The Natural History of Se I borne 453 



Perhaps some eggs might be injected into the body of the 

 spider, in the act of stinging. Some ichneumon deposit their 

 eggs in the aurelia of moths and butterflies. WHITE. 



In my "Naturalist's Calendar" for 1795, July 2ist, I find 

 the following note : 



It is not uncommon for some of the species of ichneumon- 

 flies to deposit their eggs in the chrysalis of a butterfly ; some 

 time ago I put two of the chrysales of a butterfly into a box, 

 and covered it with gauze, to discover what species of butterfly 

 they would produce; but instead of a butterfly, one of them 

 produced a number of small ichneumon-flies. 



There are many instances of the great service these little 

 insects are to mankind in reducing the number of noxious 

 insects, by depositing their eggs in the soft bodies of their 

 larvce ; but none more remarkable than that of the ichneumon 

 tipulce, which pierces the tender bodies and deposits its eggs 

 in the larva of the Tipula tritici, an insect, which, when it 

 abounds greatly, is very prejudicial to the grains of wheat. 

 This operation I have frequently seen it perform with wonder 

 and delight. MARKWICK. 



BOMBYLIUS MEDIUS. 



THE Bombylius medius is much about in March and the be- 

 ginning of April, and soon seems to retire. It is an hairy 

 insect, like a humble-bee, but with only two wings, and a long 

 straight beak, with which it sucks the early flowers. The 

 female seems to lay its eggs as it poises on its wings, by strik- 

 ing its tail on the ground, and against the grass that stands 

 in its way, in a quick manner, for several times together. 

 WHITE. 



I have often seen this insect fly with great velocity, stop on 

 a sudden, hang in the air in a stationary position for some 

 time, and then fly off again ; but do not recollect having ever 

 see'n it strike its tail against the ground, or any other sub- 

 stance. MARKWICK. 



