108 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



number of antennal joints, and color of hind femora, are all very 

 subject to variation throughout the genus. The types of the two 

 species differ also in the shape of the first tergite. In johannseni 

 the sides of this segment beyond the spiracles are straight and 

 parallel while in tetralophce they are curved and slightly divergent. 

 Examination of a large series of specimens from other sources 

 shows that the shape of this tergite varies from the form shown 

 in johannseni to those showing even more curvature and diver- 

 gence than in the type of tetralophce. In all of the males the first 

 tergite is of the form exhibited by the type of johannseni. 



Besides one of the type specimens of johannseni and three 

 of tetralophce the following material was examined: a large series 

 reared by J. E. Graf at Los Angeles and El Monte, Calif., from 

 Phthorimea operculeUa under Chittenden No. 2229; 3 specimens 

 from the same host at Norfolk, Va,, Chittenden No. 2721 a ; 12 

 females and 1 male from Desmia funeralis in Fairfax Co., Va., 

 Quaintance No. 5569, J. F. Strauss; 2 females from the same host 

 from the Ashmead collection; 1 female from Riley Co., Kans., 

 Marlatt; 2 females from Champaign, 111., 2 females from Oswego, 

 N. Y.; 2 females from Salineville, Ohio; 1 female from Franklin 

 Co., Ark., Webster; and 1 female from Agr. Coll.. Mich. All the 

 California parasites of Phthorimea resemble the type of johannseni 

 in color except that the light margin of the abdomen is somewhat 

 more distinct. In this series nearly all gradations in the shape of 

 the first tergite are found. The Virginia parasites of Desmia agree 

 in color of the legs with tetralophce and show some variation in the 

 shape of the first tergite, but are mostly somewhat larger than the 

 tyoes. The New York specimens agree with tetralophce except 

 that the orbital ring is somewhat paler and more distinctly de- 

 fined. In the Kansas specimen the black color of the abdomen is 

 replaced by brown, and the border is yellow, while all of the legs 

 are pale. In the two specimens reared from Desmia without 

 locality and the two Illinois specimens the reduction of the abdomi- 

 nal color is carried still further, while the mesopleurae and prono- 

 tum laterally are more or less testaceous to yellowish. The num- 

 ber of antennal joints in the female varies from 19 to 36, the 

 smaller specimens having the smaller numbers. In the males of 

 the Phthorimea series the antennae are from 23 to 27 jointed; 

 neither of the other males has the antennae entire. 



