BY FREDERICK A. A. SKUSE. 1073 



Platygaster. Like the Ichneumonidoe, the members of this group 

 are parasitic in their habits, the females depositing their eggs in 

 the eggs and larvse of other insects, and attacking especially the 

 larvae of the Tipulidce, A2)hides, and LeindojJtera. They are par- 

 ticularly serviceable in checking the over-production of some of 

 the Gecidomyidce infesting cereal plants. There exists an enormous 

 number of species spread all over the globe, and the German 

 forms alone are referred to 150 or more genera. 



