148 The Irish Naturalist. August, 



wasp. Since then it has increased wonderfully but is still 

 not very well known. It is a most remarkable insect. 

 About as long or perhaps longer than the wood-wasp (I 

 am speaking of the females of each), it has the curiously 

 attenuated shape of most of the ichneumon flies and is dark 

 in colouring with two rows of whitish spots on the abdomen, 

 but its chief feature is the enormously long ovipositor, 

 nearly i^ inches long in a good specimicn. It is very curious 

 to see this queer insect at work. It runs over the tree trunk 

 stopping to investigate every crevice with busy antennae, 

 then when some sense shows it the presence of the wood- 

 wasp's larva, it stands high on its long legs, unsheaths its 

 ovipositor from its two scabbards, and inserts it in the hole 

 the larva has bored. Sometimes the needle-like ovipositor 

 is only inserted a very short distance into the timber, at 

 other times it is inserted by long and laborious efforts to 

 its full length and withdrawn with equal effort. The whole 

 process may take 15 minutes or more if the grub is deep 

 in the timber. The ovipositor has a screw point like an 

 auger, and so has the ovipositor of the wood-wasp, but 

 the latter turns round and round when depositing its %^^y 

 while the ichneumon does not, so far as I have seen. Both 

 insects make a curious buzz when flying, that of the wood- 

 wasp like a distant motor car, while that of the ichneumon 

 fly has a metallic rattle that catches the ear at once. 



Black Hall, Drogheda. 



IRISH SOCIETIES. 



ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Recent gifts include a Marten from Mr. Pierce Mahony ; a Brazilian 

 Hangnest from Miss Fletcher ; an Alexandrine Parrakeet from Miss 

 O' Grady ; a Blackbird from Mr. G. E. Low ; a Common Newt from 

 Mr. D. G. Thorn ; and 200 White Trout with 400 Trout Fry from Col. 

 Claude Cane. This last-mentioned donation is exceedingly welcome, as 

 it makes a beginning in the work of stocking the newly made fish-ponds. 

 in one of which the young fishes may now be seen gaily disportmg 

 themselves. 



