108 HYMENOPTEEA. 



Many of the Chalcididce are apterous in one or both sexes, and, 

 according to Professor Westwood and Sir S. S. Saunders, the males 

 of Blastophaga are apterous, while the females are winged ; a most 

 unusual anomaly in insects. 



Several species of most extraordinary forms, belonging to the 

 genera Agaon, Blastophaga, Idarnes, etc., inhabit the interior of 

 various species of wild and cultivated figs; and as they are 

 believed to promote the ripening of the latter, the fig-growers 

 inoculate their young figs with the insects from infested plants by 

 a process known as caprification. The largest genus of the 

 Chalcididce is Pteromalus, Swed., the species of which infest Lepi- 

 doptera, and sometimes emerge in great numbers from a single 

 pupa. Eurytoma, 111., and some allied genera depart from the 

 usual parasitic habits of the Chalcididce in being plant-feeders, 

 feeding in the stalks of wheat, etc. 



FAMILY III. Proctotrypidce. 



Ovipositor exserted or concealed; body rather long and 

 slender ; antennae elbowed, ten- to sixteen- jointed ; wings nearly 

 veinless; palpi long and drooping; pupa enclosed in a cocoon; 

 habits parasitic. 



The Proctotrypidce are probably much less numerous than the 

 Chalcididce, but have been even less studied, being much smaller 

 and more obscure insects ; in fact some of them share with the 

 Trichopterygidcs among the Coleoptera, the reputation of being the 

 smallest insects. They exhibit considerable variation in structure 

 and habits, and are usually either parasitic on very small insects, 

 or infest the eggs of larger ones. The smallest and some of the 

 most beautiful species among them belong to the genus Mymar, 

 Curt., and allies. M. Pulchellus, Curt., has battledore-shaped wings, 

 the broad part being fringed with long hairs. An allied North 

 American species (Pteratomus Putnami, Pack.) measures one- 

 ninetieth of an inch in length, and is said to be the smallest 

 insect known. It is supposed to be an egg-parasite on Megachile 

 Centuncularis, Linn., or on a parasite of that bee. 



The Proctotrypidce are often placed as a section of Hymenoptera 

 called Oxyura. 



FAMILY IV. Braconidce. 



Antennae not elbowed beyond the scape, generally with more 

 than sixteen joints, second joint shorter than the first and third, 



