ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 595 



compression which the pollen receives from the younger indoor 

 workers before it is stored in the cells, which are always the cells of 

 workers and not of drones. The pollen is frequently deposited in 

 layers, and frequently hermetically sealed with honey, over which a 

 thin pellicle, like a layer of cream on milk, is formed, and this can be 

 pushed aside for the deposition of more honey or walked over without 

 causing overflow. 



The bees which are going up and down over the full cells often 

 exhibit protruded stings, and that in normal circumstances. Drops 

 of poison from the end of the sting are seen to be deposited on the 

 honey, and the presence of formic acid, absent in pure nectar, is thus 

 explained. The acid doubtless exerts an antiseptic influence on the 

 honey, and the author has beautifully shown that in uncovered honey- 

 cells none is present, and that fermentation soon sets in, which could, 

 however, be prevented by the addition of 1/10 per cent, formic acid. 

 Herr Miillenhoff suggests the possible expediency of removing the 

 honey from the uncovered cells, and thus economizing tbe time and 

 energy of the bees, while the honey could be readily and cheaply 

 preserved by the addition of 1/10 per cent, formic acid from a 

 pipette. 



Palps of Mandibulate Insects.* — Prof. F. Plateau has observed 

 fifty individuals belonging to various species of Coleoptera and 

 Orthoptera, and he concludes that during manducation the labial 

 and maxillary palps of mandibulate insects are inactive ; tbe removal 

 of the maxillary palps does not prevent them from eating in a normal 

 manner, and the same is true of the loss of the labial palps. The 

 amputation of the four palps does not abolish the sense of smell, nor 

 destroy the power of the insects to recognize and seize tbeir food. 

 In fact, notwithstanding the loss of the four palps these insects eat in 

 a perfectly normal manner. It will be noticed that the results of 

 M. Plateau are altogether opposed to the views ordinarily held by 

 entomologists as to the function of the palps. 



Minute Structure of the Eyes of Diptera.f — The first part of 

 Prof. G. 0. Ciaccio's work consists of sixteen chapters, which treat of 

 the eye of insects generally, of tbe methods of study, and of a de- 

 scription of the constituent parts of tbe eye. The second, in thirteen 

 chapters, is devoted to the peculiarities of a number of families, 

 among which are the zEstridas, Syrphida3, Muscidaa, Tabanidas, 

 Tipulida?, and Pulicidae. The third part is divided into five chapters 

 and treats of simple and compound eyes and their relations to one 

 another, and to those of vertebrates, and lastly, of the physiology of 

 vision. 



Luminous Elateridse4 — M. E. Dubois is of opinion that any 

 generalization on the subject of biological luminosity is premature ; 

 for the present we must try and collect as large a number of facts as 

 possible. The luminous Elateridae are the animals which best lend 



* Bull. Soc. Zool. France, x. (1885) pp. 67-90. 



t Mem. Accad. Sci. Instit. Bologna, 1885, 28 pp. and 12 pis. 



% Bull. Soc. Zool. France, xL (1886; pp. 1-275 (9 pis.;. 



2 b 2 



