TRE RETI T vu Ee PT OTe ee A Te ee ee ee TNNT aues 
^ ini AM aaa a a a a fame iene 
oo o n Vot em emt e. 
NT ee ee See eee eS Co NOTET TEST 
1894.] Zoology. R89 
At the time of the autumn moult which preceeds the departure of 
the birds for the warm countries a certain number of young larvæ 
or nymphs of Syringobia penetrate the tube of the feather through the 
ombilic supérieur. Three or four are thus installed in each feather. 
If there is one or more males in the colony the development is normal, 
and the fertilized females lay shelled eggs. On the contrary, if there 
are no males, the female nymphs having attained the age of the second- 
ary nymph, instead of being transformed into normal females continue 
growing until the body is nearly double the size of the normal second- 
ary females, assuming more and more the characters of the syringobial 
form; then they undergo a final moult and are transformed into par- 
thenogenic females laying eggs without shells. From these eggs are 
developed larvæ, which reproduce the parthenogenetic form during the 
migration of the bird. At the end of the journey, either immediately or 
during the stay in the warm region, the young issue from the two series 
(the normal egg and the parthenogenic egg), leave the interior of the 
feather and make their home on the plumage. In fact, Syringobia is 
found on the plumage of birds killed in the warm countries, but they 
are found in the feather only during migration. 
Parthenogenesis, in this case, according to Dr. Trouessart is the 
result of the segregation of individuals and the death of males. It is 
probable that this phenomenon is more frequent in this group than 
has been hitherto supposed. (Bull. Soc. Entomol. Paris, 1894.) 
Trionyches in the Delaware drainage.—Turtles of this family 
have been supposed to be absent from the Delaware drainage, but the 
two following instances show that this view is no longer tenable. In 
the latter part of August a specimen of the “ soft shelled turtle” 
was captured in the Paulins Kill at Hainesburg, Warren, Co., N. J. 
and sent to the museum of the Wagner Institute by Mr. E. B. Allen. 
The mounted specimen measures as follows: Total length 18 inches. 
Length of carapace 12 inches, width 9 inches. Length of plastron 
8inches. The tough integument has shrunken somewhat and its 
true measurements exceeds these by about one inch. Color a dark 
brown, with black spots, many of these ocellate, under surface white, 
feet dark yellow irregularly marked with black.—Cuas. W. JOHNSON. 
Nore oN THE ABovE—Two individual Trionychidæ were cap- 
tured in a pond near Woodbury, N. J. about a year ago, and are now 
living in captivity. I have not seen them, but there is no doubt as 
to the fact. —E. D. COPE. 
