of their victim, until the whole internal substance of the Cater 

 ' pillar, with the exception of the alimentary canal, is consumed. 

 In this diseased state it changes to a chrysalis, frequently as- 

 suming the natural form, although the colour is sometimes 

 altered; and the iepidopterist is often disappointed in his 

 hopes, when instead of a valuable moth or butterfly, one of 

 these singular insects is the reward of all his care and attention. 



The Ichneumonidae, however, are eminently useful, employed 

 as they are to keep within bounds a tribe of caterpillars which 

 otherwise in all probability would swarm to a degree that 

 would deprive vegetation of its beauty and utility : — An extraor- 

 dinary instance occurred in the year 1782; for a further ac- 

 count of which I must refer the reader to "A short History 

 of the Brown-tail Moth," by W. Curtis. 



Peltastes takes its generic name from the similitude of the 

 clypeus to an escutcheon or shield: and I have given this 

 species the name of P/w/, from its being invariably found in 

 pine groves. Like the rest of the genus (indeed of the family 

 I might say), it is extremely variable; some having the antennae 

 entirely orange, others with the clypeus, palpi and all the thighs 

 black ; and yellow bands to all the segments except the first. 

 There are but three species of this genus (proposed by Illiger) 

 at present known to inhabit Britain, viz. P. necatorius Fab. 

 which is the least rare, and has been bred from the chrysalis 

 of Stauropus Fagi by Mr. Stephens ; P. dissectorius Pz. 

 taken by myself in the North of Devon in September 1822; 

 and the species figured in the plate, which far exceeds the 

 others in size, and was taken in June near Ringwood Hamp- 

 shire, flying in the sunshine amongst pine-trees, by Mr. Bentley, 

 a zealous entomologist who has added many rare and interest- 

 ing species to the British Fauna. 



Pinus Abies (Spruce Fir) is represented in the plate, which 

 is to be met with in every plantation, having been introduced 

 from Norway near a century since. 



