among dragon flies and neuroptera. There are still^oubts ^ 



as to their true affinities.' '"**ionai i' '"^ ^ 



57 

 NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



THE EDINBURGH REVIEW. 



We are glad to see that The Edinburgh Review discusses 

 almost every possible subject likely to interest literary and 

 scientific readers. In No. 474 of that journal Mr. Harold 

 Russell has an interesting essay on ' Parasitic Insects : The 

 Strepsiptera.' In this he points out that 'the Student of 

 parasitism will find the Strepsiptera — the Twisted-winged 

 insects — one of the most interesting groups. He will do so 

 partly on account of their remarkable life history and the 

 divergence between the two sexes, and partly on account 

 of the strange effects which the parasites have on their hosts. 

 These latter are for the most part wasps, bees and homopterous 

 leaf-hoppers. In 1813 the Rev. William Kirby, one of the 

 fathers of British entomology, suggested that these minute 

 insects, which are in so many ways anomalous, should form 

 an order of their own. This view is now accepted by the best 

 authorities as well founded ; but in many text -books, 

 even down to recent days, they are treated as Stylopi4g^(^\^,\n^ff,i,-- 

 single family included among beetles or at least akio^^them. ""**'''' 

 The order which Kirby established has been varioi3slyttfe9ed,r lon-j 

 sometimes next beetles, then next two-winged flie^, aricTevCTi '"^' 



{ilU,doubts ^ 



PERFECT FEMALES. 



' The course of metamorphosis which the young Strepsiptera 

 have developed is more complicated than in any other order. 

 The parasitic habits which they have contracted are in several 

 respects unique. The nervous system is highly developed. 

 The sexes when adult are utterly unlike one another not only 

 in appearance, but also in habits. The adult male is an 

 active little winged insect, never more than a quarter of an 

 inch long ; it spends a short life [but apparently a gay one !], 

 flying in the sunshine with a great display of energy. The 

 adult female is a degraded grub-like creature which remains 

 for life inside the body of the bee, wasp, or other insect 

 which acts as host. As a female she performs her duties to 

 perfection ; and the student of parasitism, but for the fear 

 of being thought cynical, might point to her in order to refute 

 those who argue in favour of feminist activities.' 



KINGMOOR NATURE RESERVE. 



' We hear with some alarm of the extraordinary suggestion 

 made by your Unemployment Committee that the Kingmoor 

 Nature Reserve should be " cleared and drained," and ruined 

 for ever. The previous action of your Council in endeavouring 

 to preserve this charming beauty-spot for all time has received 

 the thanks of Nature lovers throughout the country, and 

 has been emulated in other areas. The suggestion that this 



1921 Feb. 1 



