$02 M 1 N U T S Aur,; 



122. the leaf ; and obferving her to be partial to a 

 TENTHREDO part which was fortunately on the outer fide 

 THETURNEP o f t } ie ] ea f towards the eye, I tobk a mag- 

 nifier, and placing it agairift the outfide of 

 the glafs, faw her very diftinctly unfhcath her 

 inftruments ; infinuate them into the edge of 

 the leaf, to a depth equal to their fulleft 

 length ; and, having feparated them fo as to 

 form a channel or pipe between them, placed 

 her pubes to the aperture : remained in that 

 pofture a few feconds ; deliberately drew Out 

 the inftruments; ftieathed them ; and imme- 

 diately went in queft of another convenient 

 nidus. Standing by a window on which the 

 fun ihone ftrongly, and holding the fub/edt 

 between the eye and the light, I faw the ope- 

 ration very evidently. 



The inftruments are brown, refcmbling in 

 colour the fting of the bee, but much finer, and 

 appear to be flatted ; but whether they are or 

 are not ferrated, I cannot be po'fitive. In the 

 courfe of two or three minutes I faw her 

 make three cr four depofits. 



One of thefe flies lived eleven days ; other 

 two, eight or nine ; the reft, feven or eight 

 days. The females died firft. 



What their food is I am not certain. -The 

 only thing put to them in the glafs were green 



turnep- 



