SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



[Apuil 1, 1865. 



naked shins, was enough to establish a decided 

 "funk." 



These and other hedgehogs which I have kept, at 

 length got away, wliich, however well they are 

 treated, they always endeavour to do ; in one case 

 (in as far as I could make out) falling over a ten- 

 foot wall into a river ; and as I have occasionally 

 found them quite well at the bottoms of deep stone 

 quanies, I presu.me that their peculiar dermal arma- 

 ture, or their ball-shape, when coiled up, renders 

 a fall innoccuous. 



I have penned these remarks in the hope that 

 other observers might be enabled to say something 

 in favour of my pet ; for, as he has ever appeared 

 to me not only harmless, but most useful as a de- 

 stroyer of insects, I shall be glad, if possil^lc, if 

 Science Gossip, unlike usual gossip, may tend to 

 save a reputation, and so preserve a race. 



J. BUCKMAN, E.L.S., &c. 



THE COMMON HOUSE-ELY. 



WHICH IS THE COMMON HOUSE-PLY? 



"ANY naturalists of considerable repute have 

 not thought it beneath them to study and 

 write the life and instincts of this insect. Notwith- 

 standing having made the little 

 creature my particular study since 

 last summer twelve months, it 

 still remains a problem with me 

 which is the common house-fly. 

 Out of the numerous flies 

 vvhicli are froliciug about my 

 parlour, I have caught three, 

 which are now under the dis- 

 secting knife, two females and 

 one male; the two females are 

 to all appearance under the mi- 

 croscope exactly alike in size 

 and markings, the same pro- 

 boscis, brain, feet, spiracles, tra- 

 chcffi, ovipositor and position of 



Fig. 2. 



the ova in the abdomen; but the material difference 

 is, that the so-called house-fly is oviparous, and its 

 congener ovo viviparous. We will, for distinction, 

 call the house-fly number one, its congener number 

 two, and the male number three : the ova of number 

 one is smooth and rather a long oval, requiring 

 several days to hatch, brings forth a uiaggot common 



in appearance to that species (see figs. 1 and 2), 

 while number two brings forth its ova with the grub 

 alive, perfectly formed, and very lively ; the egg is 

 somewhat obtuse, and partakes of a peculiar form, 

 similar to two lappets thrown back, which gives a ■ 

 thick appearance on the sides, while the centre, 

 which is beautifully honeycombed, is quite trans- 

 parent ; the opening is at the top, very simple, 

 something like a purse, through which the grub 

 passed in less than two minutes after the egg had 

 been deposited. I had previously covered the ova 

 with a drop of water to keep it moist, but it did not 

 impede the little creature's progress in its endeavour 

 tq escape, Eigs. 3 and 4 will give the exact drawing 



Fig. 3. 



Fig. 4. 



of the ova and insect. I thought it worth while to 

 call a. v/itness to its faithful representation, as I had 

 not at that moment an opportunity of mounting it 

 as a microscopic object ; the grub resembled more 

 the caterpillar tribe, and certainly was a beautiful 

 little creature, so perfect in its form though so 

 minute. I will briefly give a description of the 

 insect : the trunk or proboscis appears like two 

 tubes attached together, at the bottom of which 

 are two immature eyes ; the trachese and spiracles 

 were very distinct ; it has ten legs on each side, 

 fleshy and covered with hair ; the body is covered 

 with delicate spots and minute hairs, with ten fine 

 horizontal lines of division form top to bottom ; 

 the tail horn-shaped and fleshy. I have been rather 

 particular in my description, because it differs so 

 widely from anything of the kind I have ever met 

 with. 



The male fly, number three, is not, I apprehend, 

 the mate of cither of the two females from the dis- 

 similarity of the proboscis (see figs. 5 and 6) ; in all 

 other respects the male appears the-^same species, 

 only "smaller, which is the case generally. But I 

 am at a loss to find a mate for the male fly ; in this 

 I may perhaps succeed in time. The number of 

 female flies in comparison with the males of the so- 



its? ■ 



