OF WASHINGTON. 321 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE V. 



1. Nonagria oblonga, head from side. 



2. " " head from above. 



3. " " genital structure of the 9 seen from 



behind. 



4. " " genital structure of 9 removed from 



the body and seen from the side, 

 tj. " " harpe and clasper of the c?. 



6. u subflava, head from side. 



7. " " head from above. 



5. . " " genital structure of the 9 seen from 



behind. The structure in alameda 

 is practically like this. 

 9. " " anal plate of 9 seen from above. 



10. " " harpe and clasper of the cT- 



u. " alameda, head from side. 



12. " " head from above. 



13. " " harpe and clasper of the JV 



14. " /^/, head from side. 



15. " head from above. 



1 6. " ' c genital structure of the 9 seen from 



behind. 



17. " " tip of the lower lateral piece of the 9 



genitalia. 



Mr. Ashmead, under the title "Some Remarks on Genera in 

 the Mutillidse," showed how three families had been confused 

 ^with the Mutillidas by various recent authors. He exhibited a 

 number of interesting forms belonging to the families Thynnida?, 

 Myrmosidae, and Mutillidae, pointing out characters that easily 

 separate them. He discussed Andre's classification of these in 

 sects as adopted in Wytsman's " Genera Insectorum," Family 

 Mutillida2. In his opinion Andre's subfamily Methocinoe was a 

 very unnatural group, part belonging to the J^hynnidce and part 

 to the Myrmosidce. Andre has also suppressed some good genera 

 that will ultimately be recognized as valid. 



Dr. Howard, discussing Mr. Ashmead's paper, related a curi 

 ous superstition in regard to Mutillidaa from the folk-lore of the 

 Mississippi negroes. A dog which is cowardly and not a good 

 fighter may, according to these negroes, be endowed with a 

 courageous and pugnacious spirit by being made to drink from a 

 decoction of boiled Mutillids, or "bull-dog ants," as they are 



