223 
Mr. J. O. Westwood on Caprijication. 
Long. corp. lin. 1£. Expans. alar. lin. 14-. 
Fig. 5 a, underside of the head ; 5 b, mandible ; 5 c, maxillae and labium in situ ; 
5 d, maxilla; be, labium; 5/, antenna; 5 g, fore-leg; 5 h, middle leg ; 
5 i, hind-leg ; 5 k, abdomen seen sideways. 
On reviewing the characters of the two insects above described 
with those of Agaoh paradoxum of Dalman, an insect which has 
greatly perplexed Entomologists, it immediately occurred to me 
that I here possessed the true affinities of that extraordinary in- 
sect (of which a specimen has lately been presented to the British 
Museum by the Rev. Mr. Morgan), which also possesses a deep 
occipital fossula, in the front part of which the antennae are in- 
serted. The wings are furnished with the same single deflexed 
nerve, and the description given by Dalman of the appendages of 
the mouth corresponds with that of Blastophaga. “ Palpos dete- 
gere non valui, sed media pars capitis subtus tegitur lamellis 
duobus recumbentibus parallelis relicta rima angusta inter se, quae 
ad mandibularum basin insertae sunt, elongatae cultriformes, capite 
arete applicatae et basin ejus attingentes.” The ovipositor of this 
insect is very similar to that of Sycophaga, but the antennae are 
terminated by three very large and distinct joints, and the legs are 
simple. 
I regret that I cannot speak with precision as to the precise 
affinities of these insects. _ Dalman observes of the Agaon, “ Ex 
allatis satis liquet insectum hocce ad ordinem Hymenopterorum 
pertinere, quorum ad familias et Pteromalinorum et Codrinorum 
accedere videtur, ob ani structuram priori forte potius associan- 
dum.” He however describes the wings as being “forma et facie 
fere ut in Diapria.” 
Latrielle placed Agaon next to Eurytoma amongst the Chalci- 
didee, and it seems to me unquestionable that the curious little 
groups above described are certainly referable to that family 
rather than to the Proctotrupidce. From all these insects how- 
ever they are at once removed by their fruit- feeding habits, as 
well as by various anomalous portions of their structure, so that I 
hesitate to name any particular group in that family to which they 
ought to be considered as most nearly allied. 
It is to be hoped that some future traveller in the East will 
enable us therefore to solve the difficulties which still exist re- 
specting these curious insects, by the discovery of the sexes, and 
a more precise account of their habits. 
