BURNET ICHNEUMON. 271 



enormous size, quite as proportionately large as the chest of a 

 man would be did it project some eighteen inches in front and 

 reach to his heels. 



In singular contrast to the huge thorax is the very tiny abdo- 

 men, which is of a retort shape, curved, and fixed in the upper 

 surface of the thorax by its smaller end. Indeed, the abdomen 

 bears the same relation to the thorax, that the " tick " in the 

 capital letter Q does to the whole of the letter. The limbs are 

 long, and, when the size of the insect is considered, are singu- 

 larly powerful, especially the last pair of legs. We think the 

 legs of the kangaroo are enormously large in proportion to the 

 size of its body, but they must be doubled in length as well as 

 in thickness to equal those of the Burnet Ichneumon. The fore- 

 limbs are not so very large, but they are long and possessed of 

 great clasping power, aided by the hooked feet. 



What then is the use of such powerful limbs ? The habits of 

 the insect supply the answer. 



As is the case with many ichneumon flies, this insect— which, 

 by the way, is not a fly but a near relation to the bee and ant- 

 deposits its eggs upon caterpillars, boring holes in their skin with 

 its pointed ovipositor, which is the analogue of the bee's sting, 

 and inserting its eggs in the perforations. As may naturally be 

 imagined, the caterpillar has a very strong objection to this pro- 

 ceeding, and when the ichneumon settles upon it, and begins to 

 use her weapon, twists and wriggles about like a captured eel. 



Now the strong limbs of the ichneumon come into play. 

 Minute as is the insect when compared to the caterpillar, bearing 

 about the same relationship that a rabbit bears to an elephant, 

 the legs are so long that they can include a considerable portion 

 of the skin in their embrace, and so strong that they can retain 

 their hold in spite of the contortions with which the caterpillar 

 tries to rid itself of its persecutor. Eetaining her place, there- 

 fore, the ichneumon deposits a great number of eggs in the poor 

 caterpillar, and then goes to find another victim. 



I am not sure whether or not the ichneumon makes a separate 

 wound for every egg. If so, the feelings of the caterpillar are 

 not to be envied, for I have found nearly a hundred and fifty 

 ichneumon larvse in the body of a single caterpillar. No wonder 

 that the persecuted being endeavours to fling off the creature 

 that is inflicting so many wounds. The numerous short and 



