Vol. XXlv] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 63 



Ashmead, with which to compare it. Thus, in my table of the 

 North American species of Anayrus the specimens were easily 

 traced to the section containing armatus and spiritus, but I 

 could get no closer without scrutiny of the original descriptions. 

 The two species are very closely related, but spirit us has more 

 curved and broader fore wings, the latter bearing a line or two 

 more of discal ciliation and with the naked area clearly delimit- 

 ed. These points do not always show in single specimens of 

 either species. Exceeding care must, therefore, be exercised in 

 identifying the closely allied species of these minute Mymaridae. 



In the Iowa specimens of spiritus much of the cephalic por- 

 tion of the thorax was dusky black, while the abdomen was 

 wholly dark, the pale intersegmental spaces not showing; 

 hence, they resembled the variety nigriventris of armatus. 



Mr. Webster (in litt., February 14, 1912,) wrote concern- 

 ing the specimens of spiritus: "These were reared from the 

 eggs of the Jassids, the same being cut out from the leaf 

 where they had been deposited and isolated in vials." The 

 species is recorded in the literature as a probable parasite of 

 the eggs of Aphis pomi De Geer, but this definite record of 

 Mr. Webster makes the recorded host still more doubtful. The 

 fore wings of armatus are only compartively like those of 

 Polynema longipes (Ashmead) ; they, in reality, are still 

 much narrower. In another place I show that spiritus is a 

 synonym of armatus. 



The Genus Brachynemurus (Neuroptera). 



P.y NATHAN BANKS, East Falls Church, Virginia. 

 The Myrmeleonid genus Brachynemurus in our fauna in- 

 cludes many species which are widely separated in structure 

 from the original typical species. Originally, it included, in 

 our fauna, two closely similar forms ; but gradually other spe- 

 cies have been added until it is a heterogeneous assemblage. 

 Tn recent years many new genera have been described from 

 exotic countries, and to keep pace with the present status of 

 genera in the family. 1 propose to divide our Brachynemurus 

 into four groups, which, if they occurred in tropical countries, 



