r h e 
WEEKLY ENTOMOLOGIST. 
“ ENT03IA aUIDQUID AGUXT XOSTP.I EST FARRAGO II BELLI.” 
No. 10. — Vol. 2.] SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 1863. [Price ‘Id. 
EXTRACTS FROM DONOVAN. 
> 
Diptera. 
Musca Chamceleon. 
Generic Character. 
Musca, a soft flexible trunk, with 
lateral lips at the end. No palpi. 
Specific Character. 
Dark brown or black. Antennas 
taper, Eyes large. Abdomen nearly 
circular, with three triangular 
yellow spots on each side, and 
one at the extremity. 
Linnasus in a former edition of the 
Fauna Suecica gave ' this insect the 
name of CEslrus Aquce, but he after- 
wards discovered it to be a Musca 
and called it Musca Chamceleon. It 
is one of the most common Dipterous 
or two winged insects we have ; yet 
though so Avell known in its perfect 
state, few have attended so minutely 
to its changes as to discover that 
they form the most interesting part of 
its history. The female deposits her 
eggs in the hollow stalks of aquatic 
plants, or broken reeds, or so pro- 
vides for them, that they cannot, but 
by some unforeseen accident be carried 
away. The egg in due time ripening 
produces a Larva, by no means re- 
sembling the parent, but rather a 
worm of a most singular structure. 
This happens about the latter end of 
Lay or beginning of June, if the 
weather proves favourable, and they 
may be seen crawling on the grass or 
plants which grow there, or they may 
be taken floating on the surface of the 
water. The Body consists of twelve 
annular divisions whereof the head 
and tail are two ; the tail has a verge 
of hairs, which, when entirely expan- 
ded support the creature on the sur- 
face with the head downwards. If it 
wishes to descend it contracts the hairs 
in the form of a wine glass, or entirely 
closes them at the end; and when 
again it is rising to the surface it 
forces a bubble from a small aperture 
in the centre, which immediately 
makes a passage for its ascension. 
It changes to the Pupa state, and 
about the middle of July to the Ely. 
It subsists at this time on the Nectar 
and other juices it extracts from the 
bottom of the corollas in flowers. 
Musca pendula. 
Specific Character, 
Head black. Thorax yellow, with 
