Z7^ 



Bulletin 265. 



burg considered that it was probably a parasite of a gall fly inhabiting 

 the fruit. 



The adult. — Ratzeburg's description of the adult is very brief and 

 inadequate, but through the kindness of Dr. Carl Eckstein of Eberswalde, 

 Germany, we have been able to examine the type specimen. There 

 is no doubt as to the identity of the American forms. The following 

 technical description is presented in order to avoid confusion in the 

 future. 



Female. — (Fig. 77). Length, 1.7 to 2.5 mm.; abdomen, .7 to i mm.; 

 ovipositor, .7 to .9 mm. 



In common with other members of the genus this species varies greatly 

 in color. The lightest-colored specimens have the head above and the 

 thorax light yellowish brown, the abdomen darker brown. In the 

 darker individuals the whole thorax may be dark brown except the 

 scapulae and the sides of the prothorax, and the abdomen is nearly 



Fig. 79. — Mandible of larva of 

 Sorbus-seed Megastigmus 



Fig. 78. — Larva of the Sorbus- 

 seed Megastigmus 



black. Between these extremes all gradations occur. The face, how- 

 ever, remains yellow; the legs are dull yellowish except the hind coxae 

 which vary with the color of the thorax. 



The antennae are dusky over a dull yellowish ground color; the scape 

 and pedicel yellow beneath. The face has a delicate ridging radiating 

 from the mouth; the mesonotum and scutellum have a similar trans- 

 verse ridging. The transverse stria of scutellum distinct; the area 

 behind the stria faintly transversely striolate. Propodeum finely 

 rugulose, sometimes with the ridges so arranged as to give an indistinct 

 submedian carina in front, the sides more coarsely rugulose posteriorly. 



Abdomen brownish with the middle portion nearly black above. 

 Ovipositor dusky. 



j^ale. — Length, 1.7 to 2.1 mm.; abdomen, .7 to .8 mm. All the 



