78 



THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



DICOTYLEDONE^.— C^«/^. 



scrophularine^ 



Veronica 



perfoliata, R. Br. 

 Derwentia, Littlejohn. 

 serpillifolia, Linvi. 



Euphrasia 



Brownii, F, v. M. 



Labiates. 



Prostanthera 



cuneata, Be7it. 



Westringia 



senifolia, F. v. M. 



Styphelia 



Epacris 



RiCHEA 



Epacride^. 



collina, Lab. 

 montana, F. v. M. 

 Macraei, F. v. M. 



petrophila, Hook. 

 microphylla, R. Br. 



Gunnii, J. Hook. 



MONOCOTYLEDONE^. 



LlLIACE^. 

 DiANELLA 



Tasmanica, ". Hook. 



Restio 



Restiace^. 

 australis, R. Br. 



Calostrophus 



lateriflorus, F. v. M. 



Cyperace^. 

 Cyperus 



Eragrostis, Vahl. 



Oreobolus 



Pumilio, R. Br. 

 Carex 



Pseudo cyperus, Lin. 



Gramtne^. 

 Trisetum 



subspicatum, Pal. 



Danthonia. 



robusta, F. v. M. 

 POA 



caespitosa, Cu. F., var. 

 alpina. 



INSTINCT SHOWN BY INSECTS IN DEPOSITING 

 THEIR EGGS. 



Water Scorpion. 



We will take as our first example the water scorpion (Nepa 

 cinerea). In some works on entomology the eggs of this insect 

 are described as resembling small seeds, covered with points, and 

 buried in the stalks of aquatic plants. 



The manner in which this insect deposits its eggs I will try to 

 explain. It appears it is necessary they should receive a due 

 amount of the sun's heat, and also be near water, so that the 

 larvse \^ill have no difficulty in reaching it. This is achieved in 

 the following manner : — The female makes a hole in the fioating 

 leaf of some aquatic plant, in which is deposited an egg, having 

 seven mo''able arms, which, on coming in contact with moisture, 

 expand and spread out over the hole, and thus prevent the egg 

 slipping into the water. After due time the larva emerges from 

 below into the water, whence, after living at the expense of its 

 aquatic friends and relations, it comes forth a perfect insect. And 

 if a female it lays its eggs in the same manner. 



