112 HYMENOPTERA. 



Second segment of abdomen longer than all the others together. Four anterior tibiae 

 with one minute spur ; posterior curved, terminating in a stout curved spine., Posterior 

 coxae elongated ; posterior femora thickened, minutely toothed. Body metallic. 



The form*of the head would ally this subfamily to Dirrhinus, Dal., a genus which is 

 placed by authors in the Chalcidina ; but the South-American genus can scarcely be 

 placed there, unless the characters given by European authors to define the Chalcidina 

 are much extended. The Aximince, in fact, differ from that group in the body being 

 metallic, the pro thorax much more strongly developed (it being constructed very much 

 as in Eurytoma), and the ovipositor is as long as the abdomen. In the structure of the 

 posterior legs it agrees with the Chalcidina, but the thickened femora and the strongly 

 spined tibiae are not peculiar to them. The only other group that it could be placed 

 in is the Pteromalina ; but the form of the head and prothorax is quite different. 



HONTALIA. 



Antennae 13-jointed, inserted below the eyes; second joint a little shorter than third. 

 Head longer than broad, triangularly incised behind, above the antennae deeply exca- 

 vated, produced at the sides into two large tubercles, of which the uppermost is the 

 largest ; they are sharply pointed, and the space between them is semicircular. Mouth 

 almost touching the anterior coxae. Ocelli in a triangle. Eyes almost round, margined. 

 Prothorax large, transverse behind, produced in the middle in front so as to fit into the 

 incision in the head ; distinctly separated from the mesothorax. Mesonotum with two 

 sutures, and a transverse one at the base of the scutellum, which is oval and slightly raised, 

 and not separated by sutures from the mesonotum. Metathorax flat, longer than broad, 

 with distinct keels. In front of the posterior coxae the sternum is produced, on each 

 side, into a blunt tooth. Petiole a little shorter than the metathorax, carinated beneath, 

 armed with a curved thick spine. Abdomen fusiform, second segment longer than the 

 succeeding together ; the rest subequal. Ovipositor broad, compressed, a little shorter 

 than the abdomen. Posterior coxae large, a little longer than the femora, which are 

 thicker, oval, a little longer than broad, and bluntly keeled on the lower side, where there 

 is also a blunt tooth at the base. Tibiae curved, a large thick curved spur at the apex ; 

 anterior apparently without spurs. Middle femora thickened at the apex. Ulna straight, 

 produced along the costa ; cubitus a mere thickening of the nerve. The metatarsus is 

 shorter than the second joint, it being not much longer than the third ; the apical is 

 the longest, and is thickened towards the apex. Ocelli in a triangle. The mouth, 

 when the head is not raised, touches the prosternum. The horns on the head are 

 directed straight in front. 



The genus Axima, Walker, from Brazil, comes nearest to Eontalia of the described 

 genera, but is sufficiently distinguished from it by the eleven-jointed antennae and 

 simple posterior femora. 



