896 Insects. 



marginal fringe of the segments is sooty-black, that on the second 

 and third occasionally intermixed with fulvous hairs. 



This species, although closely resembling retusa in general aspect, 

 is extremely distinct ; the resemblance is closest in the females : in 

 Haworthana the head is proportionately wider, and the insect is 

 much less pubescent, but its pale calcaria will at once distinguish it : 

 the male has not the intermediate leg longer than the posterior, as in 

 retusa, nor has it the tarsi fringed with long black hair, as in that 

 species ; its mandibles are quite black, and generally only the first 

 segment of the abdomen clothed with fulvous hair. St. Fargeau 

 considers the male synonymous with that of retusa, but in this he is 

 mistaken. This is a very local species . the only localities I am 

 acquainted with are Hampstead and Blackheath, near London, near 

 the telegraph in Coomb Wood, and Cove Common in Hampshire. I 

 once captured a beautiful species of Melecta parasitic upon it. I 

 have observed this species burrowing in banks, and also in the level 

 ground ; the latter is a circumstance which I never observed in the 

 other species. 



Frederick Smith. 



March, 1845. 



Eggs of Ichneumons. In a former number (Zool. 749), is mentioned an instance 

 of a caterpillar having been reared which had Ichneumon eggs in its skin ; and sug- 

 gesting the experiment of crushing the eggs, in case the caterpillar of any rare moth 

 should be found similarly affected. 



I have no doubt the plan would succeed if we had instruments sufficiently deli- 

 cate to crush, or still better, to extract the eggs without injuring the skin. I have 

 tried it several times, but only succeeded once, viz., in the caterpillar of C. vinula, 

 which contained but one egg, and that of some magnitude. This I extracted, but it 

 adhered so firmly that it was more like tearing away part of the skin than removing 

 a parasite. The skin, however, was not injured, and I obtained a very fine male spe- 

 cimen of the moth. 



In this instance, the caterpillar was large and smooth, and what was curious, 

 though the rest was of the brownish hue which they assume before transformation, 

 a small circular space, of which the egg formed the centre, was still of a beautiful 

 green. I have experimented on some of the genus Orthosia, but have never effected 

 the removal of the eggs without causing a discharge from the skin, and in every case 

 the experiment failed ; but then I must observe that I had no forceps calculated for 

 such delicate operations, and therefore my failure ought not to discourage others who 

 may have more appropriate instruments. — Win. Turner ; Uppingham, Feb. 12, 1845. 



