ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 741 



of what are seen in the Papilionidse, for, in the first stage, the setae 

 are set on inconspicuous elevations of the integument ; in the second 

 there are conical warts, and these increase in size with each ecdysis : 

 the warts of the Nymphalidfe are, therefore, not inherited, but 

 acquired structures ; their armature becomes of great importance and 

 affects their external form. 



The most primitive setae appear to be those which are long, 

 slightly curved, and finely toothed on their margin ; in the course of 

 development they become simply smooth or swollen at their base. 



The author hopes that the suggestions he puts forth will be 

 examined by those who have access to a larger number of examples, 

 and justly remarks that the investigation would be very valuable and 

 interesting. 



Drinking Habit of a Moth.* — E. D. Jones describes a remark- 

 able drinking habit of a yellow and black Brazilian moth (Panthra 

 pardalaria). He found these moths sitting on the wet stones in small 

 streams near San Paulo, sucking uj) the water in a continuous stream, 

 and letting it escape in drops from the abdomen. These drops fell at 

 the average rate of 50 per minute, and as near as he could judge of 

 their size, the total quantity of water which must thus pass through the 

 body of the moth in three hours must be a cubic inch, or about 200 

 times the bulk of its own body. Mr. Jones speculates on the possible 

 meaning of this and asks — " Can it be that the moth extracts nourish- 

 ment from minute particles of organic matter contained in the water ? " 

 He remarks, how^ever, that the water of the streams appears very clear 

 and pure, and notes that the moths seem specially adapted for this 

 habit. The tibiae of the hind legs are very thick, and are armed with 

 long hairs, which by their capillary action prevent the moth being 

 immersed in the water " I have often," he adds, " seen one of them 

 knocked down by a little spurt of water splashing over the stone 

 on which it was standing, and it recovered itself almost immediately 

 without being wetted in the least." 



y. Arachnida. 



Michael's British Oribatidae.f — It would be difficult to say too 

 much in praise of this book which the Eay Society are fortunate in 

 being able to publish as one of their invaluable series, while this 

 Society may congratulate itself in numbering among its active members 

 an author who has produced a work which has required so much 

 labour and skill and so much perseverance, and which will rank as 

 one of the not too numerous standard works in the English language 

 devoted to sections of the Invertebrata. The author's tribute to the 

 assistance rendered him by his wife, is an additional justification (if 

 any is required) for the resolution which he recently moved for the 

 admission of lady Fellows to the Society. 



The classification of the Oribatidae is fully dealt with, followed 



* Proo. Lit. and Phil. Soc. Liverpool, xxxvii. (1883) pp. Ixxvi.-vii. 

 t Mifliaol, A. D., 'British Oribatidse,' xi. and 336 pp. (3 pis.) 8vo. Ray 

 Society, 1884, 



