20 ICHNEUMONID^. 



difficult. Thus in the IcnNEUMONiN.i: instances occur in wliicli the 

 outer nervure of the areolet is at least pellucid ; or again, the 

 wings ma}' be so abbreviated as to possess no trace of an areolet ; 

 the abdomen is occasionally compressed, and its basal segment 

 may be as little sculptured as iu the Crypxin.d; and lastly, the 

 terebra may be very distinctly exserted. In. all these exceptions, 

 however, it will be found that the mesopleurae are not separaJj^d- 

 frora the mesoternum, as is invariably the case in all the Cryp- 

 TiTfiE, In these the terebra is rarely not at all exserted, the 

 areolet is in some instances quite square or with its outer nervure 

 so completely wanting that only the petiolate abdomen prevents 

 such species from being included in the TKYniONiN.E. No reliP 

 able character has yet been enunciated by which to discriminated 

 between the males of the Pimplix^ and TETPnoNiK.E, though the\ 

 exsei'ted terebra will at once distinguish females of the former y 

 iu the tribes Xoridides and Pimplides the males are at once 

 known by the very distinctly tuberculate abdomen, but in the 

 LissoNOTiDES, etc., the surface is smooth. The Ophiois^in^ even, 

 which diflfer from all other subfamiles in their compressed abdo- 

 men, may become accidentally deplanate from artificial causes. 

 The following diagnoses may assist in the elaboration of the 

 above table. 



Subfamily Pimplin.i:. 



Head transverse, more rarely tumidulous, buccate or sub- 

 globose ; eyes often emarginate next the scrobes ; clypeus usually 

 convex and excavate before its apex ; mandibles a little narrowed 

 apically, teeth subequal. Antennae filiform or setaceous, very 

 rarely centrally excised. Thorax stout, often deplanate discally ; 

 pronotum sometimes elongate ; mesonotum rarely transversely 

 striate, notauli deep and elongate ; metathorax rarely with dis- 

 tinct or entire arese, transverse costse usually alone distinct ; 

 spiracles oblong or circular. Abdomen elongate, depressed or 

 slightly convex, often rugulose, tuberculate or with impressed 

 lines, sessile ; first segment either convex, short and tumidulous 

 or long and subpetiolate basally, its spiracles before the centre ; 

 terebra always exserted, sometinses more than twice the length of 

 the body. Legs normal or somewhat short ; claws frequently 

 pectinate and in the females not rarely basally lobate. Wings 

 with areolet wanting or broadly triangular, very rarely sub- 

 pentagonal. 



Subfamily TRYPHOXiNiE. 



Head transverse, tumidulous or subglobose ; eyes entire, very 

 rarely emarginate next the scrobes ; face sometimes strongly pro- 

 tuberant ; clypeus generally discrete ; mandibles a little narrowed 

 apically, the teeth not always of equal length. Antennae filiform 



