CHIONEA. 169 



a large knob. " The body of the female ends in a sword-shaped 

 borer, resembling that of a grasshopper." (Harris.) 



The relationship of Chionea has been discussed on p. 136. 



These insects occur on snow in winter ; the larvae live under- 

 ground, apparently upon vegetable matters, and have been de- 

 scribed in detail by Brauer (Verh. Zool. Bot. Ver. in Wien. 1854). 



Chionea (from xiCv, snow) araneoides has been described for 

 the first time by Dalnian, in 1816 (K Vetensk. Acad. Handl. 1816, 

 102; Tab. II, fig. 2). A second European species, Ch. crassipes, 

 has been described since by Boheman. Harris (Ins. of Mass. 

 Injur, to Veget. 1841) first mentioned the American species, Ch. 

 valga. Later, Mr. Walker described two North American 

 Chionese, Ch. aspera and scita, the former of which is probably 

 synonymous with Ch. valga. The descriptions of Mr. Walker's 

 species are reproduced in the Appendix I to this volume. 



I have never had an opportunity to observe any species of this 

 genus alive, and possess only a single, somewhat mutilated speci- 

 men of one of the North American species. Partly from this 

 specimen, partly from Dr. Harris's and Dr. Schiner's statements 

 (Fauna Austr. 1. c.) the foregoing generic description has been 

 drawn. Assuming that my specimen is Chionea valga Harr., I 

 describe it under this name. 



Description of the species. 



la C. Taiga Harr. % . — Rufa, fuscescens, pedibus pallidioribus. 



Brownisli-red, feet paler. Long. corp. 0.22. 



Syn. Chionea valga Harris, Ins. Injur, to Veget. etc. 1841. 

 Chionea aspera Walker, List, etc. I, p. 82. 



Head brownish-red, in a reflected light the front and vertex 

 show a hoary bloom ; palpi browm ; front with an impressed 

 transverse line between the eyes ; vertex broad, rounded, sparsely 

 clothed with erect, blackish, rather long hairs ; the brownish an- 

 tennae are but little longer than the head, from the point of its 

 connection with the collare to the extremity of the labium (their 

 description is given above). Thorax reddish-brown (injured by 

 the pin in my specimen) ; halteres brownish-yellow. Abdomen 

 short, pubescent with yellowish, segments contracted (at least in 

 the dry specimen), so that the last joint, which is horny and sub- 

 globular, appears to be larger in size than the remainder of the 



