Microscopical Society. 3567 



date in Mr. Newport's paper ; this is proved by a reference to my letter, in which I 

 stated that T had placed specimens of Monodontomerus in the hands of Mr. Walker, 

 for description, previously to having ascertained that Mr. Newport's insects were de- 

 veloped, although from time to time we had compared notes respecting the progress 

 of each of our captures. 



" Two localities are also established for the parasites, — Charlton and Gravesend, — 

 since it was at the former where I obtained my larva of Anthophora, not at Graves- 

 end, as stated by Mr. Newport, although I had been acquainted with the latter loca- 

 lity for fourteen or fifteen years, and had the pleasure of making it known to Mr. 

 Newport. 



" On reading the report of the meeting of the Linnean Society, March 20, 1849, I 

 found it stated that the larvae of Monodontomerus were pollinivorous ; and when I 

 took into consideration Mr. Newport's undoubtedly correct view, that ' structure, when 

 carefully and accurately investigated, is an infallible index to function and habit : ' 

 and also, that the very announcement of such a discovery as that of an insect belong- 

 ing to the family Chalcidida? being a feeder on pollen, was contrary to all hitherto re- 

 corded observation, I naturally concluded it to be a subject of the highest importance, 

 and took the first opportunity of recording my own observations, which proved that 

 Monodontomerus was, like its congeners, carnivorous ; a fact which appeared to me 

 calculated to invalidate the author's own views of the necessary connexion between 

 structure and habit. 



" I find at p. 67 of the 'Transactions' the following remarks: — ' It was a question 

 with me whether the bee-larva had not been killed by the other larva piercing it, and 

 abstracting all its fluids from without? This query then seemed to be answered by 

 the circumstance that the number of parasites was disproportioned to the size of the 

 victim, which, had it served for food for them, would in all probability have been en- 

 tirely consumed ; ' ' instead of which it contained the dried-up ligament and head of 

 the young bee, which seemed to have been starved.' This being quite at variance 

 with my own recorded observations, I would beg to recall to mind the circumstance 

 that I observed the parasitic larvae feeding upon the pupa, and not on the larva of the 

 bee, which they continued to do until not a vestige of it remained ; all that the cell 

 contained, besides the parasitic larva, being a small portion of yellow dust, or small 

 granules ; so that a very curious and interesting fact, if supported by further research, 

 appears to result from our combined observations ; namely, that these parasites prey 

 indifferently upon either the larva or the pupa of the bee : and as no similar instance 

 of parasitism, so far as I can ascertain, is upon record, I am anxious to call attention 

 to the fact, since it appears to have escaped the notice of Mr. Newport." — J. W. D. 



Proceedings of the Microscopical Society. 



May 26, 1852. — Geo. Jackson, Esq., President, in the chair. 



F. C. T. Roper, Esq., E. W. Cooke, Esq., and Henry Coles, Esq., were balloted 

 for and duly elected Members of the Society. 



A paper by George Busk, Esq., entitled "Some Observations on the Structure and 

 Development of Volvox globator, and some allied unicellular Plants," was read. Mr. 

 Busk stated that his observations had been chiefly made on Volvox globator, V. au- 



