tM 



itatr. In this » -ivof <irvrrnl!i|>«><'lnu»r«le«!' - i« kfpt In fhw-k, 



Mid thrlr f\rc««i\i* i:: !i |>r*vmlc«l. .Ni> <ioiiJ.|, iil»- l<- !«ra.Min<i o]KTBte 



M a •till Kiratrr rnraus fur |irrM*rving a l«liinr« b«twcvn riccs>lv« multipllraltuii and 

 •niire rkUrpaUun. 



Dr. KiuiiT*, uf AHiauy, lias riirnishcd iiir uUh ihr fullowing coiuiuuniratiun n»|'rcting 

 the piiUygatler, a mlniiU' irhueuiituii lly. His remarks, and the Tacts stated, illiutntc in a 

 slrlkiuK luuiiner unrnf the luust itu|><irtaiit fratures in the iuM-ct world, the checks which 

 an- i»tiTi>««»«tl to \\\f exre-'si^e riiultii"lirnti.in of thr injurious kinds. 



Pui-ncA.iTT.B TiPri..» (^ Kirt'V) \\ 'imt viiiii^e I'urantr. 



This insect, thoU(;h exceedingly smnll In siw, has claims to i.nr c« nsldenitlpn, which 

 should juJtly entitle it to an exulted station in the rank of i>nl>lic )>enefactor« ; for it has 

 had assitcnc*! to It the j>ecullar and imj-ortant duty of keeping in proper snhjectiin that 

 anriralled j>est of our fields, the wheat midge [Ctcidomyia tntici). 



The female fly of this parasite lieiira some considerable resemblance to the winged ant, 

 and may frt^juently Ik.- s«'en in our nelghl>orhoo«l during the months of July, .August and 

 Septendter, in the greatest pn>fuslon, when our i>erniciuus deva.*tator is most numerous ; 

 flying alx'Ut thf crass«-s,or ruiuiing over the emins of wheat in search of the midee lar^a, 

 for the pur]M«v of dei>ositing in each a single egg, and by thi< means i«reventini: an im- 

 mense nundn-r of them from developing themselves into a j-erfect state ; although when 

 iecn thus abundantly, they hare often been unjustly accused of being themselvM the 

 ■tithors of the ndschief. 



This insect expands to only one lino and a half In breadth. The 

 female is of a shining pitch black color, with long, ten-jointed, 

 flail-shaped antennie or horns, slightly clubh-d at the ends. The 

 head is round or globose, with the eyes conspicuously placed on 

 the sides. The trunk Is oval, and bears a scntel terminated by n 

 strong rusty spine. The bo<ly or aUlomen is obt>vate, small, and 

 nartt>we<l at the base, with a long eurred oviduct, concealed, when 

 unemployed, In the aKlomen. It has four transparent wings without nemirw, the superior 

 fwiir very large ; and the legs are strong, and of a bright ochreous color, with the thighs 

 and shanks dtd'bed : the feet are long, slender, and fire-jointed. 



We regret that s<>me means have not yet l>een discovered to multiply tl 'C 



little Insect, and thus efli-ctnally preserve our wheatfields fn>m the fearful • •> 



of the midge. Jautm EibiiTs. 



