This group was recognized as a sub-family by Newman as early as 1834, and as a distinct family by Haliday in 1839. It is represented at present by a single genus, Oryssus, Latr., which is apparenrly the stem from whence some of the parasitic Hymenoptera originated; i. e., the Megalyridae, Stephanidae, etc.

I have now, however, the pleasure of indicating below another genus, indigenous to Africa.

Although comparatively few species are described in the group, it yet appears to be widely distributed, species having been found in North, Central and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Aru, in the Malay Archipelago.