Vol. XXli] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 463 



smaller; nearly black, but variably brownish, becoming brown at sides; 

 usually no fringe of wax, but there is a very easily deciduous fringe 

 in good specimens, about 30 across, finely striate ; no dorsal wax; an 

 obscure median keel, and the usual strong transverse sutural marks; 

 a more or less evident pale marginal zone, the edge of which is finely 

 crenulate. Immature specimens are brown. Vasiform orifice triangular; 

 operculum very broad (62 broad and 30 long), truncate apically, much 

 as in A. amnicula, except that the sides form a much wider angle with 

 the truncation; lingua 30 broad at broadest part, and extending 27 

 beyond operculum, the apex broadly rounded, very minutely irregularly 

 beaded, slightly notched on each side just above widest part, below 

 which it rapidly narrows; a dark band crosses the lingua at the widest 

 part. 



I had regarded this as a new species, but it was so close to 

 A. pruinosns Bemis, found on Heteromdes in California, that 1 

 thought it prudent to send specimens to Mr. Quaintance to be 

 compared with type material of pruinosns. Mr. Quaintance 

 kindly replies that it seems to be structually identically with 

 prninosus, though there are differences in color. He adds that 

 probably A. spirae aides Quaintance will prove to be conspecific 

 with pruinosns. A. spiraeoidcs, also from California, has a 

 bright lemon-yellow pupa and the anterior wings of the adult 

 have two dusky spots. On comparing the Euphorbia species 

 with the description and figures of A. pruinosus, it seems to dif- 

 fer in having the pupa flatter (certainly not "very convex"), 

 the vasiform orifice more produced apically, and the operculum 

 different. These characters are. however, somewhat evasive, 

 and it seems probable that the insect does not deserve more than 

 subspecific rank. It is rather contrary to expectation, that the 

 form from the arid interior of the country should be character- 

 ized by its extremely dark coloration in the pupa. 



The parasite, reared from this species in great numbers, is a 

 member of the interesting group Aphelininae. On looking it up, 

 I found that it would not fit well into any known genus, but 

 combined the characters of Encarsia and Coccophagus. Speci- 

 mens were accordingly submitted to Dr. L. O. Howard, who re- 

 plied : "The truth is, it belongs to a new genus. It has the an- 

 tennae of Coccophagus, but its wing veins are quite different. I 

 suggest that you make a new genus for it." 



