parasitic upon the Rose Louse, 493 



most expert jockey could do, even upon the Tailor of Brent- 

 ford's horse; since the unfortunate aphis, like that irritated 

 animal, immediately commenced kicking and rearing, at least 

 upon \ts fore legs ; jerking the extremity of its body about in 

 all directions, and attempting to dislodge its enemy with its 

 antennae and legs, but in vain : the little creature carefully 

 avoiding the blows of these limbs, and throwing its own an- 

 tennae over its back close upon its wings. At length, as 

 though resigned to its fate, the unfortunate aphis ceased the 

 struggle ; and the victorious parasite, like the victorious god 

 oP &[&?"'" &%. .jj e ,? UC1 ^,^ M uL n9 * qiIj 9nirnr>X9 



" Hunc Deus arcitenens, et nunquam talibus armis 



Ante, nisi in damis, capreisqxie fugacibus usus; 



Mille gravem telis, exhausta pene pharetra, 



Perdidit efiuso per vulnera nigra veneno." * 



The ovipositor was introduced into the back of the aphis in 

 a perpendicular direction, until the body of the Cynips touched 

 that of the aphis ; in which position it was retained about the 

 space of a minute, and was then withdrawn. It then pro- 

 ceeded to another rose louse, pricking it in the like manner ; 

 and so on, until it had deposited all its eggs. I observed at 

 least twenty or thirty aphides thus attacked whilst under my 

 examination. A few aphides, however, seemed not to regard 

 the parasite, nor to feel the wound; and I observed, that, 

 although in general it only pricked an aphis once, in one 

 instance the operation was repeated four or five times on 

 different parts of the body of the same aphis. Previously to 

 mounting upon an aphis, it applied the terminal joints of the 

 antennae to some part of the body of the latter, as the legs, 

 antennae, or generally the hinder part of the abdomen ; 

 thereby appearing to gain information whether it had been 

 previously punctured or not. 



The aphides seem aware of the presence of their enemy, 

 since, although undisturbed by the motions of their neigh- 

 bours, no sooner is one of them touched by the antenna? of 

 the parasite, than it sets off kicking and creeping out of the 

 way as fast as it can ; the parasite often following, overtaking, 

 and mounting upon it. When this is the case with the 

 larger winged individuals, the Cynips, after a long and suc- 

 cessful chase, is compelled to dismount; being unable, from 

 the upright position of the wings, to reach the back of the 

 insect with its ovipositor. I afterwards observed several of 

 • i ' ■fi-1 j(Jj no i 



* That is, at least entomologically, " the sting-bearing fly, belonging to 

 a group.hitherto supposed to be employed only in pricking oaks and wu~ 

 lows" (the old poet was, doubtless, a botanist, and alluded to the £alix 

 cdprea of later writers), " transfixed, with its ovipositor, the body of the 

 vanquished aphis ; causing it, in the end, to die by the deadly matter in- 

 troduced into the wound." 



