250 Journal New York Entomological Society. t^oL xxii. 



" always supported by the episternum, and is sometimes prolonged 

 ventrally along the anterior margin of the latter " is applicable to the 

 sclerite hyp (fig. 3) alone. Furthermore, it alone, of the sclerites 

 described by Audouin, conforms to the statement that ..." the parap- 

 teron, the episternum, and the epimeron all unite dorsally to consti- 

 tute a support for the wings and tergum." Lastly, the only sclerite 

 designated as the parapteron in the figures accompanying Audouin's 

 work, is the region hyp in the mesthorax of Dytiscus (fig. 3 of the 

 present paper) where Audouin clearly and unmistakably labels this 

 sclerite the " paraptere." In the face of such conclusive evidence, it 

 hardly seems possible that any one who is capable of analyzing Au- 

 douin's definition of the parapteron, or who will take the trouble to 

 glance at his labelled figure of the mesothorax of Dytiscus (the only 

 insect used to illustrate his paper) will be prepared to deny that the 

 sclerite hyp (figs. 2 and 3) is the one referred to in the first part of 

 Audouin's definition of the parapteron. 



Having thus established beyond all peradventure, the identity of 

 the sclerite to which Audouin intended that the first part of his defi- 

 nition of the " paraptere " should apply, the next question to be de- 

 termined, is what sclerite did Audouin have in mind in the scconJ 

 part of his definition of the " paraptere," in which he speaks of it as 

 " becoming free and passing in front of the wing to take up a position 

 above the base of the latter." The only sclerite which conforms to 

 this part of the definition of the " paraptere," is the tegula, tg (figs. 

 2 and 6). It occupies a position slightly in front of and above the 

 base of the wing, thus fitting the latter part of Audouin's definition 

 perfectly. 



If there were any grounds for doubting that Audouin here refer? 

 to the tcgula, tg, they would be immediately dispelled by Audouin' > 

 clear and definite statement concerning the matter, in a footnote to 

 his translation of MacLcay's article on the thoracic sclerites of the 

 wasp Polistcs. The footnote (Audouin, '32, footnote to page 41 of 

 author's separate, or to page 135 of the " Annalcs " may be translated 

 as follows ..." in fact, I consider as the parapteron, the little plate so 

 easily seen covering the base of the fore wings in the Ilymenopter.'a 

 and Lepidoptera. designated as the scale, epaulet, or sqnamula. Mr. 

 MacLeay labels it a. in his figures i, 2 and 4." This statement is cer- 

 tainly lucid and definite enough to satisfy the most skeptical, and one 



