326 Prof. Westwood on the supposed abnormal 



is withdrawn from its flattened horny scabbard ; it is 

 very slender, armed at its apex with several very fine 

 teeth ; and in the preparation here figured one of the 

 delicate spiculse is seen entering the sheath at its base, 

 whilst another of the spiculse is more withdrawn, entering 

 the sheath at a little distance beyond its base. 



As a further illustration of the relationship between 

 some of the fig insects and other well known para- 

 sitic Chalcididce, I have added a figure (Plate xiv., 

 fig. 21) of the generative organs of the males of one 

 of the most curious Pteromalideous species, Platy- 

 mesopns apicalis, Westw.,* which has been reared by 

 Mr. T. Whitmarsh from the small woody bud-like oak- 

 galls on the preceding year's shoots, a little below 

 the current year's shoots. The species is remarkable for 

 the dilated middle tibiae terminated by a small patch of 

 short black hairs, and by the delicate pale yellow antennae 

 terminated h^ an oval black clava. In my fig. 21 it will 

 be observed that the elongated exserted penis is furnished 

 with a pair of flattened claspers, each having five or six 

 short curved spines on its outer apical margin, which are 

 preceded by a pair of slender short filiform 2-jointed 

 lateral appendages, each having a terminal bristle 

 directed outwards. 



I terminate this memoir with the description and 

 figures of both sexes of the largest and finest species of 

 the Eurytomides with which I am acquainted, which has 

 been communicated to me by G. H. K. Thwaites, now of 

 Kandy, Ceylon. It was found by him "feeding or 

 inhabiting some fleshy galls upon the leaves of Ficus 

 Tjiela, together with their Ichneumonideous parasites." 

 From what has been already advanced in this memoir, 

 I have but little doubt that this beautiful species is the 

 real maker of the gall, from which specimens of both 

 sexes have been reared. 



* Platymesopus apicalis, n.s. — Capite et thorace laete viridibus, 

 abdomine nigricanti, fascia lutea transversa prope basin, antennis 

 pedibusque stramiueo-flavis, illis thoi'acis lougitudine gracilibus, 

 articulis 6 inter annulos et clavam triarticiilatam apicalem nigram ; 

 tibiis iutermediis intus dilatatione tenui semiovale apice externo 

 fascicule brevi aetaruni uigrarum instructo. Long. corp. 2 mm. 

 Expaus. alar. 2^ mm. 



Habitat in galla parva lignea gemmarnm Quercus, mense Junio 

 exeunti. 



Ohs. Magnitudine et coloribus Mesopoloho fasciivcntri, Westw. 

 simillimus. 



