242 



both Mymarid and those of other families, only two primary 

 Chalcid parasites of leaf-hoppers are known to us. These form 

 two new and remarkable genera in the Encyrtidae and both are 

 parasites of Jassids, in fact were bred from the same species, 

 the one, Meniscocephalus, being remarkable on account of its 

 sculpture; the other, Neocladia, for the fine six-branched anten- 

 nae of the male and the foliaceous dilated hind legs of the 

 female. The latter was bred from nymphs and mature speci- 

 mens of the Jassid it attacks, the larva filling up the abdomen 

 of the leaf-h»pper, much as does that of a Pipuncnlus fly. The 

 Chalcid larva, however, pupates within its host, not emerging 

 when full fed, as does that of the parasitic fly. The mature in- 

 sect escapes by rupture of the abdomen where it is attached to 

 the thorax, just as does the larva of Pipuncnlus. 



No doubt the egg-parasites of leaf-hoppers will prove to be 

 numerously represented amongst the Encyrtidae, on future 

 investig'ation. The eggs of Siphanta and allied genera, and 

 those of Platybrachys and its allies, in fact such eggs as are not 

 imbedded in the tissues of leaf or stem, are very subject to their 

 attacks. Here belong the parasites described under the generic 

 names Fulgoridicida and Ectopiognatha, and one or two other 

 obscure and very minute species, which I have not yet ade- 

 quately investig'ated. Apart from the Encyrtinae another egg- 

 parasite was obtained, the species forming a new genus of the 

 Trichogrammidae. This is a very valuable insect in that it 

 destroys the eggs of a common Jassid, which frequents the 

 Eucalyptus trees in Australia. It will be remembered that it 

 has long been known that the eggs of the buffalo tree-hopper 

 (Ccrcsa bnbalus) are destroyed by a parasite of this family. 



Throughout Australia and Fiji the eggs of the sugar-cane 

 leaf-hopper are destroyed by the Tetrastichine genus, Ootctras- 

 ticJius, hereafter described. This parasite differs in its habits 

 from the species of Anogrus and Paranagrns of the Mym'aridae, 

 in that a single parasitic larva destroys all the eggs contained 

 in an egg-chamber, instead of each individual being developed 

 at the expense of only a single egg. To escape from the egg- 

 chamber, the adult parasite gnaws a round hole for its exit, 

 much like that made by Anagrus frequens, excepting that it is 

 larger. As the number of eggs deposited by the leaf-hopper in 

 the egg-chamber varies much, so the size of the parasites is 

 Hkewise very variable, some individuals being twice the bulk of 

 others. 



On one occasion in company with the Oofcfrosfichns a single 



