STYLOriD^j RHIPIPHORID^. 
301 
tion of poodogenesis in Xenos rossii, the parasite of PoKstcs gallica. Khaatz 
(13. E. Z. xiv. p. 48) recapitulates liis observations, resulting in the conviction 
that the ovaries of the $ perfect insect do not arrive at their proper deve- 
lopment, owing to the $ remaining as a larva for her whole existence, and 
that eggs capable of development are produced without previous fecunda- 
tion, from which eggs, probably, cf insects "proceed. [The Stylopidce are 
noticed among the Coleoptera against the Recorder’s convictions.] 
RniPIPHORIDiE. 
Rhipiphorus paradoxus. The economy of this species is very 
fully discussed in various papers by Murray, Smith, and Chap- 
man, in vols. V. and vi. Ann. N. H. ser. 4, Murray, 1. c. v. p. 83 
et seq.y adheres to his former opinion that the larva does not 
feed on wasp-grubs, considering the instances adduced by Smith 
to arise from some error of observation. Chapman, ihid. p. 191 
et seq., supports Smithes views, differing only from him in his 
idea as to the mode of oviposition, which Chapman thinks, with 
Denison, takes place when the wasp-grub covers itself in its 
cell, the beetle-larva, as soon as hatched, devouring the grub by 
suction, and undergoing its metamorphoses in the cell, thus 
forming a parallel to the relations of Chrysis and Odynerus. 
The very rapid feeding-up of the beetle-larva, as in Chrysis^ has 
been the cause of the difficulty in elucidating the history of 
RhipipjhoruSf in Chapman^s opinion. Smith, ibid. p. 198 et seq.j 
reasserts his original position, and adduces evidence in refutation 
of Murray^s points, and in corroboration of Stoners views. Mur- 
ray, 1. c. vi. p. 204, having in the interval made numerous ob- 
servations, retracts his former opinion, and is fully convinced 
that the Rhipiphorus is a parasite. From his experience, the 
egg is laid on the wall of the wasp^s cell, just within its lip, and 
the young larva sucks the wasp-grub, taking from 8 to 10 days 
to consume it, and averaging 3 or 4 days before hatching. He 
describes the larva of Rhipiphorus, and (pi. xiv.) figures it with 
detail, giving also views of the wasp-grub both by itself and in 
connexion with the parasite. • Chapman, ibid. p. 314 et seq., 
also describes the larva very fully, especially as to its earliest 
conditions. He fails to find the egg, but discovers the larva to 
be at first a minute black hexapod, Me/oe-like, which enters the 
wasp-grub (even before the latter has spun its silken covering 
before assuming the pupal state) at the back of the primary 
dorsal segments, feeding internally in the general cavitj^ of the 
body, and emerging probably within G hours after the spinning 
up of the grub, when it changes its skin, and becomes shorter, 
thicker, and curved in front. It then attaches itself to tlic 
upper extremity of the grub, and feeds by suction, changing its 
skin a second time, and finally devouring the grub almost en- 
tirely. The perfect insect seems to emerge about two days after 
the wasps of the same row of cells ; and its eye-spots were found 
