Ischnocerus.] BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. 13 



spines, of which the upper are the longer and are subreflexed at their 

 extremity ; areola subcordiform, apically truncate and not discreted from 

 the triangular basal area, costulae emitted from slightly before its centre 

 and, like the lateral costae, strong ; petiolar area vertical and the supra- 

 coxal costae apically distinct. Scutellum strongly and evenly punctate, 

 with the interstices nitidulous and glabrous. Abdomen somewhat longer, 

 and in (^ narrower, than the thorax ; of (J fusiform, of $ oblong-ovate 

 with the fifth and sixth ventral segments prominent ; basal segment 

 apically explanate and irregularly aciculate longitudinally ; terebra as 

 long as or a little shorter than the abdomen. Legs normal, red ; hind tarsi 

 and usually their tibiae black, the latter always with a dull stramineous 

 basal band ; apical joint of the anterior tarsi conspicuously black. Wings 

 slightly clouded; stigma nigrescent, radix ferrugineous or testaceous, 

 tegulae piceous ; nerv^ellus intercepted in the centre. Length, 7I- 

 12-^ mm.* 



That both Kriechbaumer's names cannot stand is obvious, since even if 

 the descriptions of Fourcroy and Gravenhorst be insufficient to reveal to 

 which they belong, Taschenburg's exact measurements supply the 

 deficiency, at all events in the latter case. As to myself, I consider 

 them but small and unimportant varieties of a single species, differing 

 slightly in the shape and puncturation of the head and of the frontal 

 process ; I fail to trace any distinction in the conformation of the 

 antennae ; and consider the differences of even less consequence than 

 those of the "species "in the last genus. Both forms occur with nearly 

 equal frequency in Britain. 



It is found on the Continent from June to August. Ratzeburg /"/.cj 

 first discovered its economy ; he says that Kielmann took three females 

 at Haasenfelde as they were crawling in and out of the borings of the 

 Longicorn beetle, Saperda carcharias, in aspen stems where they doubtless 

 pierce the larvae within the trunk of the tree. Giraud next bred it 

 (Ann. Soc. Fr. 1877, p. 410) out of Odynenis leavipes, in Verbascum. 

 Brischke bred it in Prussia from the lar\-ae of Aromia moschata and 

 Rhagiiim mordax (I. c.J ; and Tosquinet adds that Dr. Fromont has raised 

 it from Liopiis nebulosiis, in Belguim. There are no records of its having 

 been bred in Britain, though that it is not uncommon is evidenced by the 



* When I first saw this species, I thus described it : — Head with large, strong and not 

 very close punctures throughout, becoming rugose on the face and obsolete on tlie 

 clypeus, with obsolete sericeous pilosity on the face and cheeks; the ocelli approximate; 

 a little above the antennae in the centre of the forehead is a distinct horn, much 

 scooped out in the centre, and the centre of the face is also raised ; face distinctly separated 

 from the clypeus, which is extremely obsoletely transaciculate and apically truncate ; 

 mentuiii ferrugineous, mandibles black and apically bifid ; labium fulvous, liyula flavous ; labial 

 palpi piceous with the second joint incrassate, third briiadly triangular and the fourth long and 

 subcylindrical. Antennae ferrugineous-i>iceous, darker at base and apex, joints sub-cylindrical, the 

 basal subnodulose apically, the apical elongate cylindrical. Thorax closely, strongly and confluentjy 

 punctured; prothorax narrow, truncate in front; mesothorax tfilobed, anteriorly and before the 

 wings ; disc depressed ; much narrowed anteriorly, suddenly explanate below the wings ; metathorax 

 evenly punctured with the areae complete and sharply delined, the superomedial pentagonal, trans- 

 verse ridge not especially strong and tern'inated laterally in a very long and acute tooth, of which 

 there is another rather smaller on either side the abdominal insertion ; spiracles of moderate size, 

 obliquely ovate. Scutellum flat, quadrate-triangular, strongly and thickly punctured, subnude. 

 Abdomen eloniiate-ovate, thickly and obsoletely transaciculate throughout, more finely apically ; 

 first segment very distinctly petiolate, punctate-aciculate, with two rather feeble carinae and a little 

 depressed at apex, which is gradually explanate ; second segment finely transacicul.ite in ? , much 

 more coarsely and somewhat punctate in i ; eighth segment very distinctly exserted in both sexes— in 

 tf as long as the fifth, in ? conical, and as long as the first and somewhat compressed towards its apex. 

 Terebra, exserted level with the dorsal base of the eighth segment, about two-thirds the length of the 

 abdomen, spicula ferrugineous, valvulae black. Legs rufous, apical joint of the front pairs of tarsi, 

 posterior tibiae except at extreme base and tarsi, piceous ; femora slightly incrassate. Wings slightly 

 fumato-hyaline and narrow ; stigma large and, with the nervures, piceous ; costa fuscous, basally 

 ferrugineous; areolet wanting; exterior discoidal recurrent nervure twice interstitial; posterior 

 discoidal recurrent forming an acute angle with the probrachial Length, i ii mm; ? 13 mm. 



