THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER. 
183 
being thus occupied, there would be the 
waste of the precious time in writing 
them ; while every purpose could be 
answered by seeing, at any future time, 
that either of the insects Nos. 301 to 
320, whether known at the time of 
capture or not, was taken at Wickham 
on the 21st of May. We should as 
soon think of saying, as something 
worthy of note, that Lord Palmer- 
ston was in the House of Commons 
every day during the session, as that 
A. Euphrosyne was to be taken at 
Wickham in May and June; but if any 
one likes to adopt the extensive plan, of 
course he can. 
The side of the ticket bearing the 
number is placed downwards, for the 
sake of neatness of appearance; whoever 
thinks it too much trouble to lift an 
insert for the purpose of adding to 
his knowledge about it, I fear is not 
worthy of being ranked higher than a 
“ fancier.” 
The same plan may be pursued with 
insects of any order, only that it would 
be better to have a distinct register for 
each order. With Coleoptera or other 
insects carded, the label would not be 
necessary, as the number could be placed 
on the under side of the card. 
I am, Sir, 
Yours, &c., 
Numero. 
Circulation of the Blood in 
Insects. — It has long been well known 
that the^circulation of the blood in the 
legs of certain insects is aided by the 
action of muscular fasciculi situated 
near the articulation of the tibia with 
the femur. This fact was discovered 
by M. Behn, in 1835, in the young of 
Notonecta, and the same condition has 
since been noticed in Corixa, Plea, 
Naucoris, Nepa and Ranatra. M. Behn 
conceived the organ in question to he of 
a special kind, whilst M. Leon-Dufour 
conceives that the movement in question 
is due to the ordinary muscles of the leg. 
The latter observer, moreover, denies the 
existence of the currents described by 
M. Behn, and whose statement is now 
supported by the independent observa- 
tions of Lieut. Mitchell. A similar 
phenomenon has been observed by M. 
Verlohren in the feet of Tettigonia and 
of the larvae of Ephemera, contrary to 
the experience of Lieut. Mitchell. De 
Geer also speaks of pulsations resembling 
those of an artery in the legs of a species 
of Ornithomyia. M. Behn describes the 
double current noticed by Lieut. Mitchell 
as running in opposite directions in the 
two sides of the limb ; and states that 
the movements of these currents coiucide 
with those of the pulsatile organ, and are 
apparently independent of the contrac- 
tions of the dorsal vessel. It will thus 
be seen that, although the phenomenon 
has been long well known, there are 
still some disputed points connected 
with it. — ‘ Microscopical Journal,’ April, 
1859. 
Foot of the Fly. — The tarsus or 
foot of the fly is subdivided into five 
joints, the final one being furnished with 
that remarkable apparatus which enables 
the insect to walk upon what appears to 
us perfectly smooth or polished surfaces, 
and also to progress in a position opposed 
to the laws of gravity. This apparatus 
consists of two moveable claws, re- 
sembling a cow’s horn in shape, which 
the insect can afBx to any little emi- 
nences or depressions that present them- 
selves in its course ; and further of a pair 
of membranous expansions, termed “ pul- 
villi,” or familiarly pads, which, when 
magnified, resemble the broad termi- 
nation of a child’s battledore formed of 
