Retrospective Criticism, 453 



Platygaster * amongst the Proctotriipidse of Latreille, it is singular that the 

 characters of the latter family should have been completely overlooked in 

 considering them to be capable of including your correspondent's insect, 

 the characters of which, as will be seen below, completely disagree with 

 those of the Proctotrupidae. I have therefore thought that it might prove 

 serviceable to subjoin the two following tables of the characters, &c., of the 

 four very distinct families, /chneumonidae, Cynipidae, Chalcididae, and- 

 Proctotrupidae, which have, nevertheless, in a greater or less degree, been 

 hitherto confused with each other, and of "vvhiph families many hundred 

 species are inhabitants of this country. \ g. 



These tables, you will perceive, are not drawn up in that strictly scientific 

 and technical form which, I am convinced, retards rather than promotes, 

 the increase of knowledge ; neither are they intended to comprise or reject 

 all those modifications in structure which the terminal objects in anygrou|>[ 

 exhibit. The first is deduced from the manners and economy, and the 

 second from the structure of the parts, of such of the insects as may be 

 c^q«ftsid^^,as.tfe^ |yp^,P^-^hjg> different groups i,„yiij ^vidc^ix^ uruyjuim yrii 

 m vtmvxKs^A. \ \mo^ttKk) ii ' banoitaara tiofil ifioO 'iiriiBsJ 



p,., .; ,o,> ^.4+,,. lA.rA^ ,>i.>-.rr... Table Iftinia b aioii ,oriw /.Oil ^•g,sv■\toU^SL 

 HerUvormiSy forming galls upon various plaateoai iuofks^wif^t&Mi aviib oJ> 

 i?«2««^«?^ feeding either within or upon th&^mffm&^^iAu^aail ^dbsrioii 

 jf^^I n a r eggs, larvae, or pupas, of other insects wb sdj has, ? liiuDivibni 

 ,booutW^€\ipa' naked - - - ^i ©rfAiait^irtJBdi i^Ai 



ri am not aware of any"j PROCTO^^-pfD^'^ 

 ijvof ifi9Pa^<«hfek^edJo rsmaterial difference be- 1 ^^wSw^r^ks^oI 

 bsiool ^l{BiHIi^§(a)iBC»»id3i3fewteen the habits of these | /cnNEUMo^NiD^T:' ^^ 

 ioa 91B fad J li n-^va ^^{;rit4qlJ tka'families • - J (typical species iarg^)lii^ 

 'ttj ha& noiJnaiJB lo yrinoVnu 3T)w \3fii flguodJ as ^bnbicsoiBil) vl lijna 

 i?:^nf"^m ^M rroys yga foq to IdsSUbIeb^^I ori"^ iBih Lu1:t9g'io1 mk iixi^lasv 



Anfennay^oi elbowed (i:^. With the basal joint shoA ?^^ ^^^"^^^ ^"^^ .' ?*:^ 

 and not thickened at the tips: <<-5 bns 1b3ijj oriJ m :dflil 



nofinoiJB Composed of more than '20 joints ; oviA '"' ' i^^-tnainoD 

 i.'^ivo-i-ibx'-positor with three straight fillets; zuings V Icn^F.VMo'^WM^Y 

 9d oJ 19-^ '^ith numerous nerves - -J ^'=H^>^ -^'^ oJ n^ad:^ 



iidu X9 a^bmposed of not more than 15 joints ; oviA 'V'^^ ^/^^ ^»"^^J^ 

 §ndPDi9*i.^ positor spiral, concealed in the abdomen j| CYNr^b^fP'^ ^^^ 

 iiodilop ,^nder wings with only one nervure - J "J^^" lunnsin 



^fe?^fe;elbowed (with the basal ioint long), and witfr ;- -^-' i '"^^ .uannolQii 

 the tips generally thickened: "^ .ymonoas -Laffi xo 



\.L.;;^..., 77^^ u^ings nerveless; upper ivings nervei^l"^''-' ''^*^ "^ noigulnoD 



PRO€T0{69fj;j«1|j§ia 



diiii iO .h^ana 

 Ai3m\d lo asiliiTifil 

 ^i. .a^iqroext' JasI 



f iii^hx cH{K3TnL03r 



. ot to 83ioi)q(? "lining 



3fl:t oJ Jgo |ggg^ Qj. ^-^j^ ^ ^-g^ nerves ; antcnnce 12 to 



"8101 10 h) l5jointed;^j«/pi long; ovepoiff /or tubular; 



Qliimiw i colours sombre - - - 



-BV9iq if'fUnder wings with one nerve ; upper wings 



°'?^\ 10 ^j^-jj QYiQ nerve descending into the centre 



8inJ lo 7< > of the wing from the middle of the front 



X13Y G ,7. margin; antennce with not more than 12 



°roJ?jfw/lB: joints; joa//je short; ovipositor composed 



aiJi ,03^.1 of three straight fillets, generally con-, it. 



4ff.ob,To.;. cealed in the abdomen; colours splendid^T ^^^^ .hovia^do ad oi 



^^ ^ J. westwooS: Feh:i:mo} ^l 



ILepturay Crioceridce, — Sir, The communication of your correspondenJL 

 laa. ni j ii jojain '3Hii<li«oq . r<»-«,« . v ^ tw o i — ,> 'i? i i^n s iyam^^tfinli gy * !■ . > t> i iy>r^ii\ 



^■♦P'^:>.-" rt^o;! -^.-ri ;.(.;. ri S'*t i.r,, _,'nna'-i 1o ^^^! ' KT ih li n '- it. »;.: JM-iiLl t)d-^ 



* I observe that Mr. Stephens has done this in his Catalogue, but I am, 

 not aware upon what published authority. X. however think the referenec 



