128 THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER. 
once undergoes that operation. Besides 
this, it never sleeps ; most larva, after 
enjoying a hearty meal, may be found 
inactive and inert, in a position which 
conveys to us precisely the idea of sleep, 
but a Phyllocnistis larva never sleeps, — 
it is always eating, — from its exclusion 
from the egg to its being full fed, night 
or day, its jaws are perpetually at work. 
This is not true only of the larva of 
Phyllocnistis , — it occurs throughout the 
extensive genus of Nepticula. I have 
had abunduut opportunities of observing 
these larva at all hours of the day and 
night, and, unless they are ill or dying, 
they are invariably eating. Their jaws 
have certainly solved the problem of per- 
petual motion. 
Ehrenberg expressed surprise that the 
Infusoria never sleep, and Owen, after 
long watching the motions of the Poly- 
gaslria, concluded they were generally of 
the nature of respiratory acts and not 
attempts to obtain food or avoid danger. 
He adds, “ Very seldom can they be 
construed as voluntary, but seem rather 
to be automatic ; governed by the in- 
fluence of stimuli, within or without the 
body, not felt but reflected upon the con- 
tractile fibre; and therefore are motions 
which never tire.” 
But the motions of these small larvm 
are certainly not automatic; you fre- 
quently see the larva turning its head 
about from side to side of its mine, as 
though considering where it should eat a 
bit next, and immediately it has deter- 
mined that point it sets to work with 
a will, little indicative of involuntary 
action. 
In ordinary seasons I should, at this 
season of the year, have been able to 
have exhibited living specimens of some 
of these small larva) to the section, but 
the extreme backwardness of the present 
season has not allowed me to obtain any 
specimens to show you to-day. 
Now ready, with alternate blank pages for 
Memoranda, price Is. 6d., cloth boards, 
2s. 
T he lepidopterist’s 
CALENDAR, giving the Time 
of Appearance of the British Lepidoptera, 
as far as they are known, in the Inutgo, 
Larva and Pupa states : with a classified 
Arrangement of the Larvae-food. By 
Joseph Merrin. 
The work contains some useful Notes 
under each Month; and having, during 
its progress through the press, been re- 
vised and amplified by several of our 
ablest Entomologists, its accuracy is 
guaranteed. 
“ At length we have a complete Ca- 
lendar of the British Lepidoptera, pub- 
lished at the low price of eighteen-pence. 
On the whole we are of opinion that this 
volume will be found very seiwiceable to 
all that numerous class who have not 
already learned everything by their own 
experience.” — Entomologist's Weekly In- 
telligencer. 
“ In this little work are given not only 
the time when, and the place where, to 
catch our butterflies and moths, but we 
have a dietary for the caterpillar of the 
various species. This imparts an espe- 
cial scientific value to the Lepidopterist’s 
Calendar .” — Literary Gazette. 
London : E. Newman, 9, Devonshire 
Street, Bishopsgate, N.E. Sent free on 
receipt of Is. 6d. or 2s. in postage 
stamps, by the Publisher, or the Author, 
Gloucester. 
This day is published, price 12*. Gd., the 
Fifth Volume of 
THE NATURAL HISTORY OF 
THE TINEINA. 
CONTAINING 
COLEOPHORA. Part II. 
London; John Van Voorst, 1, Pater- 
noster Row. 
Printed and published by Edward Nkwmak, 
Printer , of No. U, Devon shire Street, Ilishops- 
KUte Without, London, in the County of 
Middlesex, — Saturday, July 81, 1S60, 
