Sparasjon was unknown as a British insect until I had the 

 good fortune to capture a specimen at Black Gang Chine in 

 the Isle of Wight, the 16th of August 1828, but I have never 

 been able to meet with it there since. 



The 12-jointed antennae, and the minute 2nd joint of the 

 maxillary palpi, are sufficient to distinguish Sparasion from 

 Ceraphron, to which it is closely allied on the one hand ; but 

 whether it be so nearly related to Bethylus on the other, I 

 am not able at present to determine. The membranous 

 appendage also to the maxilla?, ciliated along its concave 

 margin, I have never observed in any other insect that I 

 have dissected. 



I shall here take the opportunity of observing, that with 

 very few exceptions, I shall limit myself to the illustration of 

 those genera of the minute Hymenoptera which have been 

 established by Latreille, so that a very considerable number 

 of those recorded in my " Guide" will not be published in 

 this work; by which means the Student will be put in posses- 

 sion of the leading characters, to enable him to extend his in- 

 vestigations further if he chooses, and this work will not be 

 carried to an inconvenient length. I beg however to acknow- 

 ledge my obligations to my esteemed friends Mr. Haliday and 

 Mr. F. Walker for their generous and valuable assistance ; 

 and I hope they will be induced to give naturalists the benefit 

 of their researches in the two families they have so success- 

 fully studied, by publishing the characters of the genera and 

 species of these minute but beautiful tribes, of which Mr. Hali- 

 day has made most admirable dissections, and Mr. Walker 

 has formed a collection embracing at least 700 British species. 



The minute Hymenoptera are best collected by beating 

 into, and sweeping with, a net made of fine gauze, and Mr. 

 Haliday recommends me to collect them into quills, and after- 

 wards to empty their contents into hot water, by which means 

 their wings are naturally expanded ; then by introducing a 

 card under them to take them out of the water, arranging the 

 legs and wings when necessary with a camel's hair pencil, and 

 leaving them upon the card till they are dry, they may after- 

 wards be taken off with a penknife, and gummed upon the 

 points of small pieces of drawing- or card-paper of a long tri- 

 angular form. 



The plant is Galium vemm (Yellow Lady's Bed-straw). 



