CLASSIFICATION. 69 



DESCRIPTION OF IIYMENOPTEEA. 



1st. — Wi7i(/s: Four for active flight; first or 

 anterior pair always larger than the second or 

 posterior pair. Membranous and naked, re- 

 ticulated with a smaller number of veins or 

 nervures than the wings of neuroptera. 



2d. — 3fouth parts J for both chewing and suck- 

 ing. The jaws horny, for biting and cutting, 

 and the tongue, or lower lips and maxillae, 

 prolonged into a sucking tube. 



Abdomen, among the females, furnished 

 with a great variety of ovipositors, as saws, 

 borers, stings, &c, 



3d. — Transformations: Complete, larva, worm- 

 like, without legs. Pupa inactive. 



FAMILIES OF IIYMENOHTEKA. 



Apiarise, or Apid?e (bee family). 

 Vesparire (wasp family). 

 Crabonidffl (sand wasps, wood wasps). 

 Sphegidse — Pompilida?. 

 Formicaria? (ant family). 

 Chrysididoe (cuckoo flies). 

 Ichneumonida3 (ichneumon flies). 

 Poctotrypidoe {q'J,^ parasites). 

 Chalcididse. 

 Cynipidce (gall flies). 

 Tenthredenidae (saw flics). 

 UroceridcB (horntails). 



