282 BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. [Banchus. 



their tarsal claws pectinate. Wings somewliat narrow, usually subfulves- 

 cent ; areolet always entire, very large and irregularly subrhomboidal ; 

 stigma not small ; radial cell lanceolate with its lower side much curved. 



The species constituting this genus have the peculiar power of emitting 

 a pungent odour, which is very happily compared by Ratzeburg (Forst. i. 

 104) to that of an alarmed ants' nest. 



Some confusion was at first caused in this genus by Gravenhorst, who 

 transposed the sexes ; this error was, however, rectified by Ratzeburg in 

 1 844 and Wesmael in his "Notice sur les Ichneumonides de Belgique 

 appartenant aux genres Metopius, Banchus,''' etc., satisfactorily classified 

 four of our species in 1849. The genus is remarkable in its large rhom- 

 boidal areolet, discally spinate scutellum and the varying conformation of 

 its maxillary palpi, on account of which a distinct genus, Corynephanus, 

 was erected for one of its species by Wesmael. 



Table of Species. 



fS). I. Scutellum distinctly spinate discally. 



(3). 2. Hind coxae strongly and sparsely punc- 

 tate beneath .. .. ..I. VARIEGATOR, Fab. 



(2). 3. Hind coxae finely and closely punctate 

 beneath. 



(7). 4. Scutellar spine short and stout; palpi 

 apically cylindrical. 



(6). 5. Hind femora more or less infuscate . . 2. PICTUS, Fab. 



W). 6. Hind femora entirely clear red . . 3. volutatorius, Linn. 



(4). 7. Scutellar spine long and slender ; palpi 



apically clavate . . . . ■ ■ 4- moniliatus, G7'av 



(i). 8. Scutellum mutic or hardly tuberculate 5. falcator, Fab. 



The only other species of this genus described by Gravenhorst, Ban- 

 chics (Arenetra) toinentosus, has been relegated to a position in the Pim- 

 plides since 1858; Schmiedeknecht, however, considers it correctly here 

 retained. 



1. variegator, Fah. 



Ichneumon variegator, Fab. S.E. 339; Banchus variegator, Fab. Piez. 128, <? . 

 Ichneumon compressus. Fab. E.S. ii. 180; Banchus coniprcssus. Fab. Piez. 

 129, ? ; Gr. I. E. iii, 377 ; Ratz. Ichn. d. Forst. i. 104, pi. vi, fig. 3 ; ii. 87 ; iii. 93 ; 

 Wesm. Bui. Ac. Brux. 1849, p. 631 ; Holmgr. Sv. Ak. Handl. 1858, n. 8, p. 148; 

 Thorns. O.E. xxii. 2411, i ? . 



Somewhat shining, with fuscous pubescence. Head subbuccate behind 

 the eyes, black ; of ^ with the face except centrally, mouth and orbits, 

 of 9 with the internal and external orbits only, flavidous ; palpi cylindri- 

 cal with the second joint explanate and the apical thrice longer than 

 broad ; clypeus, palpi and apices of mandibles pale. Antennae ferrugine- 



