Insects. 2217 



the abdomen is also generally entirely clothed with yellow hair, whereas in T. zonatus 

 the centre is usually naked, or but slightly pubescent ; but the yellow fascia touching 

 the shoulder will always point out zonatus : fasciatus is also usually the largest spe- 

 cies. — Frederick Smith; 5, High Street, Newington, August 15, 1848. 



Tenacity of Life in Rhagium bifasciatum. — Sometime ago I sent you a notice of the 

 remarkable tenacity of life in Pissodes Pini (Zool. 699). A still more singular instance, 

 in a specimen of Rhagium bifasciatum, came under my observation last December, 

 while staying with a friend near Alloa. I had taken a number of this species from the 

 interior of old larch stumps, and after keeping them in strong spirits for twenty-two 

 hours, I placed them on the setting-board. The next morning I was obliged to go 

 to Edinburgh, where I was detained above a fortnight ; and one of the first things 

 which occurred to me on my return was to look at my specimens, supposing, of course, 

 that I should find them all stiff enough, and ready to be deposited in my store-box. 

 Imagine my surprise to find one of them (a large female) " alive and kicking," and 

 my wonder was not diminished when, on my releasing it from the pin, it walked as 

 coolly (I will not say as comfortably) across the table as if nothing had happened. I 

 have met with many notices of the tenacity of life in insects, but I think few so re- 

 markable as this ; and T should really have hesitated to record it had not my friend 

 been present when the insect was put into and taken out of the spirits, and likewise 

 when it took its subsequent promenade. — R. Northmore Greville ; 33, George Square, 

 Edinburgh, June 26, 1848. 



Descriptions of Aphides. By F. Walker, Esq. 



Aphides on Hound' s-tongue (Cynoglossum officinale). 



Aphis Cynoglossi. 



The winged viviparous female. The body is pale greenish yellow and of moderate 

 size : the crown of the head is greenish , brown : the disk of the thorax above and be- 

 low is dark brown : there is a row of small black spots along the back of the abdomen, 

 and a few black dots on each side : the antennae are black, and much longer than the 

 body : the rostrum is pale yellow ; its tip and the eyes are black : the tubes are pale 

 yellow, with black tips, and about one-fourth of the length of the body : the legs are 

 long and pale yellow ; the tarsi, and the tips of the thighs and of the tibiae, are black : 

 the wings are colourless ; the squamulse and the costal veins are pale yellow ; the 

 stigmata are very pale brown ; the other veins are brown. 



Aphis socia. 



The winged vivijiarous female. The body is black and very small : the antennae 

 are a little longer than the body : the tubes are about one-sixth of the length of the 

 body: the tibiae are dark yellow, with black tips: the wings are slightly tinged with 

 gray; the squamulae are yellow; the stigmata and the veins are brown. 



Aphis particeps. 



The ivingless viviparous female. The body is pale brown, small, oval, shining, 

 and rather flat : the antennae are pale yellow and longer than the body ; the rostrum 



