CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS. 209 



of the mouth are obsolete or undiscovered ; fore 

 wings pedunculated, with one short basal nervure, 

 strongly ciliated ; hind wings the same, often a 

 mere seta ; legs long : podeon elongate, slender ; 

 ovipositor very slender, concealed beneath the 

 body in a groove. Inhabits grass under trees. 

 Ooctonus, Litus, Anagrus, Polynema, My mar, 

 Eustochus. 



722. Burnished parasites (Chalcites). Larva 

 inhabits and devours other insects in all stages, 

 particularly the larvae of Lepidoptera and Diptera. 

 Pupa usually changes within the skin of its 

 victim. Imago with the antennae generally com- 

 posed of thirteen joints, the second long, forming 

 an elbow, the remaining joints generally incras- 

 sated towards the apex ; mandibles obtuse ; 

 maxillae, with the blade rather produced, but 

 obtuse ; maxillary palpi four-jointed ; labium, with 

 its ligula always produced, but short and entire ; 

 labial palpi three jointed ; ocelli three ; head very 

 large, square ; fore wings with a single nervure, 

 often ciliated ; hind with none ; body often short 

 and depressed in the males, more elongate and 

 pointed in the females ; oviduct of the female 

 slender, mostly concealed ; colour mostly brilliant. 

 Perilampus, Leucospis, Smiera, Chalcis, Calli- 

 mome, Pteromalus, Encyrtus, Eulophus, Spalangia^ 

 Eucharis. 



723. Oak-gall flies (Cynipites). Larva in- 

 habits and causes the excrescences we observe on 



