34 
The present species is a very important hyperparasite. It was exten- 
sively reared at this office in 188G from the cocoons of Meteorus hyphan- 
trice and is the species referred to as Spilochalois sp. on page 57 of the 
second edition of Bulletin Xo. 10 of this Division. 
During the observations upon Orgyia parasites in 1895-96 it was 
reared from the cocoons of Amorphota orgyice, of Meteorus com munis and 
M. hyphantrice, and of the two species of Apanteles just considered. 
Moreover, empty cocoons of Limneria valida have been found pierced 
by holes of about the size of the exit holes made by this species, so that 
it is very possibly a parasite of this species also. There is a further 
possibility that it may parasitize Pimpla inquisitor, although I have no 
definite proof. 
The cocoons of the Meteorus from which this insect has issued may 
readily be distinguished from those cocoons from which the Meteorus 
itself has issued by the fact that the Spilochalcis makes a round hole 
before the tip and does not cut off the circular hinged cap which is 
characteristic of the issuing hole of the Meteorus. This appearance is 
well indicated upon fig. K>. With a lesser degree of certainty, the same 
distinction may be made with regard to the cocoons of the Amorphota. 
Here the issuing hole of the true maker of the cocoon is not only con- 
siderably larger than that of the Spilochalcis parasite, but it is usually 
made nearer to the exact end of the cocoon than is that of the parasite. 
The same may be said of the Apanteles cocoons. It is noticeable that 
the specimens which issue from the Amorphota cocoons are somewhat 
larger than those from the Meteorus cocoons, while those from the 
Apanteles cocoons are still smaller. No observations have been made 
upon the early stages of this species. The total number of specimens 
reared is twenty. Fifteen of them issued between September 3 and 
October 5, L895j one January 4, 1896, and the others April 20 and 22, 
1896. Those issuing in the autumn consisted of both males and females, 
while those issuing in April were ;ill males, were darker in color, and 
all came from the cocoons of the Apanteles. These facts suggest a 
dual hibernation, either as adults or as larvae or pupae within the 
cocoons of the host insect, but it is worthy of remark that no specimens 
of this insect in any stage were found during the extensive examinations 
made the middle of December. 181)0. 
Habrocytus thyridopterigis Ash mead. 
This Pteromalid is rather commonly reared from the bags of the bag- 
worm, in which the writer has assumed it to be a tertiary parasite, hav- 
ing for its host Riley's Hemiteles thyridopterigis, which in its turn is 
in all probability parasitic upon Pimpla conquisitor, so often found in 
the bags. 1 Eight specimens only of this species have been reared in the 
1 An observation is recorded in Proc. Ent. Soc. Washington, I, 28, showing that a 
Chalcidid larva feeds in the bags on the larva of the Hemiteles. This chalcidid is 
with little doubt Habrocytus thyridopterigis. 
