126 SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT 



which the little hexapod larva fastens. Thus, the mother wasp, while 

 bent on seeking prey for her own parasitic larva, carries with her, 

 underground, and all unconscious of the fact, the seed of destruction 

 to her own offspring. Her larva must also be preyed on by still an- 

 other enemy, as I have a cocoon riddled with small round holes. 



TiPuiA INORNATA — Lavra (Fig. 34, c).— Length 0.25-0.50 inch when full 'grown ; 

 greatest diameter \ the length ; laigest in middle : 12 joints and a subjoint, exclusive 

 of head. Head (Fig. 3G, h) bent over on the breast. Color translucent-white, with a 

 broad, transverse, opaque wrinkle around each joint; on all the stigmata-bearing joints 

 except 1, this wrinkle is constricted into two ellipsoidal pieces dorsally, strongly bulg- 

 ing laterally into semi-oval tubercles, like pendopods, and subobsolete ventrall}^ La- 

 brum edged with brown. Stigmata small, circular, brown, and placed on posterior 

 part of joint 1, and on anterior part of joints 4-11. Anal slit transverse. 



Described from 13 specimens. The color becomes more yellowish in alcohol. 



7??ia^o.--This insect is very variable in size, 2 c^, 7 $ specimens which I have bred 

 from the cocoon ranging from 0.35 to 0-68 inch in length of body. The wings are 

 either very faintly or more deeply smoky-yellow. The color is jet black, but on mj- 

 largest 2 a faint bluish or purplish hue is noticeable. In studying by the light of the 

 specimens before me, Say's three descriptions which follow, I am forced to the conclu- 

 sion that they all refer to bui one species. Certain features common to all the speci- 

 mens are curiously omitted in one or other of the descriptions, and inserted in one or 

 both the others, while every feature mentioned belongs to the one species taken in its 

 variations. It becomes a question, in such a case, which name to use, but I employ the 

 first because it is appropriate, and seems to have been the only one used by subsequent 

 authors. 



"T. inoniata. — Black, immaculate; wing-- yellowish, fuliginous. 



" Inhabits Ohio and Pennsylvania. 



'' Head punctured ; antenuje piceous, paler toward the tip ; mandibles piceous, 

 blackish at tip ; thorax punctured, wing-scale and posterior margin of the first seg- 

 ment impunctured, edge of the latter piceous ; metathorax with three longitudinal, 

 slightlj^ elevated lines; posterior edge also sliofhtly elevated into an acute line ; feet 

 hairy ; tibiaj and tarsi more or less piceous ; abdonjen, particularly behind, hairy. 



"Length three-fifths of an inch.*'— Say (Am. Ent. I, p. 223.) 



"T. transi^ersa. — Blue-bhick, somewhat hairy. 



"Inhabits Indiana. 



" Body black, with a slight bluish or purplish reflection ; with numerous whitish 

 hairs; imn'iaculate, punctured; antenna? black, opaque; mandibles piceous at tip; 

 palpi fuscous ; wings a little dusky, hyahne. nervures black ; apical lines of the second 

 cubital cellule transverse, rectilinear ; metathorax each side striated, above with three 

 slightlj' elevated.'longitudinal lines and a posterior transverse one ; abdomen, first seg- 

 ment narrower than the second, somewhat gibbous above and flat beneath, the incisure 

 indented ; remaining segments more hairy, ciliated ; tibifc and tarsi with silver hairs. 



"Length nearly half an iiicli.'"— Say (Am. Ent. I, p. 385.) 



"7". torr/a.— Body polislied. black, punctured ^ mandibles piceous in the middle; 

 metathorax with tlnve longitudlnnl lines, and the minute lines on the margin of the 

 posterior declivity very regular nnd obvious ; wings tinged with honey-yellow; nerv- 

 ures brown ; stigma black ; incisure of the first abdominal segment not very much 

 contracted ; secoiid segment at its basal margin with the minute, longitudinal lines 

 very regular and distinct ; palpi, dull piceous'. 



'• Inhabits Indiana. 



"Length about three-tenths of an inch. 



"The smallest species I have seen, and may be distinguished from its American 

 congeners b.v its size. The male has the metatlioracic lineations more distinct. It is 

 smaller than the fentoraia of Europe." — Say (Am. Ent. II, p. 742.) 



