From many parts of the world, but especially from South Asia and Africa, the Imperial Institute of Entomology receives an increasing number of Chalcidoidea, many being important as parasites of noxious insects, but mostly still very little known or even undescribed. The study of all these varied and often difficult species will be the work of many students on parasitic Hymenoptera. For our part we intend to publish a series of notes under the above title, alternatively with notes on African Chalcidoidea, as contributions to a knowledge of the most important or interesting species, the large majority of which have been bred.