Royal Physical Society. 419 



Seeing that this character is so variable, it is clear that it 

 should be deleted as one of the characters of the group, and 

 that the utmost value which can be allowed to it (if even that) 

 is specific. 



I take this opportunity, therefore, of modifying Dr Gray's 

 generic character to this extent. 



I would also point out that his specific description, having 

 been drawn up from specimens in spirits, is inaccurate in point 

 of colour. The oblique cross brown bands along the brown 

 sides of which he speaks should be bright scarlet or vermilion — 

 a mode of colouring in this order which I suspect is more fre- 

 quent than the colours shown by the specimens we receive in 

 spirits, or stuffed, would lead us to suppose. 



2. Observations on the Metamorphoses of Orthopterous and Hemipter- 

 ous Insects {supplemental to previous communication on the Leaf 

 Insect, Phy Ilium Scythe). By Andrew Murray, Esq. 



It may be in the recollection of some of my readers that 

 about two years ago, in pronouncing the funeral oration of the 

 leaf insect (Phy Ilium scythe), which had passed its life in the 

 Royal Botanic Gardens here, I took advantage of certain par- 

 ticulars which had been observed in its structure and mode of 

 growth, to submit to the public some new views as to the meta- 

 morphosis of hemipterous and orthopterous insects. 



The course of life of these insects is to emerge from the egg 

 in the shape of a six-legged insect, resembling the perfect in- 

 sect in form, but without wings, and with diiferent antennge ; 

 and this stage had hitherto been held to correspond to the 

 caterpillar or grub state, and the insect was then called a homo- 

 morphous larva. On changing its skin, the animal made an 

 advance in resemblance to the perfect insect, but had still only 

 the rudiments of wings. This was conceived to correspond to 

 the pupa state ; and the insect in that state was called an 

 active or homomorphous pupa. The third and last change of 

 skin revealed the perfect insect provided with wings. 



The view which I suggested was, that both the larval and 

 pupal stage were passed in the egg, and that the six jointed- 

 legged creature, resembling the perfect insect, but without 



