1874.1 211 



Note on the occurrence in the North of Enffland of Cixius contaminatu.i, Germ., 

 and Issus coleoptratus, Fah. — At p. 190 of vol. vii of this Magazine, it ia stated with 

 regard to Cixius contaminatus, that " the varieties appear to be confined to the 

 "south." This species is common and very variable in the district around Man- 

 chester (one of the worst in the kingddm for ITomiyptera). I captured the variety 

 alhicincta near Bowdon on the 22nd of May, 1869. 



At p. 240 of the same vol., it is stated with regard to Issus coleoiotratus and 

 Cercopis mdnerata, that " both of these insects appear to belong exclusively to the 

 " south," &c. I captured Issus coleoptratus at Llanferis, Denbighshire, towards the 

 end of October, ISGO ; also at Dove Dale, Derbyshire, on the 18th of Jiily, 1868. 

 I have also received it from Mr. Hodgkinson, of Preston, taken by him in his usual 

 collecting gronnd. — B. Cooke, Bowdon : January, 1871. 



Note on Apanteles placidus, Hal. — -Whilst at Loch Hourn, in June, 1872, I 

 discovered, attached to rushes, in close proximity to each other, two large egg-bags 

 of a spider, filled with the cocoons of the above species. I extracted from the 

 cocoons some of the larvae, which were of the usual form, and of a reddish-orange 

 colour. The pupae were of the same colour, gradually becoming black as the enclosed 

 insects approached the perfect state, which they assumed three weeks after being 

 formed, emerging in batches of four or five at a time. I did not count how many were 

 in each bag, but it was far short of what the number of spiders' eggs must have been, 

 yet not one egg escaped destruction. — P. Cameeon, Jun., 136, West Graham Street, 

 Glasgow : 8th January, 1874. 



Four species of Nematus new to Britain. — The following species have not, I 

 believe, been recorded as British :— 



Nematus croceus, Fallen, Act. Holm., 1808, 122, 65 ; Thomson, Hym. Scand., 

 i, 149 ; = N. fulvus, Hartig, Blattw., 194. — Of this species I have taken single 

 specimens at Glenelg, Eannoch, and near Glasgow, in June, among willows. 



Mr. Smith informs me that Nematus miliaris, Pz., which Thomson gives doubt- 

 fully as a synonym of croceus, is the same as the N. viridis of Stephens, which is 

 clearly identical with N. virescens. Hart. If Panzer's name be inadmissible through 

 the ambiguity of the description, Stephens' name will require to be adopted, as it 

 has priority over virescens. The species becomes of a pale straw colour with age, 

 which cu-cumstance has probably led to the confusion. 



Nematus obductus, (Klug) Hartig, Blattw., 201 ; Thomson, Hym. Scand., i, 114. 

 — A few specimens have been taken near Glasgow, by myself, in June, usually by 

 sweeping grass. 



Nematus paUipes, Fallen, Act. Holm., 1808, 110, 48 ; Thomson, Hym. vScand. 

 i, 97. — Somewhat to my surprise, I found on the mountains beliind Kannoch, at a 

 height of about 3000 feet, some empty cocoons of a Nematus, among moss and under 

 stones, in a very bleak and exposed situation, no vegetation other than moss and 

 stunted grass being near ; knowing tliat tlie larvaj would not then (June) bo out, I 

 instituted a search for the imknown maker, and succeeded, with some difficulty, in 

 capturing two specimens (cJ) of Nematus paUipes, close to some of the cocoons. 

 Possibly more might have been found, but the weather was wet and stormy, which 



