30 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



anteriorly feebly punctate, metathorax finely rugose, its pleura with long 

 greyish hairs. Antennae i2-jointed, clavate, the funiclar joints transverse. 

 Abdomen ovate, petiolate, depressed above, its tip compressed into a little 

 point, the petiole about 2j times as long as thick, rugulose, the ruguosities 

 longitudinally directed, or striated ; rest of abdomen smooth polished, the 

 second segment the longest i^ times as long as the third, the segments 

 after the third short, subequal ; $ abdomen smaller, more depressed and 

 with the tip truncate. 



Hab. Europe, North and South America, and Australia. 



This species is a common parasite on different species of Aphids ; 

 the only exception is a specimen reared by myself from Dactyl- 

 opius adonidum Linn. 



PARAL^ESTHIA Cameron, Biol. Cent. Am., Hymn., p. no. 

 t (Type P. mandibularis Cam.) 



" Head elongate, broad, produced in front into a spear-head process, 

 the apex of which is blunt, and its base produced into a blunt tooth-like 

 process. Eyes small, oval, situated on the sides. Vertex with a wide 

 and deep furrow extending from behind the ocelli to the antennae and 

 carinated in the middle, the keel running down to the centre. Mandibles 

 very large, three-fourths of the length of the head, curved, bidentate. 

 Antennas lo-jointed, clavate, situated a little below the middle of the head ; 

 scape shorter than the first two joints of the flagellum, the first joint 

 shorter than the second, fourth and fifth shorter and thicker; the rest 

 become thicker towards apex. Prothorax large, a little broader than long, 

 distinctly separated from the mesothorax, the sides scarcely straight, 

 transverse behind, rounded and narrowed in front. Mesonotum rather 

 flat above, the scutellum not clearly defined. Metanotum comparatively 

 large, closely amalgamate with the mesonotum. Petiole long, curved, 

 broader at the base than at the apex, round. Abdomen ovoid, flat, con 

 tracted before and behind ; second segment longer than the next, fourth 

 much longer than any of the others ; apical a little shorter than the third. 

 Ulna shorter than the marginal branch (which is prolonged a little beyond 

 the cubitus) ; at its junction with ulna is a thickened spot of hairs; the 

 marginal branch is provided with projecting hairs; the margins of the 

 wings with long cilia. Coxue large, thickened, widely separated; femora 

 stout; tarsi longer than the tibiae. 



The female has a stout laterally compressed ovipositor, which is about 

 half the length of the abdomen. The head over the mouth is broadly 

 incised, the edges of the incision being tooth-like 5 the front below the 

 antennae is produced into a broad keel, which overhangs the mouth-region, 

 terminating in a blunt thick tooth." (Cameron.) 



This genus is unknown to me in nature ; the type P. man 

 dibularis Cam. is described from Panama. Mr. Cameron in 



