100 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 
Mr. Howard also took strong exception to the placing of the sub- 
family Mymarince among the Chalcididce , calling attention to the 
pronotal characters as having great weight in retaining it with the 
Proctotrupidce. The resemblance of the venational characters to 
those of the Trichogrammince he considered of little value, and 
cited the resemblance in the venation with certain Scelionincc to 
that of many Chalcididce as much more striking. He also stated 
that while, under the microscope, the ovipositor with the Myma- 
rinas apparently arises near the base of the abdomen, this appear- 
ance may be due to the great transparency of the abdomen with 
this group, and that on careful study it may possibly be found to 
issue from the tip, as with other Proctotrupidce. 
Dr. Fox related the following observation : 
NOTE ON A NEW PARASITE OF CAMPONOTUS PENNSYLVANICUS. 
BY W. H. Fox, M. D. 
During the past summer it was my good fortune to meet with the larval 
form of an interesting and peculiar parasite of the common black ant 
( Camponotus pcnnsylvanicus}. 
About the middle of July, while sitting on the front steps of a house in 
Hollis, New Hampshire, I noticed several decapitated bodies of the black 
ant which still retained the power of motion. Being curious to know what 
had become of the heads, I instituted a search, and was rewarded by find- 
ing several of them. To my surprise, the heads also seemed to have the 
power of motion; but this was easily explained on a little closer scrutiny. 
Each head was found to be inhabited by a white grub, which completely 
filled the cranial cavity. The articulation of the mouth parts had been 
destroyed, and the appendages had fallen off, leaving an opening through 
which the larva could protrude its anterior extremity. So completely had 
the contents of the head been destroyed that, upon the removal of the larva, 
the eyes of the ant were seen to be transparent, and the articulations of the 
antennse'showed as two light spots. The mode of motion of the larva was 
simple but interesting. The head of the ant was kept on its flat, or poste- 
rior, surface, and the larva took a firm hold on the wood of the steps, close 
to the mouth opening; then, by elongating itself, it pushed its domicile in 
the opposite direction as far as possible; then, loosening its hold, con- 
tracted, and began again. The rate of travel was very slow, for I have left 
one for over half an hour and found it again, on my return, within a couple 
of feet of the spot where it was left. As to the mature form of this insect 
I know nothing, not even the order to which it belongs. A few of the larvae 
are presented for examination, and several have been kept in some earth, 
in the hope that I can get the imago from them next summer. I would 
say that I have also found this parasite in the head before the latter had 
