60 NOTES ON CHALCIDI.K. 



perpetual dwellers in the interior of figs. But the affinity of these 

 two genera to the Chalcidiae is more evident, and appears by several 

 connecting links in the Agaonidae ; and thus the near relations to the 

 general ancestors of the thousands, and perhaps tens of thousands, of 

 the Chalcidiae species, the tribe being considered in unity, are cradled 

 in figs. The Chalcis ? explorator of Dr. Coquerel is an Idarnes, aud 

 has a resemblance to the Podagrion, figured in Part 2, but is much 

 smaller, has a much longer oviduct, aud has slender hind femora. It 

 flits about the outside of figs, and by means of its long oviduct 

 it comes into juxtaposition with the blind inhabitants within, of 

 which it is a relative, though by many removes. It, doubtless, wiugs 

 its way from fig to fig when full grown, but the succession of the 

 other fig-dwellers is not known. The following species of this family 

 have been observed in the figs of Ficus Indica, in Hindostan, by Sir 

 Walter Elliot, who saw several other species of insects feeding on the 

 fig-juice that flowed, in consequence of the occupations of the 

 Agaonidae within. He has remarked that one of the genera resembles 

 some Hymenoptera and Termes, or the white ant, in having a 

 working class as well as males and females. 



Genus SYCOBIA. 



Fcem. Corpus gracile, sat planum, fere glabrura. Caput longi- 

 quadratum, antice paullo latius, prothorace latius et paullo longius. 

 Oculi parvi, laterales, depressi. Ocelli nulli. Mandibulas graciles, 

 arcuatae, bidentatae, caput longe superantes. Antennae 11-articulatae, 

 clavatse, apud os insertae, capite paullo longiores ; articulus lus 

 longus, sat crassus. Prothorax conicus, capite paullo brevior. 

 Scutum parvum ; parapsidum suturae bene determinatae ; scutellum 

 rhomboideum. Metathorax magnus. Abdomen sessile, thoraci 

 sequilonguin. Oviductus tubiformis, abdominis dimidio aequilongus. 

 Femora postica crassa. Alae sat angustae ; cubitus abrupte declivis. 



Female. Body slender, rather flat, shining, nearly smooth, 

 extremely finely punctured when viewed under a microscope. Head 

 elongate-quadrate, a little broader in front, broader and a little longer 

 than the prothorax. Eyes small, lateral, flat. Ocelli none. Man- 

 dibles slender, curved, crossing each other, acutely bidentate at the 

 tips, projecting much beyond the head, as long as its breadth. 

 Antennae 11-jointed, clavate, inserted close to the mouth, a little 

 longer than the head ; first joint stout, about two-fifths of the whole 

 length ; second clavate, less than half the length of the first ; third 

 and following as long as broad ; club conical, compact, as long as the 

 three preceding joints. Prothorax conical, narrow in front, a little 

 shorter than the head. Scutum of the mesothorax small, triangular ; 

 parapsides very large, their sutures well defined : paraptera large, 



