The Naturalist Volume 2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1852 Excerpt: ... are destined to prey. "Some," says Mr. Kirby, "are so inconceivably small, that the egg of a butterfly, not larger than a pin's head, is of sufficient magnitude to nourish two of them to maturity; others so large, that the body of a full-grown caterpillar is not more than enough for one." It is not the Ichneumon itself, but its larvae or maggots which destroy such quantities of insects. The Ichneumon is a fly with four wings, whose food is honey; and the female seems to live only for the purpose of depositing eggs in the way mentioned. "In search of this," we are told by the aged entomologist just alluded to, "she is in constant motion. Is the caterpillar of a butterfly or moth the appropriate food for her young, yon see her alight upon the plants where they are most usually to be met with, run quickly over them, carefully examining every leaf, and, having found the unfortunate object of her search, insert her sting into its flesh, and there deposit an egg. In vain her victim, as if conscious of its fate, writhes its body, spits out an acid fluid, menaces with its tentacula, or brings into action the other organs of defence with which it is provided; the active Ichneumon braves every danger, and does not desist till her courage and address have insured subsistence for one of her future progeny. Perhaps, however, she discovers, by a sense, the existence of which we perceive, though we have no conception of its nature, that she has been forestalled by some precursor of her own tribe that has already buried an egg in the caterpillar she is examining. In this case she leaves it, aware that it would not suffice for the support of two, and proceeds in search of some other yet unoccupied." Such are the singular habits of th...