150 THK KN rOMOLOGIST. 



upon millions of beings were annually born lo feed parasites 

 thai are ever feeding on their living flesh. 



Frou) the observations in Kirby and Spence it will be seen 

 that those far-seeing naturalists viewed ihis n)atterin an entirely 

 different light; they simply regarded the phenomena from a 

 utilitarian point of view. I will quote the passage entire, 

 since it illustrates my theme, although 1 can by no u)eans 

 concur in the moral drawn from the facts. " From the 

 observations hitherto made by entouiologists the great body 

 of the ichneumon tribe is principally employed in keeping 

 within their proper limits the infinite host of lepidopterous 

 larvEB, destroying, however, many insects of other orders ; 

 and perhaps if the larvae of these last fell equally under our 

 observation with those of the former we might discover that 

 few exist uninfested by iheir appropriate parasite. Such is 

 the activity and address of the Ichneumonidans, and their 

 minute allies the Pupivora, that scarcely any concealment, 

 excepting perhaps the water, can secure their prey from 

 them, and neither bulk, courage, nor ferocity, avail to terrify 

 them from effecting their purpose. They allack the ruthless 

 spider in his toils ; they discover ihe retreat of ihe little bee 

 that (or safety bores deep into timber; and though its enemy 

 Tchneumon cannot enter its cell, by njeans of her long 

 ovipositor she reaches the helpless grub which its parent 

 vainly thought secured from every foe, and deposits in it an 

 egg, which produces a larva that destroys it. In vain does 

 the destructive Cecidoniyia of the wheat conceal its larvae 

 within the glumes that so closely cover the grain : three 

 species of these minute benefactors, sent in mercy by Heaven, 

 know how to introduce their eggs into them, thus preventing 

 the mischief which they would otherwise occasion, and 

 saving mankind from the horrors of famine. In vain also the 

 Cynips, by its magic touch, produces the curious excrescences 

 on various trees and plants, called galls, for the nutriment 

 and defence of its progeny. The parasite species attached to 

 it discovers its secret chamber, pierces its wall, however 

 thick, and commits the destroying egg to its ofl'spiing. Even 

 the clover-weevil is not secure within the legumen of that 

 plant, nor the wireworm in the earth, from their ichneu- 

 monidan foes. Others are not more seemed by the repulsive 

 nature of the substance they inhabit; tor two species at 

 least of Ichneumon know how to oviposit in slercorarious 

 larvae without soiling their wings or bodies." — '' Iiiiroduvtion 

 lo l^nto)noloyij' i. 267. 



