10 



host, its larva, thrives upon the surrounding food. They are not 

 true flies, since they have four wings and belong to the same 

 group that contains the bees, ants and wasps. 



Most of the figures given above are copied from the papers ot 

 Packard, Riley and Comstock. 



The full-page plate noted as figure 13, gives numerous exam- 

 ples, taken from a paper by Townsend Glover, of insects, which it 

 is well for the farmer to know. 



Figures 21 and 22 are gall-making insects, but figures 23 and 24 

 are predacious insects, though European ; figure 25, an ichneu- 

 mon, Pelecinus polycerator^ is not uncommon in New England, 

 and 1 have several times found it in Burlington. It is probably a 

 beneficial insect ; figure 2G, Ichnetivion suhiralis^ and figure 27, 

 Ichnetimon grandis^ 28, Tragus exesoriiis^ figure 29, Cryptus- 

 inquisitor, all are parasitic. The eggs of the ichneumons are 

 laid on lai"\'ae or pupae of various injurious insects, which are thus 

 destroyed, sometimes in large numbers. Figure 30 is a European 

 insect, and also figure 31, both parasites. Figures 32 and 33, 

 Rhyssa hinator^ Fab.^ female and male, are parasitic on the Tre- 

 mex columba^ whicli is described later as infesting the elm. It is 

 wonderful how these insects are able to thrust their long, slender 

 ovipositors into the trees after the larvcC of the Tremex upon which 

 its larva feeds. Pbnpla pcdalis^ figure 34, is a parasite on the 

 tent caterpillar. Figure 35 is a European insect ; figure 36, 

 Ophion macrurtim^ Lhiti.^ isa parasite on one of our largest larv£e, 

 that of Telea polyphenius ; figure 37, Op/n'on bilhieatus^ Say, 

 attacks the common yellow bear caterpillar ; figure 38 is a Euro- 

 pean insect ; figure 39 is a Southern species, whicli, as does that' 

 given in figure 40, lays its eggs in the holes made bv borers. It 

 will be readily understood that I do not expect the farmers to be 

 able to identify the insects mentioned as well as other family 

 species by these figures, but it has seemed to me that a series of 

 illustrations, such as these given, might prove very helpful in 

 giving farmers some idea, even though it be only a ge*iieral one, of 

 the general appearance of some of the insects which devour inju- 

 rious species. While not strictly correct, yet the statement is 

 sufficiently so to be of value, that most of the conmion insects 

 which have the form and appearance of those given, are beneficial 

 rather than injurious, and to be treated accordingly. As may have 

 qeen noticed, of tlie parasitic insects some of them lay their eggs on 



