98 



The Naturalist. 



for confirmation), and J. lurida. As we approached the summit we 

 found Thalictrum alpinum, Sagina nivalis, Saxafraga nivalis, Sibbaldia 

 procumbens, Yaccinium uliginosum, Y. Yitis-idaea, Draba rupestris, 

 Dicranum Starkii, D. fuscescens, D. fulvellum, Weissia crispula, 

 Grimmia funalis, Timmia austriaca, Mnium spinosum, Bartramia 

 ithypbylla, Conostomum boreale, Lesquereuxia saxicola (the first time 

 gathered in Britain), Plagiothecium denticulatum var. obtusifolium, 

 Heterocladium dimorphum, Pseudo-leskea atrovirens, Jungermannia 

 Orcadensis, Anthelia julacea, Gymnomitrium concinnatum, and we 

 noticed that Alchemilla alpina was abundant up to the very summit. 



(To he continued.) 



THE ICHNEUMONID^. 



(Concluded.) 



By Chas. H. H. Walkee. 



As examples of the parasites that become pupae within the mummy- 

 like envelope of the butterfly or moth, whose existence has come so 

 abruptly to a close, I may mention first : — Ichneumon trilineatus, the 

 parasite of the currant moth. Abraxas grossulariata. This species feeds 

 singly in the bodies of the caterpillars, which always pupate, but 

 dying, the chrysalis serves as a covering for the parasite. It is a very 

 common insect. I collected upwards of thirty pupae of grossulariata 

 from a blackthorn bush. From these came three perfect moths, one 

 being the dark yellow suffused variety I had the pleasure of exhibiting 

 at a previous meeting, twenty-five parasites, and the remainder 

 perished. 



The parasite of Fieris rapes is too familiar to permit my enlarging 

 upon it. Occasionally, upon breaking open chrysalides of that insect, 

 the pupa2 of the ichneumons will be found within, huddled together in 

 a mass. 



Other species construct separate cocoons, of a beautiful silky texture, 

 the thread of which is sometimes continuous. They are generally very 

 irregularly placed, as is the case with Microgaster glomeratus, and tBe 

 parasite of Chelonia caja ; but others arrange them with a marvellous 

 regularity, ^2 which speaks very strongly in favour of the architectural 

 capabilities of the insect. 



1 2 Westw. Class, of Insects, vol. 2, p. 150. 



