mSECTS.--.GENUS CERAPHRON. 47 



The history of the changes of this insect, is probably 

 briefly this — The eggs are deposited by the female in 

 different numbers from one to eight, and perhaps more, 

 upon a single plant of wheat, and in so doing the parent 

 exhibits another instance of that provident care for the 

 welfare of her offspring, which is so strongly evinced by 

 many of the insect race. The (^s^g is not placed at the 

 axilla of either of the leaves indifferently, but displaying 

 some portion of botanical knowledge, the fly carefully in- 

 sinuates her elongated oviduct between the vagina of the 

 inner leaf and the culm nearest to the root of the plant, 

 where the larva when excluded from the €gg will be 

 in immediate contact with the culm, from which alone its 

 nourishment is derived. In this situation with the body 

 inverted, the head being invariably towards the roots, or 

 if above, towardsvthe first joint, the infant larva passes the 

 winter. The pressure and puncture of the insect in this 

 state of its being, upon the culm, produces a longitudinal 

 groove of sometimes sufficient depth to receive almost one 

 half of the side of its body. When several of them are 

 contiguous on the same plant, the pressure on the body 

 of the larva is unequal, and an inequality in the form of 

 the body is the consequence, as well as the destruction of 

 the plant which is subjected to their attack. The perfect 

 fly appears early in June, lives but a short time, deposits 

 its eggs and diesi the insects from these eggs complete 

 the history by preparing for the winter brood. 



Order HYMENOPTERA. 



Genus CERAPHRON. Latr. 



Antennae infracted, moniliform, ten or twelve jointed, 

 basal joint long, cylindrical. Abdomen subovate. Infe- 

 rior wings without apparent nerves. Superior wings with 

 a costal nerve, and a single branch, forming an incom- 

 plete radial cellule. 



SPECTES. 



^ C. destructor. Black, granulated; abdomen glabrous^ 

 polished; feet, and base of the antennae, whitish. 



