THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



261 



men) quite an inch in length, and the wing J 

 expanse about if in. The color of the wings j 

 is dusky yellow, areolets small, and stigma 

 nc very distinct ; first antennal segments 

 reJiish brown, terminating in a darker 

 (al 'lost black) color towards the tip. Kead 

 and thorax black, streaked here and there 

 with obscure yellow, and the shield mark 

 yellow, and very conspicuous ; first four 

 abiominal segments dark, and dirty reddish 

 brown, last segments black. First and second 

 pa r legs yellow (sometimes tinged with black 

 makings), third pair similar, but with femora 

 (thighs) very dense. All the tarsal claws 

 shc'.rp and formidable. We should set this 

 incect in precisely the same manner as our 

 mcths are fixed — on boards, and if it does 

 not make a pretty object in the cabinet, it will 

 at all events fill up a good large vacant space. 



And now let me allude in a very few words, 

 as to how our "Young Naturalists" have 

 been progressing this season in the good 

 cause. I am glad my simple and insufficient 

 efforts, in introducing a subject, too often 

 causelessly condemned, have been appre- 

 ciated by several valued correspondents, who 

 have favored me with communications re- 

 specting their work. We all, I regret to say, 

 unite in agreeing that the season has been up 

 to now a very bad one ; the cold and prevail- 

 in; winds, apparently either murdering in- 

 sects or terrifying them into a love of 

 " Home, sweet, sweet home." 



Entomologists are finding larva getting a 

 failure, and sugar an attraction for centipedes 

 alone. As for myself I can conscientiously 

 assert, that I never did worse, and never 

 worked harder. So far, forest searching 

 p? rticularly seems next to useless, and cater- 

 pi lars will not become infected. My principal 

 si :cess has emanated from searching hedge- 

 rt vs and moorland. However, let us content 

 oi: selves in thinking that perhaps our cause 

 01 ;omplaint — the scarcity of insects — is the 

 farmer's "capital" reviver. At least we will 

 co:- elude in hoping that this will prove the 

 ca^e. 



I A FEW WORDS ABOUT 



I 



GEOLOGY. 



By C. H. H. Walker, Liverpool. 

 Continued from page 248. 



Both the Lias and the succeeding formation, 

 the Oolite, are of marine origin, clearly proved 

 by the presence of encrinites and corals. 

 The ripples and footprints indicate adjacent 

 land, while the climate must have been 

 tropical, else the tree-ferns and corals could 

 never have existed. Passing over a forma- 

 tion we arrive at the Cretaceous, or Chalk 

 Rocks. Chalk dust forms an excellent subject 

 for the microscope. The slide is prepared by 

 touching a piece of freshly broken chalk with 

 the finger, and afterwards gently pressing 

 the whitened member to the object glass, to 

 which some of the chalk will adhere. A high 

 power is necessary to make out the exceeding 

 beauty of form possessed by the minute 

 fossils that comprise chalk. These tiny 

 animals are called Foraminifera, and are 

 similar to those now forming the ooze on the 

 bed of the broad Atlantic. Thus it is ap- 

 parent that the white chalk is a deep sea 

 formation. 



The Eocene strata yield tree ferns, palms, 

 bread-fruit trees, and other sub-tropical 

 plants, in addition to crocodiles and other 

 reptiles. 



The Elephant and Rhinoceros occur in the 

 Miocene and Pliocene, many insects being 

 also found in the former strata, among which 

 may be mentioned the Apis; Libellula, the 

 most abundant species resembling L. deprcssa ; 

 Notonecta ; pupa^ of Chironomus ; and Coccio- 

 nellu. The fossils of the Drift are similar to 

 those now found in the Arctic seas. Astarte 

 borealis, Cardium edule, and Dental:':. a entalis 

 may be mentioned. 



I have now completed a summary of the 

 principal formations. 



