H'lflory of 'Tipula T'rilici. 99 



before, a number may be feen at the fame time upon one ear : 

 they place themlelvcs in fuch a pofition that their anus flands nearly 

 at right angles with the margin of the glume of that floret which 

 they mean to pierce. But how are they to introduce their eggs 

 within the floret, for they depofit them between the exterior and 

 interior valvules of the corolla ? To look at them when they are 

 not engaged in this employment, their anus appears to be furniflied 

 with no inftrument adapted to fo nice an operation ; but upon pref- 

 fure it exerts (t-) a long rctraftile tube or vagina i^f), whkh un- 

 Ihcaths an acukus (g) (if I may fo term it) as fine as a hair and 

 very long. This aculeus it introduces into the floret, and there de- 

 pofits its eggs, which it ufually places upon the interior valvule of 

 the corolla, juft above the ftigmata. After fhe has done laying her 

 eggs, the infe6l withdraws her acukus with great caution and deli- 

 beration : yet it fometimes happens that flie is unable to efFe£l this; 

 in which cafe fhe is detained a prifoner until fome enemy devour her. 

 In this fituation I have found them more than once in my morning 

 walks. I was very defirous of feeing the eggs pafs through the va- 

 gina, but my firfl attempts were unfuccefsful : at length I was grati- 

 fied with this pleafing fpectacle. I gathered an ear upon which 

 fome of our Tipulce were bufy, and held it fo as to let a fun beam 

 fall upon one of them, examining its operations under the three 

 glafTes of a pocket microfcope : I could then very diftiniSlly perceive 

 the eggs (/j) paflfmg one after another, like minute air bubbles, 

 through the vagina, the aculeus being wholly inferted into tlie 

 floret. I examined this procefs for full ten minutes, before the pa- 

 tient little animal difengaged itfelf ; and at lafl: it was through my 

 violence that flie difcoutinued her employment and flew away. 



{/) For this fenfe of the word ixeit, fee Johnfon's Di£l. Nos. iv. v. 

 (/) Tab. Iv. fig. 2. a. {g) Fig. 2. b. (Z) Fig. 2. c. 



O a On 



