23 
out secondary parasites. Thus only 16 per cent of the cocoons pro- 
duced the species which made them, while 84 per cent were parasitized. 
Mr. Slingerland has recently reared this species in New York from 
Nylina laticinerea, and it is probably or may become a general parasite 
of free living lepidopterous larvie. 
Limneria valida Cresson. 
This species, which is also a parasite of Hyphantria cunea, was one of 
the unimportant primary parasites of the Orgyia. It was not reared 
in 1895, but made its appearance among the rearings of July, 1896. It 
issued from collected cocoons of the Orgyia, and but three adults were 
reared, all issuing July 17, 1896. This apparent searceness of the 
species was only apparent, however, for many of its empty cocoons 
were found among the 
cocoon masses of the 
Orgyia the following 
December. The co- 
coon is rather long 
ellipsoidal, averaging 
7.5 mm. in length by 
2.8 mm. in greatest 
diameter. It is com- 
posed of two distinet 
coverings, the outer 
one of weak, close- 
spun, crinkly, gray or 
grayish-brown silk, 
readily peeling off in 
a Sheet, and the inner 
one clos e, tou gh, Fia. 10.—Limneria valida: Female from side, with empty cocoon at 
right, and male abdomen above—enlarged (original). 
parchment-like, dark 
brown in color, with golden reflections, of the type common among 
the Ophionine. The adult issues from a round hole without a cap, 
gnawed almost precisely at one end, and, judging from the evidence at 
hand, hibernates as an imago. At all events, of the many cocoons 
examined December 14 to 17, 1896, all were empty. All of the cocoons 
found at this date were associated with spun-up larve of the Orgyia, and 
none with the pup of this insect. In one instance a single Orgyia 
cocoon contained three of Pimpla inqwisitor, all empty, and one cocoon 
of this Limneria, from which a hyperparasite had evidently emerged. 
Limneria sp. 
An allied and congeneric species issued in a single specimen on July 
16,1896. Its abdomen was unfortunately broken off, and the specimen 
was otherwise damaged to such an extent as to render it of uncertain 
specific position. 
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