LECTURE IX. 113 



larity iil their history which is unexampled in 

 that of any other. This consists in the double 

 change of the winged insect, which as soon as 

 it springs from the chrysalis, flies to some ad- 

 joining body, and then again divests itself of its 

 skin, that of the wings themselves not excepted. 



The Order Hymenoptera consists of Insects 

 with four membranaceous wings, but not remark- 

 ably fibrous as in the former Order*. It contains 

 all the Wasp and Bee tribe ; the Ichneumons and 

 a variety of others. The general history of the 

 Bee and Wasp tribe being pretty familiar to 

 most persons, I shall confine myself to an ex- 

 ample or two from the genus Ichneumon, the habits 

 of which, so far as relates to the production of their 

 young, are peculiarly singular. The genus Ichneu- 

 mon is distinguished by long, slender antennas, 

 with a great many joints, and by the very slender- 

 process which connects the breast with the body 

 of the animal, and which in many species appears 

 like a kind of footstalk. 



* They are also furnished in general with a sting or 

 piercer, which in some is innocent, while in others it is calcu- 

 lated for the discharge of a highly acrimonious or poisonous 

 fluid, as in wasps and bees. 



LECT. II. I 



