636 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



one another to form tlie typical sucking tube, and the short organ is 

 already capable of being rolled up ; the labium is elongated, has no 

 free outer palps, and the hypopharynx is still discernible at its base. 

 The author inclines to the view that the nearest relatives of the 

 Lepidoptera are, among other insects, the Hymenoptera. 



Number of Abdominal Segments in Lepidopterons Larvae.* — 

 Dr. A. S. Packard finds that no caterpillars known to him have less 

 than ten abdominal segments. The ninth segment, however, is liable 

 to be much reduced in size and to more or less coalesce with the 

 tenth or anal segment. The ninth segment is most rudimentary in 

 the Sphinges. In the larval butterflies it is rather more distinct ; 

 whilst the tenth segment is, as in all caterpillars, represented by the 

 supra-anal plate and anal legs. 



In the JSgerians, Zigsenidae, and Bombycidse (the latter especially), 

 the ninth segment is very distinct. In Halesidota the ninth segment 

 is quite long, forming an entire segment. In Datana it is longer than 

 the supra-anal plate. In Limacodes scapula and P. pithecium there 

 are no traces of legs ; the number of abdominal segments appears 

 to be ten. In the Noctuidse the ninth segment is distinct. In the 

 Geometers it is distinct above, but below is merged into the infra-anal 

 plate. In the Pyralid caterpillars, as well as the Tortricids and 

 Tineids, the ninth segment is longer and more distinct than in the 

 higher families. 



The Bombycid^ seem to be the oldest, most generalized group of 

 Lepidoptera, and it is a question whether the Pyralids, Tortricids, 

 and Tineids are not degenerate forms which have descended from 

 the Noctuidae and ultimately from the Bombycidse ; there are indica- 

 tions that the Noctuidte have descended from the Geometers. At any 

 rate the primitive caterpillar had ten pairs of abdominal legs. The 

 saw-fly larvas (LopJiyrus) have eight pairs of abdominal legs, while the 

 embryo honey-bee has ten pairs of temporary abdominal appendages. 



Structure of the Halteres of Diptera.f — Mr. A. B. Lee contributes 

 some further details to our knowledge of these organs, which were 

 believed by Leydig to be auditory in function. It appears that there 

 are two distinct organs contained in each of these structures : one an 

 auditory organ, the other an organ of problematical function, which 

 may be olfactory ; the structural details, which are briefly mentioned, 

 will no doubt be published by the author in an illustrated form. 



Movement of Flies on Smooth Surfaces.^ — Dr. J. E. Eombouts 

 supports, as against the observations of Dewitz, his former conclusions 

 on this subject already noticed in this Journal. § It will be remem- 

 bered that it was then established that flies attached themselves to 

 smooth surfaces by the help of a liquid secretion from the feet ; this 

 liquid, however, is not sticky, but the attachment is brought about 

 by capillary attraction; this conclusion is strengthened by another 



* Amer. Natural., xix. (1885) pp. 307-8. 



t Arch. Sci. Phys. et Nat., xiii. (1885) pp. 1-3. 



t Zool. Anzeig., vii. (1884) pp. 619-23. 



§ See this Journal, iv. (1884) p. 737. 



