STYLOPIDvE. 481 



forms are not yet known, lihijnj^horiis is a wedge-shaped 

 genns, not fonnd in America. R. Finnicus Pa^'kull is said to 

 be a parasite on Clir3'sis, the cuckoo wasp. It is liero rejjre- 

 sented by two genera, Macrosiagon and EmmenacUa which are 

 wedge-shaped, with coarsely punctured and sparsely pubescent 

 bodies, with the vertex of the head much elevated. In 3Iyo- 

 dites the elytra are very small. The species are found on Soli- 

 dago or Golden-rod in August. The genus Metoecus is allied 

 to Myodites. Metoecus paradoxus Linn, is in Europe a para- 

 site in the nests of wasps (Vespa) eating the larvje. 



In the genus Rhiindius the males have short pointed de- 

 hiscent elytra, while the females are entirely wingless and 

 worm-like. It is a parasite on Blatta Germanica. The}'^ are 

 to be looked for in this countr}-, where they have not yet 

 occur i*ed. 



Stylopid.e Kirb}^. This most anomalous family', both as 

 regards the structure and the habits of the few species compos- 

 ing it, were for a long time excluded from the Coleoptera by 

 systematists generall}', and by Gerstaecker thc}' are even now 

 placed in the old "order" Strepsiptera. The}' are minute 

 forms, and have been characterized thus b}? Dr. Leconte. 

 "Oral organs atrophied except the mandibles and one pair of 

 palpi. Head large, transverse, A^ertical, prolonged at the sides, 

 forming a stout peduncle, at the end of which are situated the 

 e\'es, which are convex and ver^- coarsely granulated. Antenna? 

 inserted on the front, at the base of the lateral processes of 

 the head ; forked in one genus. Prothorax exceedingly^ short. 

 Mesothorax short, bearing at each side a slender, coriaceous 

 club-shaped appendage, Avith the inner margin membranous : 

 this appendage represents the elytra. Metathorax very large, 

 greater in bulk than the rest of the body, with the sutures of 

 the dorsal pieces all distinct. The postscutelluin is conical and 

 prolonged far over the base of the abdomen ; wings very large, 

 fan-shaped, with a few diverging nervnres ; the epimera are 

 very large, and project behind almost as far as the postscutel- 

 lum. Abdomen small, with from seven to nine segments. 

 Legs short ; anterior and middle eoxce cylindrical, piominent ; 

 hind coxae very small, contiguous, quadrate ; tibite witliout 

 31 



