14 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



The character referred to consists of a peculiar arrangement of 

 specialized spines on the hind tibias. They are short, sharp, 

 broad spines occurring in regular rows, their bases connected, 

 forming straight lines or more or less intricate figures. They are 

 present in lesser degree upon the middle tibiae, and here in 

 variably form only straight lines. They also occur on the first 

 joint of the hind tarsi, and here also form straight lines. Upon 

 the hind tibias, however, they are strikingly evident through an 

 almost universal differentiation of color, the tibia itself being 

 light and the spines very darlc. They occur upon the upper or 

 outer side of the tibia3 and in the species which I have examined 

 take the following forms : 



i. Two very long ellipses side by side and touching. 2. Three 

 longitudinal subparallel wavy lines. 3. A single long ellipse 

 occupying the central two-thirds of the length of the tibia, and 

 the beginnings of two other ellipses, above and below, each in 

 terrupted by the extremity of the joint. The upper and lower 

 loops are joined at tip to the central ellipse, and two outer convex 

 lines surround each of these joints. 4. The disk of the tibia 

 bears two such ellipses placed end to end, and two half ellipses, at 

 top and bottom, being surrounded at junctions by such a row as 

 occurs in 3. 5. The disk occupied by three instead of two 

 ellipses, and the ends by two loops. 6. The disk is covered by 

 a double row of elongate ovals closely applied and arranged so 

 that the side bulge of one fills the cavity caused by the meeting 

 of the ends of two others. 7. A series of superimposed antique 

 figures 5, the dash at the top of one forming the base of the next 

 one above. 



Sufficient variations of these arrangements occur and within 

 apparently specific limits. This is not a secondary sexual char 

 acter, since it occurs equally in both males and females. No 

 similar character has been noticed in any other subfamily of the 

 Chalcididae, and it is particularly fortunate that it should occur 

 among the Elasminas, on account of the difficulty in otherwise 

 separating the forms. 



Mr. Stiles asked if there was any explanation of the occurrence 

 of these spines on evolutional grounds. Mr. Howard replied that 

 he had looked into the matter very carefully, and had discovered 

 nothing which would lead him to offer any such explanation of 

 their occurrence. Mr. Ashmead stated that Mr. Howard's dis 

 covery is of exceeding interest, on account of the fact that in this 

 group the species are very frequently most difficult to separate by 

 other available characters. He referred also to the importance 



