182 



LOctober, 



Yesterday I had the pleasure of observing the same fact in the case of two 

 frogs which I now keep in my old lizard-house to destroy slugs, woodlice, spiders, 

 &c., — all of which they swallow with the greatest avidity. 



When they first became aware of the introduction of the caterpillars of 

 grossulariata, they seemed greatly excited, sprung forwards, and licked them 

 eagerly into their mouths ; no sooner, however, had they done so, than they seemed 

 to become aware of the mistake that they had made, and sat with gaping mouths, 

 rolling their tongues about, until they had got quit of the nauseous morsels, which 

 seemed perfectly uninjured, and walked off* as briskly as ever. 



After this, it was useless to attempt to persuade the frogs to touch one of 

 these caterpillars. — Arthur G. Butler, British Museum, May 18th, 1868. 



P.S. — Since writing the above I have tried other larvas from gooseberry, with 

 exactly the same result ; such as those of the gooseberry saw-fly, and of Halm 

 vauaria. May it not be possible that the plant transmits some peculiar acid to the 

 larvf© which feed upon it, such as to cause their rejection as food by small reptiles, 

 &c. ?— A. G. B., Srd July, 1868. 



Notes on gall insects. — There exists in the library of the Museum at Basle an 

 octavo volume, presented in 1854 by Professor Wackermagel, whioh contains a 

 nicely-arranged series of insect productions, such as mines, galls, distorted shoots, 

 cut leaves, &c., of various Swiss plants. Years ago it was my great delight to 

 study the numerous biological lessons of this volume, but time and change of 

 residence had almost obliterated my recollection of its contents, until, on a recent 

 visit, my attention was recalled to it through the courtesy of Professor Peter, 

 Herian. Acting on the maxim that " repetitio mater studiorum est," I perused it 

 parefuUy. Memoranda made on the spot and specimens compared since my return 

 to England, enable me now to add another link to the solution of two of the queries 

 I advanced in the May No. of the " Zoologist " (p. 1201), I there called attention 

 to tubular galls on the upper-side of beech leaves (West Wickham) covered with a 

 reddish pubescence, &c. These will have to be referred to Cecidomyia annuUpeSy 

 Hartig, or to a closely allied species. Mention was also made (Zool., p. 1201) of 

 discolom-ed and rolled leaflets of the common Bracken (Allonby, Cumberland), which 

 I can now ascribe to a Haltica. 



It rests with successful breeders to verify these surmises. 



In the same volume, my eye was struck by a leaf of Qiiercus pedunculata, 

 bearing on its upper surface numerous spangles of Neuroterus Malpighii, Hartig. 

 This display of instinct at fault is of rare occurrence with the insect named, so far 

 as I know, but I shall be glad to hear what other observers hare to say. My other 

 memoranda must be left for some future time, but a thought suggested by tho 

 handling of the said collection, in whioh Bremi's name occurs in almost every page 

 may fitly close this notice. 



It is to be hoped that the valuable legacy of unpublished biological essays by 

 this naturalist, preserved in another Swiss library, at Zurich, will soon be made 

 accessible, in some way or other, to the entomological public. No one can look 

 over the list of these papers in Dr. Hagen's laborious " Bibliotheca Eutoraologica " 

 without forming some such expectation. "Wlicn will it be realized f — Albert 

 MuLLER, Penge, S.E., August llth, 1868. 



