill not soon forget the 

 .spectacle presented by Westminster Abbey on that occasion. 



On a new Apterous Male among the Coccida; (Acanthococcus aceiis, 

 jSign.). By M. J. Lichtei^stein. 



The normal perfect state of the male of Gossi/paria nlmi is to 

 have only rudiments of wings ; and in another Coccid, also of the 

 elm (Ritsemia impifera^, the author has indicated that the male is 

 completely apterous. He has also described (Ent. M. Mag. vol. xiv. 

 1877) an apterous form of male found on the roots of grasses. He now 

 states that the male of Acanthococcus aceris, Sign., which is common 

 on the maple, is also apterous. It presents the usual form of the 

 males of the Coccidaj, but shows no trace eitlier of wings or balan- 

 cers ; its length is 0-70 millim., its colour reddish brown ; the an- 

 tenna? ai"e moniliform, of ten joints garnished with hnirs. and 0-38 

 millim. long. The abdomen terminates in an inflated joint Itearing 



