1917.] 



225 



and found the larvae abundant on Iris, and most kindly afforded me 

 examples. The oviposition was not observed. There appears to have 

 been no record of the insect as British since 1907 till the present year. 



The larva of Pliymatocera aterrima is described by Cameron (Phyt. 

 Hymenopt., vol. i, p. 232), but that of Mhadiiioceraea micans does not, I 

 think, possess any English description. Cameron's account of P. aterrima 

 is obviously not original, and is not, perhaps, quite correct in one or two 

 particulars, so that descriptions of both seem not altogether unnecessary. 



The larva of Fhymatocera aterrima is 17 to 18 mm. long, 3 mm. thick at 

 the 2ud and 3rd thoracic segments, 2-6 at the abdominal ones, a little more 

 wheu not extended, aud then the enlargameut or clubbing of the thoracic seg- 

 ments is more marked. The colour is a light laveuder-grey or pale leaden 

 colour, paler, almost pink, as to the last segments and to a slight degree also 

 in front ; paler also beneath, but only slightly so, the tints graduate into each 

 other, without any distinct demarcation, and are, in truth, only slightly 

 different. With all the larva has a translucent almost trauspaient aspect. 

 Certain black points are quite conspicuous. The subsegmentation on the 

 abdomen presents (dorsally) six subsegments, the first aud third carry 

 the black spots, the others are without. The incisions between segments are 

 so exactly similar to those between subsegments, that if it be asserted that the 

 first subsegmeut is really the one I have called the sixth of the preceding 

 segments, I am not sure that I can prove that I am correct. 



A little above the spiracles these subseguients merge in the complications 

 of the lateral flange; subsegmeut 1 may claim an enlarged area that includes 

 the spiracle, and extends across half the segment, but has a fold between it 

 and tiie 1st subsegmeut proper, 2 and 4 couie to a point just behind this and 

 3 a little higher between them, 5 and 6 reach with doubtful folds to below 

 spiracular level, 2 and 4, that have no black points above, each have one here 

 just above spiracular level. 



The black spots consist of enlarged skin points in groups, of wliich the 

 central one is a short black cone, two or three close to it smaller aud then 

 smaller and smaller till they merge in the surrounding skin points. They are 

 on a slight raised surface or eminence of which the central black cone forms 

 the apex. The spots on each segment (abdominal) on either side are two 

 dorsal, on subsegments 1 aud 3, and two subdorsal on the same ubsegmeuts, 

 nearly half-way from the dorsal spots to the spiracles ; there are also the two, 

 already mentioned, behind the spiracles. 



The 9th abdominal segment is like the others, except that it has oidy one 

 spot at spiracular level. The 10th (abdominal) segment has on each side a 

 dorsal spot and a lower one at outer angle of anal plate, and some minute 

 points between these ou the plate. The pruthorax has one spot above spiracle 

 and three in a row dorsally ou 4th (?) subsegnient. The 2nd and 3rd thoracic 

 segments have two dorsal aud two subdorsal, but the anterior of these is lower 

 than on the abdominal segments, so does not range with the other subdorsal. 

 There is a large spot in line with the supra-spiracular of prothorax, aud perhaps 

 of the same series as the abdominal post-spiracular. There .is also a spot above 

 the legs ranging with faint ones above the abdominal prologs. The legs are 



