of the Hymenopterous genus Scleroderma. 113 
respective sexes of Mutilla :—‘‘ Quel a été le but de la 
nature en établissant de tels disparates, et quelle en est 
Putilité 2 Ce sont de ces problemes que nous ne pouyons 
pas résoudre, a cause de notre ignorance sur l’histoire de 
ces insectes, mais qui meéritent bien de fixer l’attention 
des naturalistes”’ (p. 265). 
It would seem, however, from the evidence now afforded, 
that the exceptional acquisition of ocelli and wings 
in certain females of Scleroderma, normally destitute of 
both, can only be ascribed to peculiar alimentary advan- 
tages derived by such gifted individuals during their 
earlier stages, thus promoting the development of obso- 
lete functional endowments by the superabundance of 
nerve-power available to this effect; whereas, under 
ordinary circumstances, the habitual superfluity of such 
adjuncts in the economy of the females has involved an 
hereditary tendency to their absorption and abortion, as in 
the well known instances of the eyes of cave-insects, the 
membranous wings of many Coleoptera, and other corre- 
sponding examples of morphotic divergencies in the ocelli 
and wings among the Chalcidide, the neuters of ants, &e. 
It is furthermore observable that, so far as hitherto 
exemplified, the presence of wings in either sex of 
Scleroderma invariably imples the co-existence of ocelh, 
though these aresometimes unaccompanied by the former, 
the primary exuberance of expansive energy being mani- 
fested in correlation with the latter. 
Walker, in his ‘Notes on Chaleidie,’ adverts to the 
supposed analogy between Scleroderma and the Agaonide, 
‘‘ dwellers in figs” (p. 59), as suggested by Dr. Coquerel 
in the ‘ Revue de Zoologie ’ (ser. 2, vol. vil. p. 366) ; the 
fact, however, being that the apterous individuals of the 
latter, to which this analogy is ascribed, are males having 
winged partners, whereas the converse is the case in the 
former. According to Walker ‘‘ Scleroderma has no near 
affinity with the Bethylide”’ (Proctotrupide, pars); but, 
as he conceived, ‘‘ it has some resemblance to the female 
Australian and South American Thynni,” and ‘“‘ seems 
to have more affinity with T'yphlopone, the worker of 
Labidus, and with Dichthadia glaberrima,* the supposed 
female of Dorylus.” 
** This large, blind, apterous female has been recently obtained 
in South Africa from a nest of small eyeless ants (Anomma, Sm.), 
as related by Mr. Roland Trimen in our Proceedings (1880, 
pp. xxiv. and xxxiii.) 
TRANS. ENT. SOC, 1881,—PART I. (APRIL.) Q 
