between Wasjjs and Rliipiphori. 89 



the spirit. The Rhijiiphorus diiiers in size, but -does not vary 

 in size : this is not a distinction without a difference. There 

 are two sizes ; but these two are most constant. I have before 

 me a series of about fifty of the smaller size taken out of the 

 worker-cells, and they are as uniform in size as the workers 

 of a hive of bees. The larger ones are scarcer, but all I have 

 seen are of one size, too, and they all come from the female 

 cells. All the little ones come from worker-cells, all the big ones 

 from queen-cells, just as in the case of the wasps themselves, 

 where all the little wasps come from the worker-cells, all the 

 big ones (the queens) from the queen-cells ; and to me this 

 fact is a strong confirmation of the view that they must both be 

 fed in the same way, viz. by the wasps. Whether, as in the case 

 of bees, the wasps feed the tenants of the queen-cells with any 

 special food, or use any special treatment by means of which 

 the grubs in the queen-cells are developed into queens and 

 those in drone-cells into drones, I believe is not known; but 

 the presumption is in its favour. If it were mere increase of 

 size that was produced, it might be said that it was due to 

 more food and more space in which to grow ; but more food 

 should not alter the sex. T\\q Rhipqyhorus ^ wot being a wasp, 

 would appear not to be affected by the same influence, so far 

 as regards sex 5 for I have a male from a queen's cell, but 

 only benefited by it in the increase of its size ; and it may be 

 merely the effect of a longer continuance of feeding and a 

 greater supply of food, as supposed by Mr. Smith ; but then 

 he will surely not carry his argument to the extreme of su])- 

 posing that the mere difference between eating a worker-grub 

 and a queen-grub is sufficient to account for the greater dimen- 

 sions of the one in a queen's cell over the one in a worker's 

 cell. 



But there are other and not less serious difficulties in the 

 way of Mr. Smith's hypothesis. The Rhipij'ihorus-^YXxh is 

 described as attacking tlie wasp-grub at the head, " the mouth 

 of the former buried in the body of the latter just below the 

 head." Of course it must begin at the head : it could not 

 begin at the tail, which is out of sight at the base of the 

 cell ; and equally, of course, it must eat its way inwards head 

 foremost. When it has completed its repast, by which time 

 it is to attain its full size, its position must therefore necessa- 

 rily be head inmost, and it must perforce pass its metamor- 

 phosis in that position; for the cell is too narrow for it to tui*n 

 in ; and it cannot back out, for the entrance is closed by the 

 lid. But what is the fact in nature ? Putting aside the ex- 

 ceptional cases of doubtful position in cells doubly occupied, 

 the Rhijyiphori have invariably their head to the mouth of 



Ann, & Mag. N. Hist, Ser. 4. TW. v. 7 



