102 



parasitic larva emerged prior to spinning, altbougb it seemed probable 

 tbat tbe ventral portion of tbe tboracico-abdominal suture was used for 

 tbis purpose. Mr. William H. Patton. wbo bas also found tbis parasite 

 on MegiUa niaculata, informed us in 1881 tbat in bis specimen tbe larva 

 bad apparently emerged form a perforation in tbe last dorsal segment of 

 tbe abdomen. 



A number of free specimens of tbe Spotted Lady-bird were captured 

 August 24, for purposes of comparison, and in one individual wbicb 

 could not be distinguisbed from tbe otbers in size, coloration, or activity 

 was found a larva wbicb was witb little doubt tbat of tbe same para- 

 site. Tbis larva was apparently full-grown, as it tilled tbe cavity of tbe 

 abdomen completely. Its bead was directed towards tbe suture between 

 tbe abdomen and tbe metatborax, tbus streugtbening tbe probability 

 tbat tbis is tbe point of exit. 



In addition to tbe numerous specimens oi' Megilla maeulata found tbus 

 parasitized at Wasbington, one specimen of Coccinella 9-punctata was 

 also found wliicb bad evidently been infested by tbe same parasite. 



Mr. Webster's observations and bis efforts, at our request, to ascer- 

 tain tbe point of exit of tbe parasitic larva from tbe beetle are sum- 

 med up in a letter dated Oxford, Ind., July 22, 1884, and from wbicb we 

 quote : 



I am sorry to say that with my preseut kno%Yledge I am unable to settle the Lady- 

 bird parasite matter to my satisfaction. I have had five examples, only one of which 

 (a) was placed in alcohol when found. TLiishad sufficient vitality left to tear itself 

 from the meshes of the cocoon. From this I think the parasite escaped by way of the 

 aperture in the membrane connecting the thorax with the abdomen, which you can 

 readily see. Three of the others -^-ere dried and difficult to study, none, however, 

 exhibiting the aperture as in (o). In one the mouth was seriously damaged ; in the 

 other two not. These two were very brittle and, although there were apertures above 

 in the vicinity of the scutellum and bases of the wings, I do not like to attribute to 

 the parasite what might have been done by Webster. 



Tbe adult insect was bred in some numbers botb from Wasbington 

 and from Indiana specimens. Only females, bowever, were reared. 

 Ko observations have j^et been made on tbe mode of oviposition. 

 Eeference to tbe literature of European parasitesofCoccinellidte shows 

 tbat tbe so-called Microctonus tenninatus (Nees) has precisely similar 

 habits, and under the supposition tbat the American species might be a 

 Microctonus, specimens were sent to Mr, E. A. Fitch, of England, through 

 Mr. J. B. Bridgman, for comparison witb identified species in England. 

 Through an oversight, Mr. Fitch did not notice that tbe species did not 

 belong to Microctonus, 2inA very naturally answered Mr. Bridgman that 

 it did not correspond witb any of liutbe's types of tbis genus. 



Subsequent study indicates tbat the species bred by us may proba- 

 bly be placed in tbe Braconid genus Centistes of Haliday,. judging from 

 Haliday's original description and tbe few words of analytic diagnosis 

 contributed by Eev. T. A. Marshall to Mr. Cresson's synopsis of the 

 Hymenoptera of North America. 



