OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 115 



In all but one of the more recent classifications of the Chal- 

 astogastra this genus falls in the family Cephidse. In the classi- 

 fication proposed by MacGillivray 1 which is based on win^ 

 venat on, it falls in the family of Xiphydriidse. 



As the characters in which this genus is like the Cephidse are 

 less subject to modification by use they indicate that it should 

 be placed in the Cephidae and that the Cephidse are the pro- 

 genitors of the Xiphydriidae. 



Syntexis, new genus. 



In Konow's classification in the Genera Insectorum, this genus falls in 

 the Cephini and runs satisfactorily to the genus Ateuchopus Konow from 

 which it maybe separated by the filiform antennae and peculiar venation. 



Head seen from above subquadrate, the posterior orbits less than half 

 the cephal-caudad diameter of the eye; occiput immargined; malar space 

 long, slightly greater than the width of mandible at base; cheeks produced 

 ventrally; maxillary palpi long, 6-jointed; labial palpi 3-jointed, short, 

 the apical joint as long as first and second, antennae 16-jointed, second and 

 third joints subequal, the apical joints filiform; pronotum transverse, 

 posterior margin straight with a narrow median emargination; meso- 

 sternum with two accessory sutures which separates off a diamond-shaped 

 plate, posteriorly; mesopostnotum large; metanotum separated from 

 the metapostnotum which is fused with the anterior margin of the first 

 tergite; metepisternum and metepimeron elongate, about of equal size, 

 the metepimeron indistinctly fused with the side of the first tergite; pos- 

 terior coxse contiguous; tibia? without supra-apical spurs; claws simple; 

 tergites not margined laterally; the ninth tergite long as in Xiphydria, 

 but truncate before the apex and produced beyond the truncation; ovi- 

 positor very like Xiphydria; subcosta distinctly removed from the costa; 

 radial cell incomplete; stigma hyaline medially; basal vein joining first 

 cubital cell at about the middle; second recurrent received in the second 

 cubital cell, the first recurrent interstitial; transverse median of the fore 

 wings received slightly basad of the middle of first discoidal cell; lanceolate 

 cell with an oblique cross vein and contracted basally; hind wings typical 

 of the Xiphydriidse except the two discal cells are not defined and tin- 

 apical veins are obsolete. 



Type: The following new species. 

 Syntexis libocedrii, new species. 



Female. Length to the apex of the abdomen 8 mm.; length of the ovi- 

 positor beyond the tip of the abdomen 1.5 mm. Clypeus truncate; supra- 

 clypeal foveai deep, punctiform; head with large irregular punctures which 

 are more distinct andbetter defined on the frons; median fovca represented 



1 Proc. U. S. Xat. Mus., vol. 1>9, I'.IOO, p. -Hi!) CM!. 



