124 Mr. G. Newport on a new genus of Parasitic Insects, 



my paper. With regard to the joints of the tarsi, it happens, un- 

 fortunately for Mr. Westwood, that he is in this instance, at 

 least, in the unenviable situation of bearing evidence against the 

 correctness of his own statements. Ten years ago he published 

 in his 'Introduction/ vol. ii. Generic Synopsis, p. 73, detailed 

 definitions of three genera of Parasitic Hymen optera belonging 

 to the very family, — Chalcididce, proposed also by himself, — to 

 which my Anthophorabia belongs ; and one of the characters 

 which he employs to indicate each of these genera, — Tetracnemus, 

 Agonioneurus, — which comprises thirteen species, — and Cocco- 

 phagus three species, — is, that their tarsi are "five-jointed" 



Thus much reliance may be placed on the scientific accuracy 

 of Mr. Westwood' s statements. I have now but to notice one 

 other of his unnecessary assertions, of a more personal character, 

 and which I could have wished to have believed to be simply ac- 

 cidental. He says (Annals, p. 40) that Mr. F. Smith was the 

 first to discover the parasitic larva of Monodontomerus, and that 

 / have " attempted to deprive him of the credit " of this discovery. 

 I regret much that this direct charge obliges me to state that 

 Mr. Westwood asserts in this what is extremely wide of the truth. 

 A short notice of the habits of the larva of Monodontomerus was 

 sent by Mr. §mith to the Linnsean Society a fortnight after the 

 reading of the first part of my paper on the 20th of March in 

 which I described this larva ; and that notice was read on the 

 3rd of April, Mr. Smith the author of it, Mr. Westwood and 

 myself being present. Mr. Smith stated in his paper that he had 

 found his insects at Charlton in Kent, in 1848. After this paper 

 had been read, I mentioned what I had already stated in my 

 paper on the 20th of March, that I discovered the larva of Mo- 

 nodontomerus on the 12th of September 1847 (at Gravesend), 

 " that I had informed Mr. Smith at the time of the fact," and that 

 u some time afterwards, as I learned from Mr. Smith himself, who, 

 being present, could correct me if in error, he also collected larvae 

 of this insect in the same locality " (see Gard. Chron. April, 

 p. 231). Mr. Smith offered not the slightest remark on, or ob- 

 jection to this statement, but tacitly admitted its correctness. 

 And yet Mr. Westwood having heard this public announcement 

 from my own lips, and knowing that it has appeared in print, — 

 as he quotes a portion of the identical paragraph, — and knowing 

 also that it cannot be refuted, has ventured to "affirm" the 

 contrary. 



I remain, Gentlemen, yours very obediently, 



George Newport. 



