VI INTRODUCTION 



parasites, but not of the hosts. The nomenclature of the hosts has 

 been modified from that on the pin labels to conform with current 

 usage. 



In discussing seasonal distributions of species, we have usually 

 disregarded the dates on pin labels of reared specimens because many 

 of these emerged in an indoor climate, out of their natural seasons. 



Wherever possible, types have been seen to make sure that the 

 zoological application of names is correct.^ All types of Nearctic 

 origin have been studied (so far as they still exist) except for those 

 of Cryptus crassisculptus Pratt, C. rugosiscutum Pratt, C. strigosus Pratt 

 and Spilocryptus cecropiae Habermehl. Types of genotypes that 

 concern Nearctic genera have been seen except in the cases of the 

 genotypes of Acroricnus, Agathobanchus , Brachycentrus, Chyronomon, 

 Compsocryptus , Cryptanura, Echthrus, Gambrus, Ooniocryptus , Lepto- 

 batides, Meringopus, Neochristolia, Neocryptopteryx, Nyxeophilus, Pro- 

 tocryptus, Sphaetes, Sphecophaga, Spilocryptus, Trychosis, and Xenoco- 

 don. Though the types of these genotypes are either destroyed or 

 were not available to us, it has been possible to study specimens 

 of the type species in all cases except those of Cryptanura, Gambrus, 

 Neochristolia, Neocryptopteryx, and Protocryptus. 



Acknowledgments 



The basic financial support for this research is from the Dow Chem- 

 ical Company. The University of Michigan provides working facil- 

 ities, and grants from the National Science Foundation meet the 

 costs of clerical help, illustrations, supplies, and travel. At the Dow 

 Chemical Company, Mr. R. R. Dreisbach envisioned and encouraged 

 support for this work. Prof. T. H. Hubbell at the University of 

 Michigan welcomed us in his laboratories and provided congenial and 

 efficient working conditions. 



Use has been made of most of the larger collections of ichneumonids 

 in North America. We are grateful to the many collectors who have 

 assembled the material, to the institutions that have preserved it, and 

 to the curators who have sent it on loan. A number of friends have 

 contributed to our personal collection valuable lots of specimens, 

 both from this country and abroad. These lots have been especially 

 helpful. 



The most active collector besides ourselves has been Mr. R. R. 

 Dreisbach. Most of his work has been in Michigan, and the thorough 

 record of the ichneumonid fauna of this state is the result mostly of 



> In 1960, while studying types of Mesosteninl in Quebec, we had an opportunity to reexamine the three 

 types about which uncertainty was expressed in the recently published part 2 of this Bulletin. These are 

 the types of Epirhynsa eretiieri Provancher, Polysphincta bruneti Provancher, and Cokocentrua quebecenais 

 Provancher. All three, fortunately, were correctly interpreted in part 2. 



