large and prominent, of a dark color. Thorax long. Abdomen 

 elongate acute, terminating in a long, .hairy ovipositor, three 

 times the length of the body, two-thirds of the terminal por- 

 tion of which is divided into three parts. On the under side 

 of the abdomen is a process. Wings transparent, pubescent, 

 with long marginal hairs. The stigma of the anterior wing at 

 right angle from marginal costa. The legs are of the same color 

 as body and covered with stout hairs. The tibia of the front 

 legs is stouter than that of the second pair. The posterior legs 

 are much stouter and longer than the others. 



Male. Length about .07 of an inch. Wing expanse about 

 .11 of an inch. Color black. Antenna? clavate, eleven-jointed, 

 hairy. The scape is much larger than that of the female. Head 

 same as female. Eyes dark and prominent. Thorax about as 

 long as abdomen. Abdomen obtuse with a short curved stylus. 

 Wings and legs same as those of female. 



ITS INTRODUCTION. 



The credit of the introduction of this insect into the State 

 belongs solely -to Mr. James Shinn, of Niles. The fig-growers 

 of this State were and had been anxious to have the insect intro- 

 duced so that its merits pro and con might be established. To 

 this end the entomologist of the Deparment of Agriculture was 

 asked to procure the insect from Smyrna, as the facilities of 

 Government officials in such matters are well known. In the 

 June number of Insect Life he says that efforts would be made 

 to introduce the insect into our State ; but as to what efforts 

 were made nothing has been heard. I should not be surprised 

 in the least if in a coming number of some publication he 

 broaches the claim that the credit of introduction belongs 

 to him, as scarcely a bug has been introduced or discovered to 

 which he has not claimed first credit ; and, as one of our Con- 

 gressmen expressed it to the members of our Board, "He not 

 only wanted to make me believe that he discovered the bug, but 

 had also produced it." " What egotism ! how selfish, oh man!" 



As to the history of the introduction of the Blastophaga and 

 how it came about, I cannot do better than give Mr. Shinn's 

 own statement, viz. : 



Mr. Shinn: "We wrote to some friends that were known to us 

 in Smyrna ; or rather some missionaries were stopping at my 



