1829.] 
Miscellaneous Notices . 
373 
in support of his opinion on the Strombidte, which he ascertained by dissection to 
be endowed with true eyes. 
In Ampullaria these organs occupy the summits of the pedicles, and are not, as 
in Helix , mere specks on the back of the capitulum ; they hare a large central, cir- 
cular black spot, surrounded by a whitish surface resembling the cornea. I found 
it difficult to persuade myself that the wary animal, which, at my slightest cauti- 
ous movement to inspect it, shewed its sense of my presence, by quickly withdraw- 
ing itself, and whose staring eyes presented themselves so conspicuously, was not 
endowed with true vision. 
Bundelkhand , October 2 8th, 1829. I am, Sir, 
Your obdt. Servant, 
W. H. B. 
Errata in the Notice on Ampullaria , p. 52. & 53. 
passim For “ tentaculse” rend “ tentacula” 
P. 52. After “ Melania” dele “ and’* 
P. S. A. reflex a of Swainson appears to belong to the division with a horny oper- 
culum, and, therefore, cannot be identical with either of the species described by me. 
The only notice I had seen of that shell was in the Philosophical Magazine, voi. lxi. 
Obs. Ampul l aria is by the natives called Talha , and the shell is by them supposed 
to he efficacious in medicine, being used as a vessel to contain applications for the 
eyes, for which purpose it is sold in the Baz&r of Allahabad. W. H. B. 
X. Miscellaneous Notices. 
1. Further Notice of the Beetle described in the &th No. of Gleanings. 
Among the miscellaneous notices in the 8th No. of Gleanings in Science, T.J. P. 
gives an account of an acid secretion from a species of beetle, which from the cha- 
racters given by him, appears to b eAnthia Sex' gut tat a of Lamarck, belonging to the 
stirps Gcodephaga of MacLeay, and to the family of BracMnidce. 
The natives in these provinces, term this beetle, from its conspicuous markings, 
Chch-gundeh, and consider it venomous. It is probable that its powerful man- 
dibles would easily penetrate the skin, and the caustic liquor mentioned by T. J. P. 
as ejected from its mouth, might, if it found its way into the wound, produce much, 
pain and inflammation. 
In the rainy season, this insect may be observed climbing trees in pursuit of the 
insects which form its prey, like the cognate genus Calosoma in Europe; during the 
hot winds it inhabits rat-holes, in company with a large species of Maps, from 
which it is easily ejected by filling them with water. 
I have observed the pungent smell alluded to by T. J. P. when the insect has 
been confined under a glass, and has been making violent efforts to escape. On 
such occasions the inside of the glass and the surface on which it was placed, were 
wet with a colourless liquor, mixed with a little brownish dirt, which appeared to 
be excrement. I cannot, however, give the vapour the praise of resembling aro- 
matic vinegar ; its odour was pungent and spicy, but unpleasant. 
Several allied species belonging to the genus Brachinus , have the faculty of 
darting out, on being pursued or disturbed, a pungent visible vapour from the anus, 
with a crepitating report. This vapour blackens the hands, and reddens blue paper. 
Mr. Ritchie found it to be neither acid nor alkali, and soluble in alcohol and water. 
I have several species of Brachinus in mv collection, taken in this part of the coun- 
try. I have often caused them to crepitate by disturbing them, hut 1 never per- 
ceived the visible vapour which is emitted by the European species. - A friend of 
.mine once observed a vapour emitted by a small beetle, with a crepitating sound, 
which I doubt not belonged to this genus. Many other beetles possess acrid juices 
which they eject from the mouth when disturbed. Some interesting particulars 
connected with this property will be found iu Kii'by’s and Spence’s Introduction to 
Entomology, vol. ii. page 246, in the chapter concerning the means of defence of 
insects ; and in vol. 4. page 143, &c. in the chapter on secretions. 
Bundelkhand. W. II. B. 
Note. T. J. P. has omitted to notice in his description, the singular position of 
the trochanter in the hinder pair of legs, which characterises all the families 
