OF WASHINGTON. 215 



Macroxyela, Megaxyela, and Manoxyela. lie stated that the 

 larvae of the group were not known, and that he had been unable 

 to ascertain their habits with certainty, but considered that they 

 were probably borers. He remarked upon the fact that they are 

 found flying in the spring and then disappear for the rest of the 

 year. 



Mr. Schwarz stated that many years ago he had been attracted 

 by the beauty of the local species, which occurs in the earliest 

 warm days in the spring. He had found it frequently on the 

 22d February. It used to occur very abundantly on young pines 

 near Washington, but these trees on being examined later in the 

 season showed no signs of injury. 



NOVEMBER 4, 1897. 



Vice-President Gill in the chair, and Messrs. Uhler, Motter, 

 Patten, Johnson, Banks, Schwarz, Ashmead, Heidemann, Dyar, 

 Benton, Busck, Currie, Pratt, Howard, Cook, Fernow, and 

 Swingle also present. Prof. Dr. K. W. von Dalla Tofre, of 

 Innsbruck, was elected a corresponding member. 



Under the head of" Short Notes and Exhibition of Specimens," 

 Mr. Ashmead showed specimens of the male of Pelecinus oly- 

 turator, sent in by Mr. Wyeth, from Indiana, and also speci 

 mens of the genus Proterops of Wesmael, a Braconid parasitic 

 upon saw-flies, which is remarkable in that the middle ocellus is 

 placed between the bases of the antennae. Mr. Schwarz spoke 

 of the abundance of Pelecinus in Detroit during the past summer. 

 He had noticed them flying in numbers along the streets lined 

 with maple trees, and thought perhaps they might be parasitic 

 upon the common maple-borer, ^Egeria acerni. Mr. Ash 

 mead, however, had told him that it is more likely to be para 

 sitic upon a Coleopterous borer. Mr. Ashmead stated that the 

 species has a very wide distribution, occurring from Canada to 

 Argentina. He thinks it to be a very ancient form allied to the 

 Proctotrypidae, and to a group of the Proctotrypidae which is 

 always parasitic upon Coleopterous larvae. Prof. Uhler said that 

 this species used to be common near Baltimore, and that he had 

 once or twice caught the male. In a low spot of ground thickly 

 covered with an undergrowth of black alder and spice bush, 



