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THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
The one exception to European apathy between 1643 and
1842 was displayed by France. When, midway between these
dates, Condamine had completed the survey work he was deputed
to Peru to carry out, his companion Joseph de Jussieu conveyed
in safety, during a journey of two thousand miles, a consignment
of living Cinchona plants, which he suffered the mortification
of losing by shipwreck at its close. But he had taken the
precaution to secure also a supply of seed, which was sown at
Cayenne. The young plants unfortunately did not survive the
conditions in French Guiana, and the historian may at least
be permitted to ask whether Voltaire, whose Histoire philosophique
et politique of the European settlements in, and European
commerce with, the West and the East Indies, may be read
with profit to-day, was led by this sad frustration of Joseph de
Jussieu's hopes to the "profane" reflection that while malaria
abounds in marshes, its remedy is confined to mountains.
A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE COLLEMBOLA
AND THYSANURA OF EPPING FOREST.
By H. WOMERSLEY, A.L.S., F.E.S.
DURING the early part of last year I had the opportunity
of collecting these interesting groups of insects in the
Epping Forest district. Especially on Feb. 26th I made a joint
trip with Mr. I). J. Scourfield and Mr. P. Thompson, of the
Essex Museum, in an intensive hunt for them.
As the list given here is but a preliminary one for this area
and is intended to stimulate local collecting and study of these
groups, a few notes on the two Orders may be useful.
The Collembola or Springtails are an extremely primitive,
but at the same time specialised Order of insects. They are
entirely apterous, undergo no distinct metamorphosis and are
unique amongst insects in possessing only six abdominal
segments. They derive their popular name of Springtails from
a peculiar forked tail or spring which is attached to the ventral
side of the fourth or fifth segment of the abdomen. Although
this spring—called the furca—is present in most species, it is
in a large number either entirely absent or reduced. When
the insect is at rest the furca is folded beneath the body and
held in position by a small catch-like organ.