18 PROC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. 20, NO. 1, JAN., 1918 



die out. Wherever the line is to be drawn it would appear that 

 there is need that our lists be more carefully kept, than is usually 

 the case, for the purpose of determining for a given species what 

 are the satisfactory or the necessary food conditions. 



All of the above has probably been stated by others in a much 

 more satisfactory manner than in the present instance. The 

 writer wishes to emphasize this matter, in connection with the 

 subject of this paper, in order to urge that our entomological 

 records be so kept that those who may in the future be engaged 

 in investigations concerning the food of insects, from the chemi- 

 cal standpoint, may have helpful and, in so far as possible, accurate 

 and reliable data at their disposal. 



THREE HUNDRED AND TENTH MEETING, FEBRUARY 7, 1918. 



A NOTE ON CHALCIS ABIESAE GIRAULT (HYM. CHALCIDIDAE) . 



BY S. A. ROHWER, 



Specialist in Forest Hymcnoptera, Bureau of Entomology, Washington, D. C. 



Chalcis ovata abiesae Girault, Descriptiones Stellarum novarum, 1017. 

 p. 19. (This is a privately published leaflet dealing with descriptions 

 of new chalcids.) 



The form which Mr. Girault described as variety abiesae may 

 perhaps better be treated as a species. Besides the characters 

 given in the description this form differs from the typical eastern 

 form in the closer punctures on the scutum, in having the median 

 lower notch in the carina denning the antennal foveae broader and 

 U-shaped, and in having the sypraclypeal carina less strong^ 

 arched medianly; these characters hofd for a series bearing the 

 same data as the type series and also for a series collected at Palo 

 Alto, California on the foliage of Quercus agr/folia, by F. B. 

 Herbert. 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW HYMENOPTEROUS PARASITE 



(BRAGONIDAE). 



BY A. B. GAHAN, 



Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture. 



The new species of Microbracon described below is, according to 

 Mr. C. N. Ainslie, an important parasite of the western grass-stem 

 sawfly, Cephus cinctus. 



