THE HYMENOPTERA. 39 



ichneumons are parasitic on some insect which lives on the 

 matai, or whether they assemble to feast on the sweet juice 

 occasionally exuded from its bark, it is impossible to say, 

 but in either case the complete absence of males is a very 

 remarkable circumstance. 



Family ICHNEUMONID^:. 

 Scolobates varipes (Plate III., fig. 8). 

 The larva of this little insect is parasitic on the useful 

 larva of Syrphus ortas whose life-history is recorded on 

 page 57. It is very common in some instances, and must 

 consequently destroy a considerable number. It entirely 

 eats the soft portions of the insect, and may afterwards 

 be found lying snugly within the hard empty shell of 

 the. deceased syrphus pupa, which acts as a cocoon for 

 it while undergoing its own pupa state. The perfect insect 

 may be often observed amongst herbage, searching for 

 syrphus larvae to deposit its eggs in. 



