Xyela, which so perfectly connects the Tenth redinidae with 

 the Siricidae or Uroceridse, evidently belongs to the family 

 Xiphydriidae of Leach, although Dalman, in his valuable 

 paper upon this genus in the Stockholm Transactions, and 

 subsequently in the " Analecta Entomologica," considers that 

 it belongs to the Uroceridse : but the ample wings and large 

 stigma bear considerable affinity to the genus Lyda, pi. 38], 

 whilst it cannot be denied that the exserted and compressed 

 oviduct brings it close to Xiphydria. Dalman has overlooked 

 the twelfth joint of the antennas, which is the smallest, and 

 also one of the joints of the labial palpi ; the former he describes 

 as eleven-jointed, and the latter as triarticulate. Although 

 the conformation of Xyela is altogether remarkable, no part 

 is, I think, more curious than the maxillary palpi, which look 

 like a little pair of feet attached to the insect; and from the 

 legs being placed far behind, it is not im.probable that the 

 palpi may occasionally be employed like those members to 

 support itself; the 2nd and 3rd joints are hollow, which may 

 enable the insect to fold them close for protection, and the 

 terminal joint is perfectly flexible. 



Of this rare and interesting insect I took three females in 

 1811, upon umbelliferous plants in the vicinity of fir-trees in 

 Norfolk, where those trees are abundant ; it has been taken 

 at Southgate, by Mr. F. Walker, amongst grass, the middle 

 of May, and by Mr. Newman, off the spruce-fir in Birch- 

 wood, the middle of April. The male I had never seen when 

 the first edition of this folio was published ; but Mr. Dale has 

 since enriched my cabinet with both sexes, which he found at 

 Stafford, and also on a birch-tree on Knighton heath the 3rd 

 of May. It appears to be not uncommon in Sweden, on young 

 Scotch firs, during the month of July; but there is another 

 species named X longula^ discovered by Gyllenhal, and de- 

 scribed by Dalman, which is much rarer; it is two or three 

 times as large as X piisilla, with a piceous ovipositor. 



ChcErophyllum sylvestre. Wild Chervil, being the umbelli- 

 ferous plant upon which I believe my specimens were found ; 

 it is figured in the plate. 



