BY HENRY TRYON. 
9 
with a view to learn whether they had arisen from the fruit as- 
vegetable feeders or whether they were parasitic upon the maggots. 
Having seen similar insects previously under the circumstances 
above mentioned, and knowing the habits of the Braconidse, I 
inclined to the latter opinion. Quite recently, while temporarily 
residing in the Tingalpa district, I met with the hymenopteron 
as before, but in much larger numbers, about a fruit-laden guava- 
tree, and I decided thereupon to finally settle the question of its 
parasitism. With this object in view a number of the puparia 
and some maggots of the fruit fly were exhumed from the soil 
beneath the guava tree, and these having been kept under 
suitable conditions, but without the presence of any foreign 
material, gave birth to the mature forms of the pest, and amongst 
them specimens of the parasite, such as you behold in its living 
state. The latter, as already remarked, is a member of the 
Braconid^, and probably a species of Opius. It is a yellow 
glossy insect, with conspicuous black eyes. It measures about 
two lines in length, and has the wings, which expand to five 
lines, faint smoke-coloured, with pink reflections in certain lights. 
The antennae are longer than the body and dark-coloured. The 
male is rather smaller than the female, which has a short black 
ovipositor. In repose the wings are placed backwards over the 
body, and the antenna directed outwards from it, either forwards 
or backwards. In countries in which economic entomology is- 
regarded with the attention which is justly due to it, such a 
parasite as this would be artificially propagated, and so cared for 
that the ill-effects due to the operation of so baneful an insect 
pest as is the fruit fly would be considerably lessened. 
MIMICEY AND PROTECTIVE RESEMBLANCE. 
BY 
H. Lambert Thompson. 
(Read on 5th May, 1892 : vide “ Queenslander, " 14th May, 1892). 
