AQUATIC INSECTS. 
177 
AQUATIC INSECTS.* 
Tins prettily got up little book is intended to induce residents in the country 
with a taste for Natural History to turn their attention to the investigation of the 
structure and habits of the numerous and interesting insects which inhabit our 
ponds and rivers in one or more stages of their existence. It consists of a general 
introduction, and of a series of life histories of selected species, partly taken from 
the works of previous writers, chiefly Swammerdam, Reaumur and De Geer, and 
partly from the original observations of the author, and of one or two friends. 
The book concludes with chapters on the “ Insects of the Sea-shore,” and on the 
“ Contrivances of Aquatic Insects.” 
We welcome the appearance of works of this class as more suitable to guide 
the taste of young people in the direction of Natural History than more advanced 
books ; but although Professor Miall indicates his personal preference for practical 
rather than systematic work, we think that very good work would be done by 
any naturalist who would give us a Manual of British Fresh-water Zoology, 
corresponding to Gosse’s Manual of Marine Zoology (though a little more 
elaborate), which gave such an impetus to shore collecting at the time of its 
appearance. 
There are a few points connected with Professor Miall’s book to which we 
should call attention in case of a new edition being required. Although various 
marine insects exist, yet they are few, indeed, compared with those which inhabit 
fresh water, their place being taken by Crustacea, which are poorly represented in 
fresh water ; and we must certainly demur to Professor Miall’s statement (p. 328) 
that “the ancients cared little for any insect, except the bee,” &c. What of the 
scarabasus, the butterfly, and the cicada? Larger animals, of course, engrossed 
more attention, but considering the fragmentary character of ancient literature, we 
probably find at least as large a number of references to them as we might expect 
to find in a similar haphazard collection of books and extracts of the present day. 
There are also two omissions to which we should like to draw attention. The 
chapter on ‘ ‘ Aquatic Diptera ” is the longest in the book, but we find no mention of 
one very curious fly, Atherix ibis, the females of which settle on a branch over- 
hanging the water, and then lay their eggs and die, till a great ball of dead flies 
and eggs is formed, as large as a child’s head. When the grubs hatch they drop 
into the water beneath, where they undergo their transformations. And in the 
chapter on “ Dragon-flies ” we find no mention of Rnesel, the old miniature painter 
of Nuremberg, whose beautifully illustrated work, published about the middle of 
the last century, included one of the best accounts of European dragon-fly larva; 
previous to the appearance of Mr. Nunney’s recent papers in Science Gossip. 
Roesel’s work appears to us quite as worthy of recognition by modern writers as 
those of Swammerdam, R&umur and De Geer. 
Mr. Hammond’s name is a sufficient guarantee for the excellence of the 
numerous woodcuts illustrating Professor Miall’s work. 
W. h'. K. 
Filial AflFection in a Pig. — A pig is not altogether an unselfish animal, 
but I must record a pleasing trait in the character of a young sow, now the mother 
of a numerous family, towards her own mother — since deceased — in the autumn 
of last year. The two sows fed in a meadow divided from the fruit garden by a 
wire fence, rather dilapidated ; there were holes in it, through which the younger 
and smaller animal could creep, but not sufficiently large to enable the mother to 
do so likewise. My gardeners informed me that they saw the young one repeatedly 
pass through the fence and return with an apple or pear in her mouth, which she 
laid at the feet of her respected mother. 
Nascott. • George Roofer. 
* The Naticral History of Aquatic Insects, by Professor L. C. Miall, P'.R.S., 
with illustrations by A. R. Hammond, F.L.S. (London : Macmillan & Co., 
1895, pp. ix., 395. Price 5s.) 
