22 BULLETIN 45, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



have been described from Asia, Africa, aud Australia; only a few 

 isolated descriptions of species, scattered liere and there through the 

 literature, could be found; and undoubtedly many remarkable and 

 interesting forms will be discovered in the rich insect faunas of those 

 countries. 



CLASSIFICATION. 



The name of the family, Proctotrypidfe, is derived from the genus 

 Proctotrupes or Proctotrypes, established by Latreille in his Precis des 

 Caracteres Generiques des Insectes, published in 179C,and there placed 

 with the Ichneumonidie. It is derived from two Greek words r.pwy-o:;, 

 the anus, + zpu-du}, bore, pierce through, in allusion to the structure 

 of the ovipositor, and 1 here follow late authorities in spelling the word 

 Proctotrypes, although as a rule I strongly oppose changing a well- 

 established zoological name. 



From 1790 down to 1839 additional genera, belonging to this family, 

 were established by Latreille, Dalman, King, Jurine, Spinola, l^ees, 

 AVestwood, Walker, Haliday, and others, and various groups or fam- 

 ilies were proposed for their reception, according to the views of the 

 different authors, the affinities of the genera not being fully under- 

 stood. Some of the genera were classed with the Cynipida?, Scoliidne, 

 Mutillidie, Chalcidida', or Braconida^, or were considered to be entitled 

 to family rank, and the greatest confusion existed as to their affinities 

 and proper position. 



An excellent historical sketch of the development of the family has 

 been given by Dr. Arnold Forster, in his Hymenopterologische Studien, 

 Heft II, and it will suffice here to call attention only to the two authors 

 who wrote just previous to his work. To them we are mainly indebted 

 for a proper conception of the family, as now understood, as well as for 

 bringing order out of the chaos that existed up to their time. I also 

 call attention to a few authors who wrote subsequent to the appear- 

 ance of Forster's work. 



In 1839 Haliday, in his " Hymenopterorum Synopsis," properly de- 

 fined some of the groups as now understood, although he considered 

 them to be of family rank, placing some among the Terebrautia and 

 some among the Aculeata. 



In order to illustrate his method, I give below such portions of his 

 scheme of arrangement as refer to them : 



Suborder 2. — Petioliventres. 

 Stirps 3. — Terebellifera. 



ee. Trocliauters exarticulati. Terebra abdominis apice exerenda per foramen apicale 

 vel riiuain transversam, ant exserta. Antennic articniis ad snm- 

 mum 15. Ala^ disco ferme exareolata;, radio et cubito distaatibns 

 aut obsoletis. 



