ASHMEAD : CLASSIFICATION OF THE CHALCID FLIES 247 



over the dorsum of the abdomen, often reaching to the scutellum, and in having 

 the wings longitudinally folded as in the Vespidse, Eumenidx and in the Diapriid 

 genus Galesus. 



The group is parasitic in the nest of bees and the longitudinal fold in the wings 

 is significant, for the leucospid is thus enabled to crawl into the nest of a bee without 

 seriously disturbing its contents. 



The group was monographed by Dr. August Schletterer in 1890, in the Berliner 

 Entomologische Zeitschrift, vol. 35. This work should be in the hands of all stu- 

 ents who desire to study these insects. 



TABLE OF GENEEA. 



1. Frons anteriorly not cornuted ; hind margin of the head not curved inwardly ; third joint of antennae at 



least as long as the second, usually, however, distinctly longer ; pronotum anteriorly as broad as 



behind ; scutellum never cordate 2 



Frons anteriorly bicornuted ; hind margin of the head curved inwardly ; third joint of antennae smaller 

 than the following ; pronotum narrowed anteriorly ; scutellum cordate. 



Marres Walker (type M. dicomas Walker). 



2. Abdomen more or less compressed, rounded or vertically angular posteriorly, but never pointed ; 



ovipositor extends from beneath the venter and curves over the tip of the abdomen backwards, 

 reposing upon the dorsum, sometimes extending to the scutellum ; hind coxae without a tooth above ; 



maxillary palpi distinct, 4-jointed 3 



Abdomen more fusiform and not distinctly compressed, the paunch followed to the dorsum, with a 

 long channel and with the apex pointed ; ovipositor confined to the under surface of the abdomen 

 and not extending further than to its tip ; hind coxae with a strong erect tooth above ; maxillary 

 palpi 3-jointed, short and slender Polistomorplia Westwood (type P. surinamensis Walker). 



3. Front coxae not especially long, much shorter than their femora, the tibiae as long as the femora ; 



middle tibiae without a tooth at apex ; hind tibiae at apex normal, with 2 spurs. 



Leucospis Fabricius (type L. dorsigera Fabricius). 

 Front coxae very elongate, nearly as long as their femora, the tibiae shorter than the femora ; middle 

 tibiae with a tooth at apex ; hind tibiae curved and acutely produced into a spine at apex. 



Exoclsenus Sliipp (type Leucospis anthidioides Westw.). 



Subfamily II. Chalcidin.e. 

 1835. Chalcididse, Family, Walker, Ent. Mag., II., p. 20. 

 1889. Chalcididse, Family XVI., Haliday, Hym. Synop., p. ii. 

 1856. Chalcidoidse, Familie, Forster, H3^m. Stud., ii., p. 29. 

 1897. Chalcidin£E, Subfamily II., Ashmead, Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., IV., p. 247. 



In having the hind femora greatly swollen and usually dentate or serrate, this 

 subfamily agrees with the Leucospidinx, but differs in having the front wings not 

 folded longitudinally in repose, by having a much smaller pronotum, and quite a 

 different shaped abdomen, the ovipositor, when prominent, being straight and never 

 curved forward over the dorsum. 



