June 105 



The ichneumon fly is furnished with a long 

 thin ovipositor, which enables it to pierce the skin 

 of the caterpillar and deposit a number of eggs 

 in its body ; these hatch into minute grubs, which 

 feed upon the internal organs of the caterpillar. 

 The victim does not appear to suffer ; it goes on 

 consuming its food and growing until the ichneumon 

 grubs are nearly mature. They then attack its 

 vital organs until the caterpillar dies, and the grubs, 

 after turning into chrysalides, hatch into the perfect 

 insect. 



I well remember my surprise and disappointment 

 some years ago when a caterpillar, from which 

 I expected to rear a very beautiful moth, instead 

 of turning into a chrysalis, suddenly became covered 

 with small yellow cocoons, which, I need not say, 

 presently turned into an unwelcome swarm of 

 ichneumon flies. 



It was in this way that I first made the acquaint- 

 ance of this tribe of insects ; and ever since I have 

 been learning the immense variety of species which 

 exist, and their subtlety in pursuing their prey. 



FLAX (Ltnum usitatissimuiri) 



The delicate pale blue flowers of the flax are 

 now opening, and remind me afresh, not only 

 of the beauty of this plant, but of its great 

 usefulness also. We owe to the strong fibres of 

 its stem our linen, cambric, lawn, lace, and thread ; 

 its seeds, when crushed, produce the valuable 

 linseed oil so much in use by artists, and 

 required in house painting and in many trades 

 and manufactures. 



