under part, that a few of the caterpillars only have been hatched, and have each begun to eat. But the creatures are now so small, and so much of the same colour as the leaf, that this must be examined with considerable attention, before they can be perceived. The greatest part of the brood continue still in the eggs, which may be found adhering to the larger ribs of the leaf in regular rows, of an oblong shape, and appearing like little white specks.

From this regular disposition of the eggs upon the leaf, it is evident, that they must have been deposited there by the parent fly, after the leaf has been formed. Not long after the eggs are hatched, the little animals eat so voraciously, that their holes will be found run one into another, and the whole soft part of the leaf eaten out, leaving only the fibres untouched. As many as a hundred and fifty of these caterpillars have been counted on a single leaf, the half of which, if suffered to go on undisturbed until their full growth, would alone devour all the leaves of a large bush. So that by plucking off this single leaf at a proper time, not only those of the whole bush may be saved, but, at the same time, the future ravages of such as would spring from them, would be prevented.

When the insects are about to enter their chrysalid state, they conceal themselves in the earth. Here they undergo their change, and after a short time become perfected. This usually takes place about the month of July. These insects now deposit their eggs, and die.

At this season of the year the eggs are very soon hatched, and in the autumn, the young caterpillars issue forth in swarms, and destroy the leaves. Many of them perish from the leaves' falling before they arrive at maturity. Such, however, as enter the chrysalid state previously to this defect of food, pass the winter in this state, and are changed into flies early in the spring.

The flies are of a sluggish disposition, often remaining stationary on the leaves for several minutes, and

not being easily disturbed. This sluggishness renders them an easy prey to birds, by which they are eagerly devoured.

OF THE ICHNEUMONS IN GENERAL*.

The larvæ of all the Ichneumons derive nutriment from other insects. The female, when about to lay her eggs, perforates with her sting either the body or the nidus of some other insect or caterpillar, and deposits them there. The sting of one of the species, though extremely fine, is so strong as to penetrate through mortar and plaster. The food of the family to be produced from the eggs of this fly, is the larvæ of wasps or mason-bees; for the parent Ichneumon no sooner discovers one of the nests of these insects, than it fixes on it, and in a moment bores through the mortar, of which it is built.

Some species agglutinate their eggs upon caterpillars; others penetrate the bodies of caterpillars, and deposit their eggs in the inside. When the larvæ are hatched, their heads are so situated that they pierce the caterpillars, and penetrate to their very entrails. These larvæ suck the nutritious juices of the creatures without attacking their vitals; for they seem to be all the time perfectly healthy, and even sometimes are enabled to transform themselves into chrysalids. "A friend of mine,” says Dr. Derham, put about forty large caterpillars, collected from cabbages, on some bran and a few leaves, into a box, and covered it with gauze to prevent their escape. After a few days we saw, from more than three-fourths of them, about eight or ten

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The antennæ of the Ichneumon-flies taper towards their extremity, and consist of more than thirty joints or articulations. The mouth is armed with jaws, and has four unequal, thread-shaped feelers. At the extremity of the abdomen there is a long sting, having, however, no pungent property, enclosed in a cylindrical sheath composed of two valves.

little caterpillars of the Ichneumon fly come out of their backs, and spin each a small coccoon of silk, and in a few days the large caterpillars died." The Ichneumons performed singular service, in the years 1731 and 1732, by multiplying in the same proportion as the caterpillars. Their larvæ consequently destroyed infinitely more of these voracious creatures, than could possibly have been done by all the efforts of human industry. Aphides, or Plant-lice, and the larvæ of various other insects, are also made the nidus of the Ichneumon.

ICHNEUMON MANIFESTATOR*.

The care and attention paid by the whole of the animal creation to the preservation of their offspring, is a subject that has employed the attention and excited the admiration of all ages; yet there are few creatures in which these properties are more manifest, than in this diminutive animal.

Thomas Marsham, Esq. an accurate observer of nature, seems to have been the first who has recorded this part of the economy of the Ichneumon Manifestator. In the month of June, 1787, he observed one of these insects on the top of a post in Kensington Gardens. It moved rapidly along, having its antennæ bent in the form of an arch. With a strong vibratory motion in them, it felt about until it came to a hole made by some insect, and into this it thrust them quite to the head. It remained about a minute in this situation,

* DESCRIPTION. The present species is about an inch in length, from the head to the extremity of the abdomen: the tail measures nearly an inch and a half, and the antennæ are somewhat more than half an inch long. The body is black, and the legs are dusky. The abdomen is cylindrical and sessile, not being connected with the thorax, as in several of the species, by a pedicle.

SYNONYMS. Ichneumon Manifestator. L'Ichneumon Manifestateur. Tigny.

Linn. Gmel.

apparently very busy; then drawing its antennæ out, it came round to the opposite side of the hole, and again thrust them in, and remained nearly the same time. It next proceeded to one side of the hole, and repeated the same operation there. Having now again drawn out its antennæ, it turned about; and, dexterously measuring a proper distance, threw back its abdomen over its head and thorax, and projected the long and delicate tube at its tail into the hole. After remaining nearly two minutes in this position, it drew out the tube, turned round, and again applied its antennæ to the hole for nearly the same time as before; and then again inserted its tube. This operation was repeated three times; but Mr. Marsham approaching too near, in order, if possible, to observe with a glass what was passing in the tube, he frightened the insect entirely away.

About a week afterwards, Mr. M. was in Kensington Gardens, and saw several of these Ichneumons at work. They seemed to pierce the solid wood with their tubes, which they forced in even to half their length, constantly passing them between the hinder thighs, which they closed in order to keep the tubes straight, when over-resistance would otherwise have forced them to bend. It appeared truly surprising to see an instrument, apparently weak and slender, able, with the strength of so small an animal, to pierce solid wood half or three quarters of an inch deep; but, on particular attention, it was discovered, that all those which seemed to pierce the solid wood, did it through the centre of a small white speck, resembling mould or mildew. The latter, on minute examination, was found to be fine white sand, delicately closing up a hole made by the Apis maxillosa, and where, no doubt, young bees were deposited.

In deep holes that were not closed, the insect not only thrust in the whole tube, but, in some cases, the whole of its abdomen and posterior legs, leaving out only the two fore feet and wings, which it placed in

contrary directions like arms. The two cases of the tube were also projected up the back, with the ends appearing above the head out of the hole.

From Mr. Marsham's account, it appears that these insects do not adopt any hole indiscriminately as a situation for their eggs; for, in many instances, he saw them thrust their antennæ into holes and crevices, from which they almost immediately withdrew them. As the whole of the Ichneumons deposit their eggs in the body of some other creature as a nidus, it appears probable, that in these instances the insects found the holes empty, and that they proceeded in search of those, in which the young-ones of the Apis maxillosa were deposited.

A particular instance of sagacity in one of these little animals, is deserving of remark. While it had its tube inserted, the cases were, as usual, projected upwards out of the hole; and the wind, being very powerful, rendered it difficult for so delicate a creature to maintain its position, as these long cases were so strongly acted upon by the wind, as to endanger its being overset several times. To remedy this inconvenience, it brought the cases, with wonderful dexterity, between its legs, and projected them forward under its body toward the head; by which means it securely retained its position.

OF THE SPHEGES IN GENERAL*.

Many species of Sphex are common in England. They are chiefly found in woods and hedges; and their larvæ feed on dead insects, in the bodies of which the parent Spheges lay their eggs.

* The antennæ in this tribe consist of ten joints or articulations; and the mouth is armed with jaws. The wings in both sexes are extended, and do not fold together. The sting is pungent, and concealed within the abdomen.