8920 Insects. 
apterous females and case-bearing larve; and they would together 
form a subsection of the Bombyces, haviug many points of structure 
in common. Against this location of the Acentropide it may be 
urged, that the antenne do not accord in character with the Zeu- 
zeridz, the Hepialidez, or the Psychide ; but the Hepialide resemble 
the Acentropide in the comparative simplicity of this organ much 
more than they do the other two families; and the grouping would 
not be more anomalous in this particular than is that of placing the 
Tineide with pectinated antenne in the group of Tinezw, which 
nearly all possess filiform antenne. 
It is a singular fact the Acentropide, which resemble so much the 
Trichoptera in the perfect state, do not approach that order in the 
least degree in the preliminary stages. This curious circumstance 
forms another thread in the inextricable web of partial relationships 
which prevail throughout nature, and which renders the study of 
family groups so especially instructive and satisfactory; whilst, as 
soon as we step beyond the limits of family alliances, we are lost in 
the cross relationships of affinity and analogy that prevail on all 
hands. 
{This history is preceded by a lucid summary of all that had been previously 
written on this most interesting subject: the species Acentropus New, distinguished 
in the figure by the broad velvet-umber belt round the abdomen, is the one most 
commonly seen in cabinets: the beautiful belt has been mistaken for grease by some 
of our entomologists. I shall recur to Mr. Brown’s valuable dissertation when I have 
more space,— Edward Newman.) 
Beetles at Sea.—The following communication was read, and the specimens referred 
to exhibited, at the Meeting of the Manchester Natural History Club, September 28, 
1863 :— 
No.1. This small Longicorn beetle was observed by a friend of mine to fly on 
board a vessel 500 miles off the west coast of Africa, and settle on his person: 
a remarkable instance of the power of so small a creature to traverse a long distance 
when going with the wind. 
No. 2. This African beetle (genus Apate, species not named) was observed by me 
to emerge alive from a wood carving of an ido] brought many years previous from the 
west coast of Africa, and kept as a curiosity in the house of my friend, an African 
merchant, in Bristol. The larva must have been burrowing in the piece of wood from 
which the idol was carved, but never came to the surface until the last change into the 
imago state took place. It is well known that the larve of wood-boring beetles exist 
for many years in timber. This is a similar instance to one recorded, which took place 
in ove of the Government offices, where a rare species of exotic Buprestis (another 
wood-boring tribe) was observed to emerge from a mahogany desk which had been 
many years in the office.—J. A. Turner ; Manchester. 
