[January 1885. BULLETIN BROOKLYN EBNTOM. SOC. VOL. VI). 123 
tion was intended to afford an opportunity to others to profit by it, and 
not for any purposes of my own, 
Respectfully, 
B. Pickman Mann, 
Washington, D. C., Nov. 24, 1884. Managing Editor of “Psyche”. 
Note by Editor. The sentence quoted by Mr. Mann from p. 87, in my original 
_ minutes, adopted by the Club, in Mr. Mann’s presence, reads: ‘:‘Psyche’ has a hard 
struggle but will not suspend just yet.’’ The words. ‘for existence’ do not appear in 
the original. Mr. Mann’s language as written implies as he suggests: the remark as 
spoken, indicated that there was no present intention of suspending. 
RHYSSA. 
Dear Sir: ; 
A cf a * While I am writing let me say 
that I made some remarks at the last meeting of the Washington Ento- 
mological Society regarding the discussion as to the phytophagous habit 
of Rhyssa lunator by Mr. Geo. Gade on p, 204 of the November Bulle- 
_ tin. ‘There is nothing better established by previous observers than the 
parasitism of Rhyssa, and I have myself proved it many years ago and 
_ have found its larva actually preying on that of Zremex. ‘That false 
statements have been made by previous writers in reference to it is true, 
since the Rhyssa does not sting the Tremex larva as _ is generally stated. 
- The Rhyssa larva seeks its victim and lives attached to it on the outside, 
Prof. Lintner has recently published the facts as communicated to him 
by me in the Country Gentlemen for April 17th, 1884, as follows: 
“T have on several occasions had opportunity of closely studying not 
only the mode of oviposition, but of larval growth of Rhyssa. My 
_ Sketches and notes are at home (written from Boscawen, N.H ) but the 
_ salient facts bearing on your question, I can give from memory. In all 
instances where I have found the female depositing, it has been in trees 
‘infested with Z+emex columba, and I haye found her most numerous on 
badly affected or injured trees, or even on stumps or broken trunks, al- 
ready partly decayed. The instinct to reach the egg or larva of Zremex, 
so dwelt upon in popular accounts, is imaginary. She bores directly 
through the outer part of the tree, and doubtless probes for a burrow; 
but her egg is consigned anywhere in the burrow; the young larva seeks 
it prey, and lives and developes without penetrating the body of its 
victim, but fastened to the exterior. This habit among parasites is much 
more common than is generally supposed A great many Rhyssa larve 
doubtless perish without finding food, and a great many females die in 
_ probing for a burrow, especially where they saw through wood that is 
sound and hard”, oe €s Ve Riney 
