THE GENERAL SUBJECT. 
Ins. V 
species, of insects of all orders (including Araclmida and Myriopoda^ the 
latter with one sp. n.) observed in Barbados, Martinique, and Antigua. 
The fauna is very meagre. Apis mellifica is now wild in the latter 
island. 
Meldola, R. Entomological Notes bearing on Evolution. Ann. N. H. 
(5) i. pp. 155-161. 
Contains extracts from a letter by Fritz Miiller, bearing on the 
sounds made by butterflies, the display of colours by Lepi^optera^ Insects 
distinguishing colours, mimicry, and the correlation of habit with pro- 
tective resemblance. 
M‘Lachlan, R. Report on the Insecta (including Arachnida), collected 
by Captain Feilden and Mr. Hart between the parallels of 78*^ and 
83*^ North Latitude, during the recent Arctic Expedition. J. L. S. 
xiv. pp. 98-122, map. 
^ About 45 spp. of Insecta (5 of Ilymenoptera, 1 of Coleoptera, 13 of 
Lepidoptera, about 15 of Diptera^ 1 of Hemiptera, 7 of Mallophaga, and 3 
of Collembola)^ and about 15 of Arachnida are noticed. An aflBnity with 
the fauna of Lapland is suggested, and the occurrence of Rhopalocera so 
far north is emphasized. Three new species {Ilymenoptera and Lepido- 
ptera') are described, and three named varieties of known Lepidopterous 
species. 
MocsAry, S. Adatok Zolyom ds Lipto Megyek Faun.4jahoz (Data ad 
Faunam Hungarise septemtrionalis comitatuum ; Zolyom et Lipto). 
TSrm. Kozl. xv. (1877-78), pp. 223-263. 
Pp. 232-262 refer to Insecta : a mere list of names with localities. A 
new species of Chrysis and of Hoplisus are, however, described. t 
Muller, Hermann. Die Insecten als unbewusste Blumenzuchter. 
Zool. Anz. i. pp. 32 & 33 (abstract) ; Kosmos, ii. pp. 314-337, 403- 
426, 476-499, illustrations. 
Pj^:rez, J. Sur les causes du bourdonnement chez les Insectes. C. R. 
Ixxxvii. pp. 378-380. 
The author’s experiments do not entirely corroborate those of Chab- 
rier, Burmeister, Landois, &c. Gumming together the wings of Sarco • 
pliaga carnaria does not stop the buzzing sound ; but if the wings are 
held firmly together and stretched as tightly as possible from their base, 
all noise ceases. Removing the scaly parts round the stigmata has no 
effect whatever, if the fly is not physically and sensibly weakened by the 
operation. Lesions of the respiratory orifices, and the introduction of 
solid substances into them, neither stop the buzzing nor change its tone. 
Hermetically sealing the thoracic stigmata only weakens the sound pro- 
duced in proportion to the weakening of the power of flight by the 
consequent asphyxia. The wings are the seat of the buzzing : in Ilymeno- 
ptera and Diptera this noise is owing to two distinct causes, (1) the 
vibrations of which the wing articulation is the seat, and which constitutes 
the true buzzing, (2) the friction of the wings against the air, modifying 
the other sound more or less. In Lepidoptera and Neuroptera, the only 
sound produced is that of the friction of the air by the wings. 
