9- ii^9. 



433. 

 HALICTOPHAGUS CURTISII. 



Order Strepsiptera Kirhy. — Rhipiptera Ljat. 

 Type of the Genus, Halictophagus Curtisii Dale. 

 Halictophagus Dales MSS. 



JntenncE inserted in front of the face, rather short, lamellate, 

 7?-jointed, basal and 2nd joints the stoutest, subquadrate, each 

 of the remainder producing a somewhat ovate lobe on the out- 

 side, gradually decreasing in length to the apical one which is 

 inserted at the base of the lobe of the penultimate joint; the 

 lobes are submembranous and ornamented with semitransparent 

 punctures (g). 

 Tropin undiscovered {the head being closely attached by gum to the 

 card). Head broader than the thorax. Eyes very remote, promi- 

 nent and coarsely granulated. Prothorax and Mesothorax short, the 

 latter with a Pseudelytron attached on each side (9), they are very 

 slender at the base and terminated by an ovate club. Metathorax (6) 

 somewhat scutate, the anterior portion forming 3 nearly equal lobes, 

 the Scutellum being short and rounded. Metasternum ? large. Post- 

 scutellum very long tongue-shaped and thick, with a long deep groove 

 at the base (*). Wings (10) large, minutely punctured, rounded at 

 the apex, with the costa thickened, a subcostal and 5 other strong 

 longitudinal nervures and a callous stripe at the apex, the 2nd ner- 

 vure apparently a detached branch of the 3rd, which has a short ray 

 near the base of the 2nd. Abdomen (ji) rather short, a great por- 

 tion concealed by the postscutellum, composed of about 8 joints, ter- 

 minated by an obtuse process. Coxae ; anterior long. Thighs rather 

 short. Tibise short and compressed. Tarsi triarticulate, basal joint 

 stout in the anterior pair, the 2nd long and slender, 2rd small ob- 

 ovate[8) ; nearly of equal length in the posterior pair (8 f), the apex 

 of each joint produced beneath and submembranous orjieshy. Claws 

 none. 



Curtisii Dale's MSS. 



Black and slightly glossy, clothed with a brown velvety pu- 

 bescence ; antennae and legs dull brownish ochre ; wings slightly 

 tinged with fuscous ochre and obscurely iridescent ; nervures 

 brown ; tips of the joints of the tarsi and apex of abdomen 

 ochreous. 



In the Cabinet of Mr. Dale. 



At the close of the last volume I had the opportunity of pub- 

 lishing a second genus of the order Strepsiptera, and through 

 the kindness of my friend Mr. Dale, I have now the pleasure 

 of presenting entomologists with a most interesting insect, 

 v*?hich has been named Halictophagus by its captor, from its 

 feeding or living in the larva state in the bodies of the genus 

 Halictus. 



Mr. Dale says in his letter, " I took H. Curtisii the 15th of 

 last August, in company with the males of Halictus aratus'^ 

 which were in plenty, by brushing some long coarse grass and 



