﻿32 IJuly, 



body and the margin of the pupa-case, between which they seem tightly held. 

 The legs are placed side by side in front, the anterior pair occupying the central 

 position, and the intermediate pair the external. As the insect continues to emerge 

 by the vermicular movement of the abdomen, the legs, alternately, are drawn out 

 short portions at a time by contractions at the trochanteric joints, and resemble the 

 alternately moving rods of some complex pumping apparatus. Their length seems 

 to be gained by expansion during emergence, similarly to the wings. In about 

 twelve minutes the tips of the wings are drawn free of the pupa-case and lie flat 

 one over the other behind the insect, a position they never afterwards assume : 

 they are a little limp, but fully expanded. The legs are still tightly stretched 

 downwards in front of the abdomen, and have only emerged for about half their 

 length. The abdomen is distended into a wide, uniformly cylindrical tube, as large 

 and nearly as colourless as the larva, and decidedly larger than the whole pupa ; 

 its first three segments are inflated with air, their walls are such delicate mem- 

 branes as to make one doubt their capacity organically to connect the extremities 

 of the insect ; in the transparent posterior of the wall, however, the dorsal vessel 

 can, with a lens, be seen actively pulsating. The next three segments seem equally 

 filmy as regards their walls, but contain a straw-colored fluid, which is in the same 

 cavity with the air above it. The posterior segments are still in the pupa-case. 

 The legs continue to be alternately pulled by their trochanteric joints and seem to 

 be freed by the continuance of the vermicular movement of the abdomen, which 

 does not, however, progress any further out of the pupa-case. As the legs slowly 

 come out, the knee joints now bend and leave their position close to the body, the 

 anterior legs bend forward, the posterior at first laterally, and finally almost directly 

 backwards, the others occupying an intermediate position ; the femora being already 

 sufficiently firm to communicate the extracting force to the lower part of the legs 

 in a direction transverse to their length. As they rise simultaneously and are 

 always at a uniform level, the creature presents a curious umbrella-like aspect, the 

 femora projecting like the spokes of a wheel, and the long tibise and tarsi bent 

 downwards and converging to the front of the pupa-case. At the end of twenty 

 minutes from the bursting of the pupa, the legs become free, all nearly at the same 

 time, each as it does so, rising into a somewhat natural position. In a few seconds 

 more, the animal regards its legs as perfect, and lays hold of the nearest object, 

 the fluid mentioned above is discharged into the pupa-case, the air above occupying 

 its place, the abdomen partially collapses and easily leaves the pupa, the insect 

 crawls to a convenient place of rest, and is able, if disturbed, to buzz along the 

 ground. More fluid is afterwards discharged, and the air must be rapidly absorbed, 

 as, at the end of an hour, the abdomen has nearly its mature colour and form, 

 and the Tipula is ready for flight. — T. Algernon Chapman, M.D., Abergavenny, 

 June, 1869. 



Notes on Curculionidce — Poophagus nasturtii. — This species, though so rare near 

 London, is not likely to be scarce where its food-plant is allowed to grow undis- 

 turbed. Besides two places within a few miles of my residence in East Kent, I 

 have met with it lately near New Quay, on the north coast of Cornwall, where the 

 water-cress grows luxuriantly in the streams near the sea. Collectors should treat 

 the cress with some degree of tenderness, for, if injured, it does not always recover 



