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uection ( Piipivora ) of the same great Hiimeno23terovs class. They are members 

 of the family of Chrysididce. Of these we have caught and observed three 

 distinct species : — Chrysis Ignita, C. Bidentata, and C Neghcta. The first-named 

 being by far the most abundant. These active and beautiful little creatures 

 are conspicuous for their gorgeous colours and metallic lustre. C. Ignita has 

 the head and thorax finely punctured and coloured of vivid blue or green 

 variously intermixed. The abdomen, also finely punctured and terminated by 

 four distinct spines, is of a ruby red, with coppery glance, and in the sunshine 

 gives to the insect the aspect of being on fire ; hence the specific name. 

 C. Bidentata is of a rich golden or crimson red, sometimes with coppery lustre. 

 The head, emargination of the prothorax, metathorax, body beneath, and terminal 

 segment of the abdomen, blue or green. C. NigJecta has the head, thorax, legs, 

 and basal joints of the antennae dark blue, varied with bright tints of green, 

 sometimes splashed with gold ; abdomen very finely and closely punctured of a 

 rich carmine, with a central longitudinal elevation iu the middle of second 

 segment. Apex without teeth. Each of these species and many others of the 

 same family deposit their eggs in the cells of other Hijmenoptera. The egg of 

 Chrysis is placed in the cell at the moment of its completion and before or 

 immediately after the mother wasp has closed it with mortar, the ovipositor of 

 the parasite enabling her to penetrate through the obstruction for her deposition 

 of the egg, which does not hatch until after the wasp larva has attained its 

 full growth and assumed the condition of pupa by the consximption of the food in 

 its larder. Then the maggot of the Chrysis sets to work and feeds on the body 

 of its guest, so that, after passing through the pupal stage in security it comes 

 out of its habitation, a young Chrysis where a young Odyncrus should have 

 burst the cell. 



I am afraid that the sketch I have given of one species of wasp and of 

 her satellites, mere outline though it be, has left me no time to devote to the 

 other species of whom we have watched several. One of the most interesting 

 is Odynerus parictum, a very elegant insect, which has been sent round with 

 the various other specimens to which I have had occasion to allude. This wasp 

 does not make a burrow but selects a suitable cavity iu the stone of a wall ai.d 

 after making mortar from a mixture of sand and clay with water, she brings it 

 by repeated journeys and shapes out her c^lls. As soon as one of these is com- 

 pleted she deposits an egg and supplies the cavity with seven or eight cater- 

 pillars. Sometimes the larv:e of Alucita Hcxadactyki, or that of tlie feather moth, 

 Simaethis Fabriciana or of some other, but invariably the prey selected belongs 

 not to the Hymenopteea, as in the case of Odynerus Spinipes, but to some 

 species of the class of Lepidopteha. Chrysis then finds her out, and drops her 

 egg in the nest to be matured, generally by the following spring, and at the 

 expense of the pupal wasp. Odynerus parietum generally builds in succession 

 as many cells as the cavity of the stone will admit, and then, if her stock of 

 eggs be not exhausted, she seeks some other favourable upot for the completion 

 of her appointed task. One of these creatures gave a remaikable example of 



