296 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



this stage the larvae looked very pretty in the seeds, of which 

 they had consumed the contents, presenting the appearance 

 of living rubies, cased in flat capsules of transparent horn. 

 The adult larvae had fourteen segments ; they were elongate 

 and of a reddish colour, with darker intestines ;^ the first 

 segment very slender and beak-like. In the full grown state 

 they were lively ; but in the earlier stages they appeared 

 rather sluggish. I regret that mildew killed the whole brood. 

 I propose for this species the name of C. Carapanulae, as its 

 peculiar mode of life warrants my considering it a new 

 species." 



British Species of Oxypoda. — Dr. Sharp communicated 

 " Notes on some British species of Oxypoda." After remark- 

 ing upon the extreme state of confusion that existed respecting 

 the species of this genus, Dr. Sharp proceeded to critical 

 notes upon most of the previously recorded British species, 

 and described four as probably new to science, viz. O petita, 

 hitherto confused with O. cunicularia, generally distributed in 

 England and Scotland; 0. edinensis, from near Edinburgh ; 

 O. verecunda, from near London and in the feus ; and 

 O. tarda, from salt-marshes near Dumfries. 



Immature sexuality^ c^c, of Insects. — Mr. Lowne read, 

 " Observations on immature sexuality and alternate genera- 

 tions in insects." The author thought that species originated 

 occasionally from the maturation of the sexual organs 

 before acquiring the adult characters. He had been 

 induced to believe that such is the case, from the early 

 period at which the sexual organs first make their appearance 

 in the embryo and larva, from the fact that some larvae have 

 been taken in copula, and from an analogous phenomenon 

 which had been observed among the Echinodermata. In the 

 course of the paper he had occasion to enter largely into 

 details of correlation of development between the cutaneous 

 and sexual organs in insects. He stated his belief that such 

 correlations often gave rise to secondary sexual characters. 

 The paper concluded with a comparison between acquired 

 and direct larval forms. The author thought the larva and 

 pupa of insects were probably all acquired, and not direct, 

 stages of development. With reference to Mr. Lowne's 

 remarks on the early development of the sexual organs 

 in insects, and with a view of disproving a not uncommon 



