110 HYMENOPTEKA. 



pubescence. Abdomen longer than the head and thorax, strongly compressed laterally, 

 the last ventral segment deeply incised. Except at the base, the wings are fuscous- 

 yellow in tint. 



Subfam. 8PALANGIINJE. 



This division is of small extent, only three genera being known, and these contain 

 but a limited number of species. 



SPALANGIA. 



Spalangia, Latr. Hist. Nat. des Crust, et des Ins. xiii. p. 228. 



Species of this genus are known from the Palaearctic Eegion and North America, 

 while one of the European species has been recorded from the Galapagos Islands and 

 another from the Sandwich Islands. As the species, so far as is known, are parasitic 

 on the house-fly, they have no doubt been introduced there. The species are very 

 closely allied, and difficult to separate specifically, owing to their being so uniform in 

 coloration and markings. 



1. Spalangia Chontaleiisis. (Tab. V. figg. 14, ? ; 14 0, antenna.) 

 Nigra, pilosa ; tarsis testaceis ; alis hyalinis. 

 Long. 2-3 millim. 



Hah. Nicaeagua, Chontales {Jansori). 



Antennae 10-jointed ; the second joint one fourth longer than the third, the third and 

 fourth are longer than broad, the fifth to ninth are not much longer than broad, the 

 tenth is nearly as long as the three preceding together. The head and thorax are 

 covered with a sparse pubescence and with shallow punctures. The centre of the 

 mesonotum is shining, smooth ; scutellum alutaceous, and with a longitudinal furrow 

 in the middle. The metanotum, pleura, and sternum are smooth and shining for the 

 most part. Abdomen smooth, shining, impunctate, shorter than the thorax ; the last 

 segment acute ; the apical segments are covered with a pale pubescence. 



PARAL^ESTHIA. 



Head elongated, broad, produced in front into a spear-head process, the apex of 

 which is blunt, and at its base produced into a blunt tooth-like process. Eyes small, 

 oval, situated on the sides. Vertex with a wide and deep furrow extending from behind 

 the ocelli to the antennas and carinated in the middle, the keel running down to the 

 centre. Mandibles very large, three fourths of the length of the head, curved, bidentate. 

 Antennae 10-jointed, clavate, situated a little below the middle of the head; scape 



