22 SECONDARY SEXUAL CHARACTERS. 



Many widely divergent species have them densely 

 pilose, e.g. Oladius padi, Nematus lucidus, Blenno- 

 campa aterrima. In Peranthrix the terminal joint has 

 a stiff bristle. Not a few have the third joint curved 

 in the c? . The species which have flabellate antennae 

 in the males, have heavy, thick-bodied females, which, 

 according to my experience, are very sluggish in their 

 habits. 



6. In the ivings.-^-Tliis is a rare occurrence. The 

 most interesting peculiarity occurs with Perineura, 

 Synaerema, Blennocampa with a few species, Erio- 

 campa Cinxia, and Taxonus agrorum, in which the 

 apical cross nervures are situated at the apex of the 

 wing, so as to form a continuous border round it, 

 while with the females they are in the nor malposition, 

 i.e. in the middle. The median cellules, therefore, do 

 not exist, properly speaking (PI. VIII, fig. 10, PI. XI, 

 fig. 6 a). 



Habits of the Perfect Insects. 



In the perfect state saw-flies live but a very short 

 time generally only a few days. They abound mostly 

 during the months of May, June, and the early part of 

 July, and with the second broods at the end of July 

 and in August. As a rule they are very sluggish in 

 their habits. Their flight is weak and heavy, and they 

 never fly far at a streteh ; usually they alight after a 

 flight of ten to twelve feet, and unless engaged in lay- 

 ing their eggs it is only in the sunshine that they fly 

 much, nor do they rest long on any particular spot 

 when the weather is warm. During dull weather, and 

 after the sun has set, they rest almost motionless on the 

 leaves of plants, &c. The species of Lyda are very 

 active during hot sunny days. Many species frequent 

 flowers, partly for the purpose of feeding on the pollen, 

 but also, in the case of Tenthredo and Allantus, in 

 order to prey upon Meligethes, Byturus, and other 

 insects found in such situations. The plants which 



