1908. j 269 



The general colour of the larvae was dark grey-brown above the spiracles, dusted 

 irregularly with minute paler dots ; below the spiracles greenish-grey with similar 

 paler dots. A very few scattered hairs on the head and next segment.. 



The larvsG did not roll in a ring when disturbed, but sometimes 

 feigned death, lying straight out. Oftener, however, they bent the 

 head round to about the middle of the side. 



The cocoon of silk and earth was very flexible and the pupa 

 bright brown in colour. 



Hurst Cottage, Hampton, Middlesex : 

 October, 1908. 



Since writing these notes a female taken this season and given to 

 Mr. E. B. Nevinson has laid eggs in rows between the buds of the 

 poplar catkins and the stem of the twigs, a well protected position, 

 and evidently the natural one. 



FURTHER NOTES on the HY MENOPTEROUS GKNUS BRACON, Fab. 

 BY CLAUDE MOELEY, F.E.S. 



Since the publication of my former paper on this subject (Ent. 

 Mo. Mag., 1906, p. 106) several additional breedings have been 

 effected in this interesting genus, showing that it certainly preys upon 

 at least three Orders of insects. 



On March 30th, 1907, I gathered a number of dead and dry 

 heads of knapweed (Centaurea nigra) in my garden here ; on April 

 21st following three <$ $ Bracon minutator had emerged at 10 a.m. ; 

 one was moribund on the 28th and died on May 2nd ; the other two 

 died during the nights of April 24th and 25th. On the 22nd one £ 

 emerged at 8 a.m. ; was moribund on the 27th and died on 28th. 

 On the 24th one <$ emerged at 8 a.m. ; was moribund on May 1st and 

 died on 2nd. On the 26th one Pimpla sagaoc, Htg., £ , was out at 9 

 p.m. and died on 29th ; it was a very retiring insect, and kept con- 

 stantly hidden among the debris, refusing to come up to the gauze 

 covering of the jam jar in which were the heads. On May 2nd and 6th 

 two £ $ Pteromalus sp. were emerged, the former at 6 p.m. ; both were 

 shortly destroyed by the heat of the sun on the jar. On May 23rd 

 a ? of probably the same species of Pteromalus had emerged ; and 

 on June 9th the first £ Urophora solstitialis, Linn., emerged at 8.30 

 a.m. Nothing more appeared at all except a few £ J and a ? of the 

 Dipteron. It is comparatively certain, therefore, that the Bracon 

 was parasitic, and the Pteromalus hyperparasitic through the Bracon, 

 upon the Urophora ; but the presence of the Pimpla is unexplained ; 



