550 
Journal of Agricultural Research voi xxiii, No. 7 
moth” and miscellaneous forest galls by Girault (5). The writer has 
bred it from Sitophilus oryza , 5 . granarius t and also from the broad-nosed 
grain weevil, Caulophilus latinasus Say. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIES 
The female (PI. 1, A) is normally about 2 mm. in length, of characteris¬ 
tic chalcid form, dark metallic green in color, with yellow legs. The 
male (PL 1, G) is somewhat smaller and differs from the female in having 
the abdomen brown, with a large yellowish white spot. Both sexes vary 
considerably in size. 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION ( 10 ) 
Female: Head and thorax dark greenish, clothed with thin and fine silvery pubes- 
cence, a thick linear patch on each side of the metathorax; abdomen smooth, shining 
greenish, thinly pubescent on apical segments, venter deeply keeled; head transverse, 
somewhat wider than thorax, finely reticulated rather than punctured on occiput, 
front and cheeks with convergent striae at oral margin of middle of face; front above 
insertion of antennae hollowed for reception of scapes; mouth-parts ferruginous, each 
mandible with four denticles; antennae about as long as thorax, scape dull reddish; 
flagellum dull reddish beneath, darker above, with fine silvery pubescence; pedicel 
about twice the length of the three ring joints together, but scarcely longer than the 
first funicle joint, which appears distinctly longer than wide, second and third funicle 
joints slightly longer than wide, fourth and fifth quadrate; club expanded at junction 
of first and second joints, the third forming a small conical tip. Anterior ocellus situ¬ 
ated but little in advance of a median point between the posterior ones. 
Thorax with fine shallow thimble-pitted punctures, contiguous and distinctly 
larger than on head; length of thorax scarcely exceeds the width, parapsidal furrows 
very faint only on anterior half of mesonotum. Metathorax very finely punctured, 
with a median longitudinal Carina; metathoracic neck very short, smooth; lateral folds 
indicated by basal foveolae only, spiracles very small, broadly oval; spiracular sulci 
very deep and distinct. 
Tegulae fulvous; wing-veins yellow, ciliate, stigmal vein shorter than marginal or 
postmarginal by about one-fourth the length, legs yellow, excepting the coxae, femora 
m greater part between the base and apex, and last tarsal joint outwardly, which are 
dark brown or fuliginous. Tibiae of middle and posterior legs little longer than femora 
or tarsi, which are about equal in length, but no noticeable difference in these respects 
with fore legs. Comparatively the fore legs are shorter than the others. [Length 
ranges from 1.25 mm. to 2 mm.] 
Male: Antennae with larger microscopical pits than female; the first and second ring 
joints very small and compressed, the third appears as the first joint of the funicle, 
but is smaller and shorter than the true funicular joints. Abdomen hardly as long, or 
at most not longer than thorax, almost flattened above, not deeply keeled ventrally, 
widest near apex, and with a dorsal fulvous area near base expanding to the lateral 
edges; otherwise agreeing with female. [Length ranges from 1 mm. to 1.5 mm.] 
METHODS USED IN STUDY OF PARASITES 
The immature stages of the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryza , which served 
as a host for the parasite in this study, are passed entirely concealed 
within the seeds of some of our common grains; hence of necessity the 
immature stages of the attacking parasite are also concealed from sight 
within the recesses of the grain that harbors the weevil. In order to 
observe the method of attack and the subsequent development of the 
parasite the following method was devised: Larvae of the rice weevil 
were placed singly in small gelatin capsules, a small piece of absorbent 
cotton being packed in behind them to hold them in place. The cap¬ 
sules thus loaded were then placed in glass vials containing parasites. 
The parasites in every instance accepted the loaded capsules in lieu 
of infested grain, located the weevil larvae, pierced the shell of the cap¬ 
sules with their slender ovipositors, stung the larvae into quiescence, 
and deposited their eggs. 
