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XXVIIl. Notes on Chalcidites, and Characters of un- 

 described Species. By F. Walker, Esq., F.L.S. 



s [Read 7th July, 1862.] 



The Chalcididce described by Fabricius are hardly characterized 

 with sufficient precision to identify the species. Chalets dimidiata, 

 Fabr., may be identical with Smiera Lamyrus ; C. pyramidea, 

 Fabr., is parasitic on Epipone nidulans, and C. annidata, Fabr., 

 infests the pupa of Ophideres materna. C. Mneston is a synonym 

 of C. annulata. Smiera amcena (parasitic on the pupa of a Thecia) 

 and S. debilis have been described by Say. Klug, in his " Sym- 

 bolse Physicae," describes the following species, inhabiting Egypt 

 and Arabia : — Smiera pensilis, Chalets rubens, C. decorata, C. albi- 

 crus, C. brevicornis, C. pubescens, C, agilis and C. pumila. C. albi- 

 crus feeds on the pupa of Euploea Chrysippus, and C. Euploece is 

 parasitic on an East Indian species of Euplcea, and perhaps is the 

 same as C. Lasus. Chalcitella evanioides, West., inhabits the 

 Mauritius. 



The European Smiera nigrifex is a native also of North America, 

 where its characters are slightly modified. In the Smierce of the 

 latter region there is a transition of the colour of the species from 

 black to yellow and to luteous, and the luteous species abound in 

 South America. A species of Smiera from Florida is included 

 with the West Indian S.fulvescens in the British Museum list of 

 Chalcidiles ; it may be termed S. Iransitiva, and it differs from S. 

 fidvescens in having a black stripe on the thorax and a black 

 streak on each of the coxag ; the wings are a little darker in colour, 

 and the size is rather larger. 



Chalets minuta of Europe also appears in North America, but 

 with more limpid wings than those of the European race. Phas- 

 gonophora sulcata is the extreme form of a group of Halticella, 

 which has some representatives in South America, but chiefly 

 abounds in the Eastern Isles. 



In Mexico Smiera Pylus hardly differs from the West Indian 

 S. punctata. The distinction between Smiera and Chalcis with 

 regard to the relative length of the petiole is obliterated in S. 

 tenebrosa, though the latter species does not differ from Smiera in 

 its other characters. 



The West Indian Smiera punctata also occurs in South America, 

 but with the black markings somewhat reduced in size. S. lenco- 



VOL. 1. THIRD SERIES. PART IV, NOV. 1S62. A A 



