INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 43 



The three intermediate members of this character 

 will distinguish the species of this genus from the 

 minute Ichneumons, some of which approach very 

 near to it, and are furnished with the Aculeus spi- 

 ralis reconditus {/) . The character of Tenthredo 

 seems to require no material alteration; I would 

 only insert, instead of the first member of the 

 Linnean definition, 



Lingua apice tripartita. 

 The genus Ichneumon, as it now stands, admits of 

 considerable improvements, for its present charac- 

 ter is at variance with innumerable species that are 

 arranged under it. The Minuti, for instance, for 

 the most part, have not half thirty joints in their 

 antennae, and most of them, as well as many of the 

 other families, are not distinguished by the Aculeus 

 exertus, and Abdomen petiolatum. In settling the 

 species of this genus, Linneus seems to have been 

 led merely by their economy, and to have looked 

 upon all those as Ichneumons^ which were found to 

 deposit their eggs in living insects. But is it not 

 at once giving up all system to make economy and 

 habitat take place of those characters which nature 

 has impressed upon her genera ? Indeed we know 

 too little of the economy of these insects, to say 

 that it is the same in all, or even that it is not 

 materially different, and with respect to their habi- 

 tat, although it is in living insects, yet it is subject 

 to considerable variations, which may furnish a 



(/) Liru Trans, vol. 5. p. ill. Tab. 4. fig. 5. 



ground 



