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STYLOPIDJE, RHIPIPHORID>E. 301
tion of paedogenesis in Xenos rossii, the parasite of Polistes gallica. KRAATZ
(B. E. Z. xiv. p. 48) recapitulates his observations, resulting in the conviction
that the ovaries of the 5 perfect insect do not arrive at their proper development,
owing to the $ remaining as a larva for her whole existence, and
that eggs capable of development are produced -without previous fecundation,
from which eggs, probably, S insects "proceed. [The Stylopidce are
noticed among the Coleoptera against the Recorder's convictions.]
RHIPIPHORID>E.
Rhipiphorus paradoxus. The economy of this species is very
fully discussed in various papers by Murray, Smith, and Chapman,
in vols. v. and vi. Ann. N. H. ser. 4. Murray, /. c. v. p. 83
et seq., 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, ibid. p. 191
et seq., supports Smith's 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
Rhipiphorus, in Chapman's opinion. Smith, ibid. p. 198 et seq.,
reasserts his original position, and adduces evidence in refutation
of Murray's points, and in corroboration of Stone's views. Murray,
I. c. vi. p. 204, having in the interval made numerous observations,
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, Meloe-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 cavity of the
body, and emerging probably within 6 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 the
upper extremity of the grub, and feeds by suction, changing its
skin a second time, and finally devouring the grub almost entirely.
The perfect insect seems to emerge about two days after
the wasps of the same row of cells; and its eye-spots were found