1906.] A New Enemy of Douglas Fir. 617 



Chalcids are feeders on plants (phytophagic) it has been denied 

 by such an excellent authority as Dr. L. O. Howard, of the 

 United States, that species of the genus Megastigmus are directly 

 phytophagic in habit. It is believed that the record of this 

 infestation at Durris should go far, in view of previous evidence, 

 to settle the controversy. 



This insect, M. spermotrophus> was first received by Wachtl, 

 of Vienna, in 1893, an d was described by him as a new species. 

 In the spring of 1893 Wachtl got some specimens of Megastig- 

 mus insects that had issued from the seeds of the Douglas Fir. 

 From these specimens Wachtl described the male and female 

 of our species.* 



Fig. B.— Male greatly magnified. (Wachtl). 



Description of Insect. — The female is loam-yellow, and 

 measures from 3*25 millimetres to 3*5 millimetres ; the eyes 

 during life are coral-red, and after death red-brown ; ocelli, red- 

 brown, edged with black. The thirteen-jointed antennae are 

 blackish-brown, and end in a knob. The wings are translucent, 

 and are finely black-haired ; the knob or club of the ramus-stig- 

 maticusf is longer than it is broad, elliptical, and black. The 

 abdomen is compressed, and is red-brown on the upper side, 



* Ein neuer Megastigmus als Samenverwiister von Pseudotsuga Douglasii, Carr. 

 Winer Entomol. Zeitung 1893. 



t The ramus-stigmaticus is the small branch (see Figure) which is given off from 

 the part of the vein that runs along the front edge of each fore wing. Its varying 

 size and shape in different species are made use of in classification. — R. S. M. 



