X32 lOctobei 
Yesterday I had the pleasure of observing the same fact in the case of tvvi 
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 c 
grossulanata, they seemed greatly excited, sprung forwards, and licked ther 
eagerly into their mouths ; no sooner, however, had they done so, than they seemo' 
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, whio! 
seemed perfectly uninjured, and walked off as briskly as ever. 
After this, it was useless to attempt to persuade the frogs to touch one c 
these caterpillars. — Arthur G. Butler, British Museum, May 18th, 1868. 
P.S. — Since writing the above I have tried other larvae from gooseberry, wit 
exactly the same result ; such as those of the gooseberry saw-fly, and of HaU 
vaucuria. May it not be possible that the plant transmits some peculiar acid to th 
larvae which feed upon it^ such as to cause their rejection as food by sm9,ll reptilei 
&c. ?— A. G. B., 3rd July, 1868. J 
Notes on gall insects. — There exists in the library of the Museum at Basle a 
octavo volume, presented in 1854 by Professor Wackermagel, which contains 
nicely-arranged series of insect productions, such as mines, galls, distorted shooti 
cut leaves, &c., of various Swiss plants. Years ago it was my great delight t 
study the numerous biological lessons of this volume, but time and change { 
residence had almost obliterated my recollection of its contents, until, on a recei 
visit, my attention was recalled to it through the courtesy of Professor Pet( 
Herian. Acting on the maxim that " repetitio mater studiorum est," I perused 
carefully. Memoranda made on the spot and specimens compared since my retu) 
to England, enable me now to add another link to the solution of two of the querii 
I advanced in the May No. of the " Zoologist" (p. 1201). I there called attenti< 
to tubular galls on the upper-side of beech leaves (West Wickham) covered with 
reddish pubescence, &c. These will have to be referred to Cecidomyia anmdipi 
Hartig, or to a closely allied species. Mention was also made (Zool., p. 1201) 
discoloured and rolled leaflets of the common Bracken (Allonby, Cumberland), whu 
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 Qit,ercus pedunculai 
bearing on its upper surface numerous spangles of Neuroterus Malpighii, Harti 
This display of instinct at fault is of rare occurrence with the insect named, so i 
as I know, but I shall be glad to hear what other observers have to say. My oth 
memoranda must be left for some future time, but a thought suggested by t' 
handling of the said collection, in which Bi-emi's name occurs in almost every pj^ 
may fitly close this notice. 
It is to be hoped that the valuable legacy of unpublished biological essays ^ 
this naturalist, preserved in another Swiss library, at Zurich, will soon be mad 
accessible, in some way or other, to the entomological public. No one can looi 
over the list of these papers in Dr. Hagen's laborious " Bibliotheca Entomologica' 
without forming some such expectation. "When will it be realized ? — Albeb 
MuLLEU, Penge, S.E., August llth, 1868. 
