NOTES ON THE ACULEATE HYMENOPTERA. 33 



I have this year obtained 3fonodontomerus nitida from 

 the cells of Osrnia bicornis ; upon the larva of the latter 

 insect it is parasitic ; as many as eight or ten of the Chal- 

 cididous parasite are nourished by a single larva of the bee. 

 Another and more interesting insect, of the same family, 

 was bred from the cells of the bee, namely, MeUttobia 

 Acasta. After the most careful comparison and exa- 

 mination of this insect, I believe it to be identical with the 

 Anthophorabia return of Newport. I had not the op- 

 portunity of observing the parasites in their early stages 

 of larva and pupa, as they were enclosed in the cocoons spun 

 by the larvae of the bee, so that I am unable to state con- 

 fidently, whether both these parasites feed upon the bee 

 larvae or not. When I first met with the larvae of MeUt- 

 tobia in 1843, in the cells of Anthophora, they were 

 feeding upon the larvae of Monodontomerus. This was 

 easily observed, as the species of Anthophora do not spin 

 cocoons, but undergo their changes in the clay cells con- 

 structed by bees. 



I captured about a dozen specimens of JExetastes fe- 

 morator, a species first described by Mr. Desvignes in his 

 Catalogue of British Ichneumonidce, recently published by 

 the Trustees of the British Museum. This insect has not 

 been met with in any other locality than the Deal Sands, 

 where I found it. Its mode of running and flying s > 

 closely resembles a Pompilus, that at first sight I mistook 

 it for one. 



Sphinctus serotinus, only a few specimens of which have 

 occurred in this country, was captured by Mr. Thomas In- 

 gall on the 13th of September last ; it Mas beaten out of an 

 oak in the Wickham Woods ; it appeared very sluggish and 

 made no attempt to escape. Although diligent search was 

 made a second example could not be found. We are indebted 



1857. m d 



