

sect here upon the tree before us the great ichneumon- 

 fly (Thalessa lunator), which is endowed with the most 

 marvellous drilling instrument in the world a dainty 

 complex machine beside which the most exquisite and 

 skilful mechanism of man's appears insignificant and 

 clumsy. 



Had we chanced this way last summer we might have 

 had a better view of this wonderful drill, as our buzzing 

 ichneumon-fly hovered about the tree-trunk selecting a 

 place for her operations. I have pictured her in flight 

 with her slender borer displayed. To be correct, my 

 picture should show but one hair-like appendage instead 

 of three, but I have separated the borer into the three 

 divisions which appear in the act of boring two of 

 them being merely the sheaths which close about the 

 true drill all appearing as one when the insect is in 

 flight. 



