AN EGG-PARASITE OF THE CURRANT SAW-FLY, 219 



female was aware of the presence of the eggs, but after several minutes 

 traveling around the glass, she moved upon the leaf, and in passing over 

 and beneath it, seemed to meet with them accidentally. She paused, and 

 then began a careful inspection, walking over them several times, and 

 constantly palpating them with her antennae. Then satisfied with her 

 examination, she attached herself to one of the eggs, appressed the tip of 

 her abdomen to it, and remained in this position motionless for the space 

 of two and a half minutes, during which time an egg, doubtless, was in- 

 serted, although the pocket lens with which the observation was made 

 did not disclose the fact. The motion of her antennae then recommenced 

 and I expected to see the operation just witnessed repeated upon another 

 egg; but, to my surprise, she merely changed position — again applied 

 the tip of her abdomen to a different part of the same egg, and remained 

 at rest for about the same space of time as before. Three times I wit- 

 nessed this performance, and it is, therefore, probable that three parasitic 

 eggs were placed within the one of the currant-fly. Unfortunately an in- 

 terruption prevented me from noticing if the remaining currant-fly eggs 

 were similarly parasitized, and the number of eggs introduced in each ; 

 and much to my regret, the eggs were accidentally destroyed before my 

 observations could be made upon their transmutation into parasitic pupae. 

 The pupa cases are dark brown, disclosing some of the outlines of the 

 contained pupae, somewhat flattened, broader than the original egg, but 

 of about its length. The insect is apparently one of the Chalcididcz, hav- 

 ing a broad head, long and elbowed antennae, ovoid anterior wings, nearly 

 veinless, beautifully iridescent, delicately fringed and haired ; the pos- 

 terior wings are almost linear; the abdomen is short, not reaching the 

 tips of the wings. 



This year (1868) is probably the first appearance of the parasite at Scho- 

 harie, as I could onl)' discover about a dozen individuals. Its progress 

 seems to be from west to east, corresponding with that of the currant- 

 worm. 



The rediscovery of the parasite the present year (1882) was made in my 

 garden at Albany, upon a solitary currant bush growing there. The para- 

 sitized eggs were inclosed in a bottle, and in a few days the insects emerged. 

 That I might multiply and aid in the distribution of an insect which had 

 already shown its capabilit}^ for usefulness, I visited another garden in the 

 city to obtain eggs of the currant-fly for parasitization by my confined 

 individuals. To my surprise, the parasite was here found in strong force, 

 for in the examination of a long row of currant bushes containing many 

 eggs, I could not find a single egg-bearing leaf which had not been visited 

 and the destruction of the eggs insured. A large number of leaves were 

 collected, each bearing perhaps from forty to fifty parasitized eggs. Re- 

 serving a few of these for stud}^ and for propagation, the remainder were 

 made up in small parcels of about a half-dozen each, and mailed to ento- 

 mological friends in various parts of the United States and Canada,* with 



[* Canadian Entomologist, xiv, August, 1882, p. 147.] 



