11

Tom. IV. Mem. sur la fam. des Melastomacees

N.C. Seringe p. 344. — The calyx has a very fixed form in each species, but is very variable in the genera. — This is just the reverse of previous statement & theory, & I suppose it must be admitted.

Tom. VI. p. 97. Description des Hydroleacées

Prof Choisy. — Hydrolea is the only semi-aquatic plant in this (small) family & it alone offers nomadic species — Has observed same fact in the Convolvulacees

Tom. VII. p. 154. Mem. sur la Chenille du Hamac (Aecophora Harisella of Latreille), par Pierre Huber.

This caterpillar makes most curious & complicated hammock, in which it is suspended to turn into the chrysalis. Huber found that if he took an individual, which has completed his work up to any given stage, say the 6^th &

12

placed it on the hammock, belonging to another, only in (say) the 3^d stage, the caterpillar commenced on from this stage & re-completed his work; but the reverse does not hold, for if one which had only completed to 3^d stage of work, was just on a hammock already completed to the 6^th stage, it did not appear to understand, & with embarressment went on from its own 3^d stage. This appears as if what it had just executed was fresh in the mind of the one.

p. 157. "Tout ceci confirme ce que j'ai toujours observé chez les insectes, c'est qu'a côté de l'instinct, la nature leur a accorde a tous une petite dose de jugement proportionnée aux chances plus ou moins favorables de leur condition."

Back