BY FREDERICK A. A. SKUSE. 125 



The species now described exhibits the following structural 

 characters. Rostrum half the length of the head ; nasus pointed 

 haired. Palpi with the second and third joints about equal in 

 length, considerably longer than the first ; fourth longer than 

 preceding three combined, slender, flagelliform. Antennae in ^ as 

 long as the head and thorax combined, in Q about twice the 

 length of the head ; first joint of scapus not very long, shorter 

 than first flagellar joint, obconical ; second very short, narrower 

 than the first, cyathiform ; flagellar joints subcylindrical, just per- 

 ceptibly nodose at the base, progressively diminishing in length 

 and thickness, the second to tenth beset with a few short stiff 

 hairs at the base ; the terminal joint minute. Front tolerably 

 broad, gibbose anteriorly. Collare only slightly prolonged. Thorax 

 elongate-ovate, convex ; scutellum and metanotum convex. Ab- 

 domen long, cylindrical ; ^ genitalia incrassate ; valves of 5 

 ovipositor straight. Legs long and slender ; fore and intermediate 

 tibite with a single short spur, hind pair with two short spurs ; 

 tarsi very slender, considerably longer than the tibiae ; ungues 

 minute, smooth in both sexes ; empodia present. Wings lanceo- 

 late, divaricate ; anal angle distinct but not prominent. Auxiliary 

 vein running close to the first longitudinal vein, with a short tooth 

 of a vein at its tip ; ultimate ; section of the anterior branch of 

 second longitudinal vein almost appearing as a continuation of the 

 first longitudinal ; prajfurca very short, obliquely situated, consi- 

 derably less than half the length of great cross- vein ; second 

 posterior cell long, usually in not more than punctiform contact 

 with discal cell ; discal cell very small, rhomboidal, separated (at 

 its inner end) from fifth posterior cell by a very short vein. 



This genus is of universal distribution. The body-colouring of 

 the contained insects is usually some shade of yellow, banded and 

 striped with black. Some species (European and American) 

 possess 19-jointed antennae in ^, 15-jointed in $; whilst the N. 

 America.!! P. j)olymera, Loew, has 16-jointed antenna? in ^ and 

 14-jointed in 2- 



