64 



The Naturalist. 



The Ilymenoptera is one of the largest divisions of the order Insccta, 

 and contains about 3,650 species. They have four naked membranous 

 wings, of which the anterior, or upper pair, are always larger than the 

 posterior, or hind wings. The three divisions of the body are distinctly 

 marked, the third, or abdominal segment, being frequently attached to 

 the thorax by a thin lengthened stalk or peduncle. The tarsi gener- 

 ally consist of five joints, but the number of segments in the antennae 

 varies considerably. Their larvae are, for the greater part, without 

 legs, and therefore said to be apodal. The pupa is inactive and 

 incomplete. 



The Ilymenoptera may be divided into two great sections, viz., the 

 Terebrantia and the Aculeata. ^ 



The Terebrantia contains eight families, most of which are parasitic 

 — that is to say, gain their living at the expense of their relations, as 

 a good many animals of a higher class do nowadays. Many familiar 

 insects are contained in this section, such as the saw- and gall-flies, the 

 IchneumonidcB^ or ichneumon flies (which form the subject of my 

 paper), and the ruby-tailed flies, or ChrysididcB. The second section, 

 or Aculeata, contains ten families, and includes the bees, hornets^ 

 wasps, and ants. 



(To he continued,) 



%m\h\\ for Sipt^mhr. 





Height 



of 

 gauge 

 above 



sea 

 level. 



1 

 1 



Rain- 

 fall. 



No. 

 of 



Total Fall 

 TO Date. 



Bate of 

 heaviest 



Amount 



of 



neaviest 

 Fall. 





Days 



1881. 



1880. 



Fall. 



HuDDERSFiELD (Dalton) ... 



(J. W. Kobson) 



Ft. 



350 



In. 

 2-80 



18 



22-34 



* 23-71 



24 



0-44 



Halifax... (F. G. S. Eawson) 



365 



2-68 



14 



32-34 



30-27 







Wakefield. (E. B. Wriggles- 

 wortli) 



100 



t 













Stanley (do.) 



250 



t 













Thoenes (do.) 



90 



t 



2-71 













Baensley ... (T. Lister) ... 



350 



18 



18-08 



27-48 



22 



•75 



Ingbikchwoeth (do.) 



853 



4-07 



21 



28-30 



3218 



22 



•IT 



Went WORTH Castle (do.)... 



520 



3-20 



19 



21-56 



27-57 



22 ■ 



•81 ^ 



GooLE ... (J. Haerison) ... 



25 



2-42 



16 



18-92 



22-91 



23 



0-80 



Hull (DeiTingham)...(Wm. 



L-1 wton) 



10 



3-04 



18 



19-38 



16-17J 



21 



•62 



* This is the average to date for 15 years, 1866-80. f No returns. 



X On the average (to date) of 30 years, 1850-79, 



1 Westw. Class, p. 82-3. Vol. 2. 



