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THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Myrmosidce, the female having the thorax divided and the male having the 

 hypopygium ending in an upward curved aculeus ; while the AFethocince, 

 excluding the genus Milhita, which is a genuine Myrmosid, belong to the 

 family T/iyjinidce^ and are the only representatives of the family found in 

 Europe. 



Milluta, Andre, only superficially resembles a genuine Methocine, and 

 falls in naturally with many genera in the Myrmocidfe. In the supplement 

 terminating the volume, Mr. Andre thinks the characters upon which my 

 recently established genus Magrettina were based rather specific than 

 generic, and makes it a synonym of Milluta, Andre. This, however, is 

 merely an opinion, but coming from one who has done such excellent 

 work in the Mutillidte as Mr. Andre, has weight and should receive con- 

 sideration. I must, however, differ from him. In my original diagnosis I 

 called attention to the close relationship Magrettina had to Milluta, and 

 still thmk it distinct. When my revised generic tables of the Thynnida^ 

 Myrmosidce and Mutillidce appear, in my classification of the Vespoidea, 

 now in course of publication in the Canadian Entomologist, I feel 

 convinced Mr. Andre will also think differently. I shall make use of 

 characters that are generic, not specific, at least in my estimation. 



In the opinion of Mr. Andre, Alloneurioji, Ashmead, which was 

 founded upon Agama Kokpetica, Radoszkowski, is based upon an accident 

 of venation, and is absolutely not distinct from Pseudophotopsis, Andre. 

 Who knows? All specimens I have seen have the venation alike in 

 both wings ! 



Mr. Andre has subdivided the genus Mutilla, Linne, although he 

 calls the divisions only subgenera ; it is a move in the right direction, and 

 is destined to be universally followed. On page 129 he tabulates 10 

 subgenera, as follows : Ephiitomtna, Ashm. ; Pseudophotopsis, Andre ; 

 Tricholaliodes, Radosz. ; Myrmilla, Wesm. ; Platy mutilla, Andre, n. g. ; 

 Nanomutilla, Andre, n. g. ; Mutilla, Linne; CystomutiHa, Andre; Dasy- 

 mutilla, Radosz.; and Stenomutilla, Andre. Each subgenus is then taken 

 up in order, fully described in both sexes, when known, and followed by a 

 table of the species. Full notes on distribution and habits accompany 

 every description. 



The work terminates with a methodical and synonymical catalogue of 

 the species. In all 116 species have been recognized and fully described, 

 besides many varieties. Mutilla maura, Linne, according to Mr. Andre, 

 has 14 varieties ; M. rufipes, Fabricius, has 9 varieties, and other species 

 have a less number of varietal forms. 



The very full tables and descriptions of all the European species, and 

 the numerous plates, make the work invaluable to all students of the 

 Hymenoptera. It is the best and most important work yet published on 

 the family. William H. Ashmead. 



Mailed February 6th, 1903. 



