68 ROSE BEDEGUARS. 



admirable. The Bedeguar grubs live in their cells through the 

 winter, and, as their domicile is usually on one of the highest 

 branches, it must be exposed to every severity of the weather. 

 But the close non-conducting warm mossy collection of bristles, 

 with which it is surrounded, forms, for the soft tender grubs, 

 a snug protection against the winter's cold ; till, through the 

 influence of the warmth of the succeeding summer, they un- 

 dergo the final change into the winged state, preparatory to 

 which they eat their way with their sharp mandibles through 

 the walls of the little cells, which are then so hard as to be cut 

 with difficulty by a knife."* 



The rightful possessors of this comfortable moss-covered 

 hybernaculum are four-winged flies of no extraordinary 

 beauty ;f but among the usurpers, which frequently deprive 

 them in infancy of life and lodging, are some splendid ichneu- 

 mon parasites, J which have been pronounced unrivalled for 

 elegance of form and brilliancy of colour. Their bodies, re- 

 splendent with metallic hues, gold and purple, green and 

 blue, and their wings (also four) with iridescent lustre, 

 these insect gems, which want nothing but size to dazzle the 

 admiring eye, are beautiful objects for the microscope, and are 

 easily procurable by keeping some of the rose Bedeguars, 

 gathered in autumn or in spring, until about June ; when, if 

 placed under a glass, the egress of their occupants, whether 

 legitimate or surreptitious, may be conveniently observed. 



* Insect Architecture. f Vignette. % Vignette. 



