MONOGRAPH OF THE NORTH AMERICAN PROCTOTRYPID.E. 



13 



JJorisniQlogii of the wings. 

 FKONT WIKG. 



THE LEGS. 



The shape of the legs, armature, tibial spurs, number of joints iu 

 tarsi, length, etc., also aftbrd excellent characters in classification. In 

 all groups, except sometimes in the Dryiuina;, the hind legs are the 

 longest. The femora in the l>ethylina3 are usually very much swollen, 

 their tibi;e stout, often spiny or fossorial; in the Uryiuim^ and Embo- 

 leminie they are, for the most part, obclavate; while in other groups 

 they are usually clavate or but slightly swollen. The tarsi, except iu 

 the single genus IphctrnclieUis Ilaliday, iu which they are 4 jointed, 

 are always 5-jointed. In all groups, exce^it in the l^ryinina?, they are 

 normal, but in this group the anterior tarsi in the females in most of the 

 genera, are peculiarly modified, being chelate or furnished with a pair 

 of i)inchers or tongs, that evidently afford assistance in sciziug and 

 holding a living fulgorid, membracid, or jassid (on which in the larval 

 stage they are parasitic), Avhile in the act of ovipositioii. 



The structure of the leg is explained in PL i. Fig. 1: c c c, coxa?, 

 anterior, middle and posterior; <r, trochanters, one-jointed; /a, femora; 

 to, tibite; tas, tibial spurs; tsi., tarsi; el., claws; cU., simi)le, clti toothed, 

 dp., pectinate; ps, i)ulvillus. 



THE ABDO.AIEN. 



The abdomen is usually composed of 8 visible tergites and 6 urites, 

 although sometimes these are reduced iu nuinber to as low as 3. As 

 in other families, it exhibits great variation iy shape aud size and in its 



