INSECTA ARACHNIDA. 
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sitic insects living on our domestic fowls and mammalia. The plates are 
masterly, and although uncoloured, far excel those of Denny. Two new 
species have been observed by him : Ornithobius anseris, on the goose ; 
and Trichodectus caprcB, in the goat. 
FOSSIL INSECTS. 
Unger has made some remarks on the fossil insects in the clay slate of 
Radoboj, in Croatia (Verhandl. der Kais. Leop. Acad. d. Naturf. xix. ii. 
p. 415). They exceed all other fossil remains of animals, in the number 
of genera, species, and individuals, accompanied also by the traces of 
very many sorts of plants ; and what is strange, fishes and their scales 
are found together with them on one and the same piece of slate; 
many of them exhibit marks of commencing putrefaction, while others 
seem as if the animal had been buried alive. Hymenoptera are most 
numerous, especially ants ; next Diptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and 
Neuroptera.) and even the coloured wings of a butterfly have been 
found. He has given figures of several Diptera, viz., — Rhipidia 
extincta, major; Bibio Murchinsonis, gracilis, lignarius, giganteus, en- 
terodelus ; Leptogaster Hellii. There is also an Essay by Charpentier 
(ibid. XX. p. 401, t. 21-23), “ Uber einige fossile Insecten aus Radoboj 
in Croatien,” in which are represented the remains of (Edipoda 
melanosticta, Myrmeleon brevipennis, reticulatus ; Libellula platyp- 
tera. Sphinx atavus, Hylotoma (?) cineracea, Termes pristinus. His 
remarks on the origin of these remains are worthy of attention, as they 
throw some light on the important geological question, what sort of ca- 
tastrophe destroyed the former creation. These insects, in the author’s 
opinion, belonged to the land and air ; their tender parts are preserved 
in such a way, that the view of their having been swallowed up by a 
deluge cannot be maintained. It is rather to be assumed, that they have 
been killed by currents of air, and have fallen down, enveloped in a 
shower of dust and ashes, or been covered by a fine shower of slime ; 
an examination of the place, and their position, may lead to a more 
certain conclusion. That they were destroyed during the catastrophe 
is probable, as dead insects, in the open air, are very soon consumed by 
other insects. 
ARACHNIDA. 
Grube has given some of the results of his researches on the anatomy 
of the Arachnida (J. Muller’s Arch. f. Anat. u. Physiol. 1842, p. 296). 
They contain many important hints, among others, that the part 
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