Miscellaneous. 341 



" In the genera Cryptus and Ilemiteles, the anterior nervule of 

 the hinder wing is simple, and the edge of the wing to the stigma is 

 memhranaceous, or nearly so, and the weak sub-basal hook is placed 

 on the membrane. 



*' The hind wings of Monodontomerus have only a single longitudinal 

 submarginal nervule, which is slightly dilated and nicked almost at 

 the base. There are three well-developed distal hooks at the tip of 

 the nervule, where it reaches the edge of the wing. 



" The upper wings of the larger Ichneumons, as Ophion combustus 

 and Pimpla varicornis, have a group of ' transparent dots' (Dr. 

 Hicks) at the end of the first portion of the nervule near the stigma ; 

 while the lower wings have similar transparent dots at the dilated part 

 of the nervules, produced by their inosculations. It may also be 

 observed that there are certain parts where the nervules are more 

 transparent than others, as if they were partially interrupted ; and 

 these interruptions occur in the same situation in almost all the 

 wings of the genera I have examined." 



Believing that all variations in organic structures entail a differ- 

 ence in the habits of the animals, I am induced to think that it is 

 desirable that the genus Paniscus, which has such differently formed 

 wings, should be divided into two groups : one, for which the name 

 Paniscus may be retained, having many (about fifteen) hooks in 

 the distal series, and a very small sub-basal one, and a thick margin 

 to the base of the wing, of which P. glaucoplerus may be considered 

 the type ; and the other, which have only six or seven hooks in the 

 distal series, and a strong sub-basal hook, with thinner forked ner- 

 vules to the base of the wing, may be called Netelia, with Paniscus 

 inquinatus for its type. 



I may observe at the same time, that attention to the number of 

 spines appears to afford a ready means of distinguishing the species 

 of this genus, which are very much alike in external appearance, and 

 seem worthy of a more extended study. 



Wesmael, Dufour, and other authors on the nerves of the wings 

 of Hymenoptera, appear to have restricted their attention to the 

 distribution of the nervules of the front wings ; yet the hinder 

 wings appear to offer as many characters. It is very desirable 

 that these wings should be studied in connexion with the habits and 

 economy of the insect, as affording characters. for the separation of 

 genera and species ; for the result of the examination here given 

 shows that the hooks and the pellucid dots in the wing afford good 

 characters for the separation of very closely allied species, as easily 

 described as the nervation of the upper wing itself, and quite as 

 permanent. 



Mr. Smith, to whom I have submitted the specimens, observes, 

 with respect to the hooks which attach the posterior to the anterior 

 wings of hymenopterous insects, &c., more particularly so in regard 

 to those which are situated near the base of the wings, which appear 

 to have been first observed by E. F. S., I have examined the wings 

 of a few species in different families, and, as might be expected, with 



