119 



Sh.y which form the direct line of transition to the Ichneumonidae. 

 The Evaniadae emerge collaterally from the Aulacida^ away from the 

 direct line of transition, and present, by means of Fcenus, which 

 forms a second section of the family Evaniada3, through Stephanus, a 

 junction with the Adsciti (Braconida;), which appear to exhibit a pa- 

 rallel series to the normal Ichneumones, again confluent with them at 

 their opposite extremity by means of the Agriotypidse, Hal. The Me- 

 galyridae have besides single calcaria to all the legs, and their claws 

 are simple, whereas in the Aulacidoe and Evaniadae the intermediate 

 and posterior legs have double calcaria, and their claws are either bi- 

 fid or serrated. The following is my idea of the relative affinities of 

 the several families. 



Xyphidria OryssidsB Megalyiidse Aulacidae Iclincumonidse. 



Cyiiipsidge. Evaiiiadce. Agriotypida;. 



Steplianidffi Braconidje. 



And here, besides the positive affinities indicated by the dotted 

 lines, which are all nearly equal, excepting perhaps a positive line of 

 demarcation separating Oryssus from the Megalyridaj and the Cynijj- 

 sidfe, which is however traversed by their affinity, although typogra- 

 phical difficulties prevent the dotting of the parallels from being conti- 

 nuous, like that of the horizontal series, there appears to be a strong 

 analogy between the vertical compression of the abdomen in the Cy- 

 nipsidae and the Evaniadae as restricted in this paper, and again in 

 the abrupt peduncle between Anacharis in the Cynipsidae, and the first 

 section of the Evaniadae or normal Evaniae, as also between these and 

 Agriotypus. 



Having thus shown that Megalyra is distinct as a family from both 

 the Evaniadae and the Aulacidae, and that it is more from its resem- 

 blance to the Oryssida3 than to the Evaniadae of Leach that this is 

 determined to be its true situation, I will give a brief character of the 

 family below,* and proceed now to describe a species or two, in my 



* Family. Megalvrid^, Shuckard. 



Robust : cylindrical. Head subglobose. Palpi filiform. One recurrent nervure 

 only. Abdomen inserted closely above the acetabula of the posterior coxae. A single 

 calcar at the apex of all the tibiae. Claws small and simple. 



Obs. I have given those characters only which appear to be those of the family : 

 the rest seem Qeneric. 



