354 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



ducing natural enemies which have no close relatives in this 

 country. 



Mr. Howard, in answer to another question by Mr. Hopkins, 

 stated that, in his opinion, several of our American Braconids 

 would be likely to attack the introduced European Clerus. 



Mr. Marlatt asked whether the European species is not more 

 active than our native Thanasimus. Mr. Hopkins stated that it 

 is much more active. He stated that he had found it feeding upon 

 five different species of European Scolytids, and that since his ar 

 rival in this country he had observed it feeding in confinement 

 upon Dendroctonus. He exhibited specimens of living Clerus 

 formicarius, and the members of the Society were fortunately 

 able to watch one of these beetles feeding upon a Scolytid with 

 which Mr. Hopkins had enclosed it. 



Mr. Ashmead presented the following paper : 



NOTES ON THE EUCHARIDS FOUND IN THE UNITED 

 STATES. 



BY WM. H. ASHMEAD. 



Since becoming better acquainted with that great complex of 

 the Hymenoptera, at present known to us under the family name 

 Chalcididce, I have gradually come to the conclusion that instead 

 of a single family to deal with we have several distinct families. 



Indeed, in many cases, these families are even more distinct 

 and sharply separable than many other of the so-called families 

 in this order ; and, until these are properly separated and defined, 

 I believe but little real progress can be made in our systematic 

 knowledge of the Chalcidoidea. 



It is not my intention now to go deeply into this subject, but to 

 call attention to one group that I believe should be elevated to 

 family rank, and to make some notes on the species found in the 

 United States. 



This group is the sub-family Eucharince. It is represented 

 both in Europe and North America by but few species, although 

 in warmer climes the species become quite numerous. In South 

 America, Africa, Asia, and adjacent Isles, however, it is well rep 

 resented, and by some forms that appear to be the most unique 

 and wonderful to be found amongst the Hymenoptera. 



I hope soon to be able to contribute a paper on their structure 



