THE GENERAL SUBJECT. 
Ins. 5 
Insects in amber (2 Ooleoptera^ 1 Hymenoptera, new) ; J. P. E. F. Stein, 
MT. Miinch. ent. Ver. i. pp. 28-30. 
Ovology. Perez’s paper, “ Ovologie des insectes, siir les cellules ditos 
vitellogenes,” read at the 1877 meeting of the Reunion des Soci<5tes 
savantes des ddpartements,” is abstracted in Pet. Nouv. ii. p. 125. A. 
Brandt’s paper, “ Etudes comparatives sur les tubes oviferes et I’oeuf des 
Insectes,” Bull. Sci. Nat. Mosc. 1876, has not been seen by the Recorder. 
An abstract of H. Grenacher’s paper on the eyes of Arthropods, by 
B. T. Lowne, Ent. x. pp. 181-183, 193-198. 
On hearing in insects ; H. Cecil, Nature, xvii. p. 102. On a special 
organ; A. H. Swinton, Ent. M. M. xiv. p. 121. 
Use of antennm in insects. L. Trouvelot, Am. Nat. xi. pp. 193-196, 
from experiments on Lepidoptera and ants, considers these organs to be 
the seat of an unknown sense, “ a kind of feeling or smelling at a great 
distance.” A. S. Packard, jun., tom. cit. pp. 418-423, from similar but 
more widely extended experiments, concludes that nothing is proved 
except an indication that the insect’s brain is as it were projected into 
the antenure, the nerves of which probably possess nucleated cells, homo- 
logous with those of the ganglia from which the sonso-norvos originate. 
Digestion in Insects. An analysis of Jousset do Bollesmc’s conclu- 
sions ; G. Levassort, Feuil. Nat. vii. pp. 72 & 73, 83-85, 99-102 ((/. 
Plateau, supra). 
Vitality of Insects. A. S. Packard, jun., records experiments (mostly 
decapitation) on a few insects of different orders; an Agrotis survived 
decapitation till the fifth day : Psyche, ii. pp. 17-19. The severed abdo- 
men of Vespa germanica stinging for 32 hours and moving for 42 hours ; 
C. Haury, Pet. Nouv. ii. p. 179. See also Formicidae \ Hymenoptera^ 
iufril] ; and, on vitality after immersion in alcohol, P. Billiot, Feuil. 
Nat. vii. p. 94. 
G. Dimrnock, Psyche, ii. pp. 19-22, records the effect of a few common 
gases on Arthropods. Carbonic dioxide, alone or mixed with air, is 
poisonous to insects ; oxygen seems only to stimulate them, though some- 
times producing death ; nitric oxide is a quick poison. 
On insect-bites and stings; L. Provancher, Nat. Canad. ix. p. 277. 
Hybernation ; G. de Rossi, Ent. Nachr. iii. p. 110. 
Insects in coal pits; H. Vaughan, Ent. M. M. xiv. p. 141. 
On the causes of “ assembling ” among insects ; B. P. Mann, Psyche, 
ii. p. 39. 
On swarming ; F. Rudow, Ent. Nachr. iii. p. 158. 
Mimicry. Neville Goodman, P. Cambridge Phil. Soc. iii. pt. 2, de- 
scribes a striking instance, a Laphria reproducing the appearance and 
habits of Vespa orientalis (P. E. Soc. 1877, p. xxxiii.). All colours con- 
cerned in mimicry are hypodermic ; Hagen, Psyche, ii. p. 23. 
Selective discrimination in insects ; Nature, xvi. p. 522, xvii. pp. 11, 
(H. O. Forbes) 62, (J. B. Bridgman) 102, (F. M. Burton) 162 & 163. 
T. Meehan, P. Am. Ass. xxiv. (Detroit : 1876), 1876, p. 243, argues, 1, 
that the great bulk of coloured flowering plants are self-fertilizers ; 2, 
that only to a limited extent do insects aid fertilization ; 3, that self- 
fertilizers are in every way as healthy and vigorous, and immensely more 
