THE COTTON-WORM. 143 



the cotton-fly as it is possible to suppose one insect could dif- 

 fer from another. It belonged altogether to a different family, 

 a description of which I give, as follows : 



Antennas filiform ; black, six lines in length. Palpi four; 

 two external and two intermediate, the external white, twice 

 the length of the other two, in shape angular, the angle pro- 

 jecting externally. The two middle are straight, scarcely 

 perceptible over a strong light ; they are of a dark color. 

 Wings four ; hymenopterous ; incumbent, extending to and 

 exactly even with the end of the tail; shape of the wings, 

 which are small and extremely thin and delicate, like that 

 of a fan. Front legs half the length of the posterior, of a 

 uniform orange color; the intermediate legs very little longer 

 than the anterior ; the thighs of a deep orange color, the rest 

 of the leg annulated with orange and white. The posterior 

 legs long in comparison to the others ; thighs of a deep orange 

 color, the rest of the leg annulated with black and white, 

 the rings being larger than those of the intermediate. The 

 trunk is a uniform shining black, as would be the upper sur- 

 face of the abdomen also, were it not for the very narrow white 

 bands which connect the black scales together, giving to the ab- 

 domen an annulated appearance ; these white lines do not en- 

 circle the abdomen, but terminate uniformly on the sides. On 

 the under surface of the abdomen these white rings again 

 commence, which are -much larger than those on the upper 

 surface, causing the abdomen to look almost white. The tail 

 terminates in a bifurcated sheath, enclosing a long blunt sting, 

 projecting considerably beyond the tail, and forming a very 

 prominent feature in the general figure of the insect. This is 

 a small, slender insect, much longer than the honey bee, 

 but not so thick. 



Now it is evident from its specific character, as well as from 

 its parasitic nature, this insect belongs to that numerous class 



