ICHNEUMON FLY, 231 
bodies of caterpillars by means of this 
sharp instrument, which they support 
with their two hind feet lest it should 
break. They bore a hole through the 
skin of the caterpillar and drop into it an 
egg; for every egg making a fresh in- 
cision. The large flies put only two or 
three eggs into the unfortunate caterpillar, 
but the small ichneumons insert from 
ten to twenty. 
Lucy, What pain the poor caterpillar 
must suffer ; but I suppose it soon dies ? 
Mother, While the ichneumon is in 
the act of inflicting these wounds, and 
depositing its eggs, the caterpillar writhes 
about, and seems to be in great agony; 
but it soon recovers, and generally lives 
the usual length of time, without apparent 
sufiering ; sometimes it even increases in 
size, and regularly changes its skin. But 
when the time comes for changing to the 
chrysalis state, the ichneumon larvae eat 
their way through the caterpillar's skin, 
and spinning little silken cocoons become 
