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A generic Synopsis of the Hymenopterous family 

 Chaicididae. 



Bv L O. Howard. 



As an endorsement ol the plan adopted by the editor of Entomo- 

 LOGiCA Americana 1 present the following synopsis of one t)f the families 

 of parasitic Hymenoptera which I have been studying in a somewhat de- 

 sultory manner for the past few years. In it 1 lay no claim to originality, 

 but present it as a simple compilation from Foerster, Thomson, Mayr, 

 Walker, Halliday, Cameron, Rondani and other writers. I do not con- 

 fine it to American genera for the obvious reason that the family has been 

 so little studied in this country, that European genera new in America 

 will be recognized almost every day by the student. I have followed Dr. 

 VVilliston's synopses in ma: king with an asterisk all genera which have 

 not up to this date been found in America north of Me.xico. I shall 

 preface the consideration of each sub-family, where practicable, with -a 

 statement of works of leierence. I would remind those who have occa- 

 sion to use these tables that they will find a tolerably complete list of the 

 species so far described in North America in Bulletin 5 of the Division 

 of Entomology, US. Department of Agriculture, and take this occasion 

 to call attention to the only important omission so far discovered in 

 this list, namely, the nineteen species of Chaicididae described by I'Abbe 

 L. Provancher in his "Petite Faune Entomologique de Canada". I much 

 regret having inadvertently omitted these species. I shall carry my synop- 

 sis in this number only to the twenty sub-families into which the family 

 is naturally subdivided. The style of arrangement which 1 have adopted 

 is used at the suggestion of Mr. Cresson and to enable him to readily in- 

 corporate this work with his synopsis of the whole order Hymenoptera, 

 which, I am glad to state, he intends to publish shortly. 



Family CHALCIDIDAE (IVesfwood). 



Tarsi 5-jointed. Anterior tihiK armed with a lart;e curved spur. Anteiinre usually 

 many jointed Section MACROCENTRI. 



Tarsi usually 4-, rarely 3-jointed, very rarely hcteromerous. Anteiior tibiaj with a 



delicate, short, straight spur. Antenna; usually with few joints 



Section MICROCENTRI. 



Section MACROCENTRI Thomson. 



Posterior femora much swollen. 



Fore wings folded. Ovipositor of female curved over dorsum of abdomen 



Subfamily Leucospinae. 



Fore wings not fjlded. Ovipositor protruding but slightly 



vSubfamily Chalcidinae. 

 Posterior femora not greatly enlarged. 



Thorax strongly developed, much arched and deeply punctate. 



ENTOMOLOGICA AMERICANA 30 



