1*4 LECTURE IX. 



These insects deposit their eggs in the bodies 

 of other living Insects, and generally in those of 

 Caterpillars. For this purpose the female Ichneumon 

 selects her victim, and in spite of all the efforts of 

 the tormented animal, pierces its skin, and deposits, 

 her eggs beneath : the Caterpillar after the first 

 pain is over appears to suffer nothing ; but after 

 a few days the inclosed eggs hatch, and the larvas of 

 the Ichneumons are nourished by the juices of the 

 Caterpillar, which at length dies in consequence , 

 but sometimes not till it has undergone its change 

 into a chrysalis. 



Some very minute Ichneumons deposit their 

 eggs in even the eggs themselves of Moths and 

 Butterflies. So small are some species of this very 

 numerous genus. 



The next Order, called Diptera, consists of 

 Insects with two wings only, as the whole race of 

 Flies, strictly so called, as well as Gnats and 3 

 great variety of other Insects. 



All the real Flies, or those of the genus Musca, 

 are derived from Maggots, which have themselves 

 been hatched from the eggs deposited by the 

 parent Flies. But of these Maggots many differ 

 greatly from each other both in form as well as 



