THE ICHhTIUMON FLEES. 



477 



British Museum, one or two of which have only been recently 

 placed in that collection. 



The best known of all the Ichneumonidse is that tiny creature 

 called Microgaster glomeratus, of which a casual mention has 

 already been made in page 270. 



A group of these insects and their cells is now before me, and 

 will be briefly described. 



§ J^K--t 



PAKAsmc rasEcra. 



COCOON OF OAK-EGOER UOTH. 



(Cryphu/umipenma,) 



COCOON OF PUSS KOTH. 



iPanuau flaucopleruM.) 



COCOON FROM NEW SOCTU WALES. 



(PimpUi.) 



COCOON OF GOAT MOTH. 



{lamproia tetota.) 



The insects themselves much resemble in general form the 

 Burnet ichneumon which is mentioned in pp. 270, 273, but are 

 Gmaller, blacker, and not nearly so beautiful, although their 

 wings gleam with an iridescence nearly as brilliant. Small as it 

 is, this tiny insect is extremely valuable to us, and to the gar- 

 dener is beyond all value, though, as a general rule, the gardener 

 knows nothing about it. Were it not for this ichneumon, we 

 should scarcely have a cabbage or a cauliflower in the garden ; 

 for the noisome cabbage caterpillars would destroy every leaf of 



