242 
INSECTA. 
pairs. Probably the larvee of the different groups of winged insects had 
originally a pair on each thoracic segment ; and the ancestral type of 
lepidopterous larvae was provided with 2 pairs of thoracic spiracles. 
Plateau, P. Recherches sur les Ph4nom^nes de la digestion chez les 
Insectes. M4m. Ac. Belg. xli. [? whole vol. yet published ] (also 
separately, Bruxelles: 1874, 4to, pp. 1-124, pis. i.-iii.). 
The digestive apparatus in Dytiscus marginalis and larva, D. dimi- 
diatus, Acilius sulcatus, Ilydaticus transversalis, Carabus aiiratus, Libel- 
lula conspurcata, AEschna grandis, (pupae of) Libellula vulgata ?, Nepa 
cinerea, and Eanatra linearis^ among the carnivorous insects, and Hydrous 
caraboideSf Hydrophilus piceus^ Melolontha vulgaris, Oryctes nasicornis, 
Locusta viridissima (in all stages), Stetheophyma grossum, Cossus ligni- 
perda (larva), Liparis dispar (larva), Papilio machaon, Vanessa io, poly- 
chloros, and urticce, among feeders on vegetable matter, is exhaustively 
discussed, especially with regard to the chemical nature of the various 
secretions. 
The author’s chief conclusions are : — that in all insects in a normal 
state, the digestive juices are alkaline or neutral, never acid ; that the 
gizzard of insects is not a triturating organ, auxiliary to the buccal par.ts, 
but allows a gradual and regular passage of alimentary matter, opposing 
any return from the intestine to the crop ; and that the Malpighian 
tubes are not biliary or urino-biliary organs, but exclusively eliminators 
of urine. 
The plates contain figures of highly magnified portions of the various 
organs discussed. 
Provanciier, L. Entomologie dlementaire en rapport avec la faune du 
Canada. Nat. Canad. ii. [1870] pp. 139-144, 167-174, 210-212, 236- 
238, 265-268, 297-299, 340-342, 364-367, figs. 23, 25-32, 35; iii. 
[1871] pp. 21-25, 52-54, 80-87, 132-136, 227 8^ 228, 258-260, 292- 
295, 326-329, 357-359, figs. 4, 5, 11-14 ; iv. [1872] pp. 10-13, 43-47, 
68-72, 132-138, figs. 2-4. 
The commencement of a general introduction to the study of Entomo- 
logy, especially as regards external anatomy. 
Reed, E. C. Catalogo de los Insectos Chilenos. Santiago de Chile : 
1874, 8vo, pp. 1-24. 
Apparently the commencement of the work, though there is no indi- 
cation of a future continuation of the present part, which enumerates 
357 species oi Coleoptera: viz., 4 CicindelidcG, 167 Carabuke, 17 Dytis- 
cidce, 3 Gyrinidce, 8 Hydrophilidce, and 148 Staphylinidce. A few new 
species are indicated. The author criticizes Gay’s work adversely, and 
gives a separate list of his species of Staphylinidce, with their correct 
names. 
Riley, C. V. Sixth Annual Report on the Noxious, Beneficial, and 
other Insects of the State of Missouri, &c., Jefferson City, Mo. : 
1874, pp. 169 & xii., 55 woodcuts. 
Of the usual practical nature. 
