NOTES ON THE MYMARIDjE. 
162 
they are full fed, when they assume the pupa state, and when 
fully matured the perfect fly eats its way through the shell of 
the butterfly’s egg, emerging into light and freedom. 
Sir John Jlubbock mentions in the “ Linmean Trans¬ 
actions,” Vol. 24, p. 142, having found one species, which he 
named Prestwichia aquatica, as using its wings to enable it to 
swim under water. This one lays its eggs within those of a 
dragon fly. 
It is a curious fact that in most cases the females are far 
more plentiful than the males, as the following list will prove, 
taken from my journal for the past three years :— 
Anagrus 
Males. 
.. 6 
Females. 
41 
Anaphes 
55 
40 
Mymar 
1 
4 
Litus 
0 
12 
Cosmocoma 
2 
5 
Alaptus 
3 
24 
Camptoptera .. 
0 
110 
Gonatocerus 
.. 5 
10 
Ooctonus 
1 
5 
I cannot in any way account for the extraordinary differ¬ 
ence in Camptoptera ; in fact, I could not believe all were 
females until I had most carefully counted the joints of the 
antennae, and even the setae around the wings ; but I was 
obliged to own I had never captured a male, though I searched 
for them at all hours, in all sorts of places, and in all sorts of 
weather. I never saw the ghost of one until Mr. Goocli, of 
Eton, very kindly sent some specimens of Mymaridae for my 
examination, amongst them two Camptoptera, one of which 
was a male. 
Beside the above representatives, I have two species which 
I have utterly failed to identify as belonging to any of the 
genera mentioned in “ Foerster’s Synopsis no doubt they 
will prove additions to this most interesting family, many of 
which do not measure more than one-fiftieth of an inch from 
head to tail, and yet within this compass is contained the 
complete organism of a perfect insect, almost too wonderful 
for our minds to grasp. 
“ Then sweet to muse upon his skill displayed, 
(Infinite skill) in all that he has made ! 
To trace in Nature’s most minute design 
The signature and stamp of pow’r divine, 
Contrivance intricate, express’d with ease ; 
Where unassisted sight no beauty sees, 
The shapely limb and lubricated joint, 
Within the small dimensions of a point. 
Muscle and nerve miraculously spun, 
His mighty work who speaks and it is done. 
Th’ invisible in things scarce seen reveal’d, 
To whom an atom is an ample field.”— Cowper. 
