48 [OCTOBKR 



acters of a very indefinite nature, namely, the comparative length of the 

 second and third segments of the body and the relative length of the rad- 

 ial area. 



Hartig, the monographist of the family, ( Ueber die Familie der Gall- 

 wespen in Germar's Zeitschrift fiir Entomologie, Vol. II, and Supple- 

 ments in Vol. Ill and IV) has published a mere sketch of a classifica- 

 tion, promising at the same time to issue a more detailed work, which 

 however has never been published. Thus, the genera he has established 

 remain very insufliciently defined and are difficult to recognize. I have 

 been hardly able to place a few of the species in my possession in the 

 new genera of Hartig, which circumstance may be only partly accounted 

 for by the peculiarity of the american fauna. 



Hartig's principal divisions are these : 



A. Second (*) abdominal segment longer than the others. {Cynipidx.') 

 I. Radial area narrow ; areolet opposite its base. 



II. Radial area broad, short ; areolet opposite its middle. 



B. Third (*) abdominal segment longer than the others. {Figitidx.') 



C. Segments of the abdomen of equal length. (Genus Ibalia, also be- 



longing to Fiyitidse.?) 



In the recently published monograph of the Figitidse by Mr. Reinhardt 

 (Berl. Entom. Zeitchr. 1860) he modifies the characters of the Figifidse 

 by saying : second segment of the abdomen shorter than half its length. 



Accordingly, the character of the Cj/ni'pidse would be : second segment 

 etc, longer than half its length. Ibalia Latr., Mr. Reinhardt separates 

 as a distinct family, Ihaliidsc Blanch. 



The further subdivision into genera is based principally on the sculp- 

 ture of the body and the number of joints of the palpi. As stated above, 

 I have not been able to place most of my species in these genera, and 

 have confined myself therefore to indicating to which of the three groups, 

 or sections of the first group they belong. The two sections of the group 

 A ( Cynipides) are easy enough to distinguish by the form of the radial 

 area and the position of the areolet ; still there are cases in which this dis- 

 tinction even is difficult to make. 



In my descriptions I have tried therefore to supply my inability to define 

 the genus of most of my species by a careful description of those parts of 

 the body (neuration, relation of the segments of the abdomen, structure 



* Instead of second and third segment, Hartig calls them ^/irst and second. But 

 in reality, the anterior portion of the abdomen forming a narrow neck or petiole 

 is the first segment. I have followed the more correct terminology in my deg- 

 eriptioas. 



