The genus Ibalia contains at present, I believe, no other spe- 

 cies than Cultellator, and was never known to inhabit Britain 

 until the male represented in the plate was captured flying in 

 a garden at Bungay, Suffolk, by Mr. W. H. C. Edwards, 

 justly celebrated for his masterly engravings and knowledge of 

 the fine arts. It is also found in Germany and the South of 

 France. The economy and habits of this genus are supposed 

 to be similar to the rest of the family, forming galls upon va- 

 rious plants. 



The eccentric appearance (in the male) of the third joint of 

 the antennae at once shows that it belongs to the DiplolepidcB, 

 of which family it is the largest species ; the second submar- 

 ginal cell is so minute, that it is scarcely discernible through 

 a lens ; the hinder legs in both sexes are very powerful, and 

 exceedingly disproportioned to the body and other legs, which 

 are remarkably small. The singular spine-like process on the 

 second joint of the hinder tarsi of both sexes, as well as the 

 puncture or spiracle on the side of the abdomen, have hitherto, 

 I believe, escaped the observation of authors. 



It may here be observed, that the mandibles are often not 

 counterparts of each other, the shape being altered by their 

 close contact when at rest ; other parts of the mouth are also 

 sometimes irregularly formed. The student must not be mis- 

 led by these exceptions, which are most frequent in the Hy- 

 menoptera^ occasionally in the Coleoptera, and probably all 

 the Mandibulata. 



The plant figured is Stellaria media (Common Chickweed). 



