2 Ins. 
INSECTA. 
and Apidce . The Lepidoptera observed paid seventy visits to red or 
pink flowers, five to blue, fifteen to yellow, and five to white ; Diptera , 
nine to red or pink, eight to yellow, and twenty to white ; Hymenoptera , 
three hundred to red or pink, one hundred and twenty to blue, eleven to 
yellow, and seventeen to white. 
Brauer, F. Biologisches aus der Insectenwelt. Schr. nat. Kenntn. 
xxii. pp. 485-497. 
A popular article, but containing noteworthy observations on the 
general conditions of Insect life. 
Breiim, A. E. Merveilles de la Nature ; les Insectes, les Myriapodes, 
les Arachnides et les Crustac6s. Edition fra^aise par J. Kunckel 
d’Herculais. Paris : 8vo, pp. 720, figs. 
Brongniart, C. Aper<?u sur les insectes fossiles en general, et observa- 
tions sur quelques insectes des terrains houillees de Commentry 
(Allier, France). Le Nat. v. pp. 266-268. 
Insects are much more common in the coal measures than is generally 
supposed. The writer’s investigations lead him to the following conclu- 
sions : — (1) Insects have existed since the Devonian period. (2) At the Car- 
boniferous period they were represented by forms allied to the Orthoptera , 
Neuroptera , and Hcmiptera ( Fulgoridce ). (3) Palmozoic Insects (except, 
perhaps, two supposed Coleoptera ) were Insects with incomplete metamor- 
phoses. (4) Insects only began to differentiate in the Secondary period. 
(5) During the Tertiary period, Insects differed little from those now 
existing, but those which then inhabited Europe are now only represented 
in warm climates. 
Camerano, L. Ricerche intorno alle aberrazioni di forma negli ani- 
mali, ed al loro diventare caratteri specifici. Atti Acc. Tor. xviii. 
pp. 459-478, pi. v. 
The writer classifies the principal forms of aberration as follows : — 
A. Aberrations of Form. 
1. Aberrations of dwarfishness (nanism). 
2. „ abnormal size (gigantism). 
3. „ symmetry. 
4. „ asymmetry. 
B. Aberrations of Colour. 
1. Aberrations by deficiency (achroism). 
2. ,, excess (hyperchroism). 
3. „ symmetry. 
4. „ asymmetry. 
Aberrations may be useful to the animal either under normal con- 
ditions of life, or under new or accidental conditions, either favourable 
or the reverse. Sexual and accidental variations of form are then dis- 
cussed, chiefly with reference to various Coleoptera , portions of various 
species of Geotrupes , Onthophagus, Lucanus, Psalicerus , Megasoma , Bros - 
cus, Athous , Ocypus , Cerocoma , and Clitra , being figured in illustration, 
