Banchus.] BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. ' 287 



Both sexes, which I describe separately since I only know the ^ , are 

 abundantly distinct from all the other species of this genus on account of 

 their palpal conformation, upon which Wesmael erected the genus Cory- 

 nephaniis ; he appears, however to have overlooked the minute apical, 

 joint, since he says " leur dernier article, fort grele, est brusquement renfl^ 

 a le'xtreme bout." 



Brischke describes the cocoon as black and shining. It is 15 mm. in 

 length and 5^ mm. broad in the centre, which is distinctly more convex 

 on the side whence the imago escapes by cutting away a very large and 

 irregularly circular hole, hardly reaching to the apex. This hole is not 

 gnawed round at once, since strips of the cocoon 4 mm. long and \ mm. 

 broad are found attached to the white and shrivelled skin of the larva at 

 the extremity of the cocoon furthest from the hole. The cocoon itself 

 is composed of several layers, which become stouter externally. The outer 

 integument is black and somewhat shining, though rendered duller than 

 it otherwise would be by the beautiful network of fine threads interwoven 

 by the larva ; it is apically more obtuse and centrally much less cylindrical 

 than that of Exciasfes cinctipes. 



This species is probably uncommon in Britain, and it has only been 

 recorded from three localities. Harwood has found it about Colchester, 

 Dale at Portland and Bignell has bred it on 4th June in south Devon from 

 Anar/a myrtilli {cf. ^Marshall, Ent. Ann. 1874, p. 125); specimens bred by 

 Bignell from Trachea piniperda and recorded by Buckler were exhibited at 

 a Meeting of the S. Lond. Ent. Soc. in iNIarch, 1890. On the Continent 

 it is said to occur on umbelliferous flowers in June ; and Brischke bred 

 both sexes in Prussia froni the pupae of Hadena baltica. The male 

 described above was sent me by 3Ir. Haggart from Galashiels on i8th of 

 July, 1901 ; it had emerged in transit and had gnawed some of the enclos- 

 ing cotton-wool into its cocoon but had not itself emerged, though it did 

 so instantly and with great velocity on being unpacked ; its first attention 

 was an elaborate palpal toilet. Curtis took a single female oihis B.hasfator, 

 which I am not persuaded is synonymous with the present species, at 

 Darenth in June. Buckler also records it from Chacrocaiiipa poncUus on 

 Adkin's authority. 



5. falcator, Fah. 



BancJius venator. Fab. Piez. 126 ; Zett. I. L. 391, ? . B. falcator. Fab. Piez. 

 128, cf ; Gr. 1. E. iii. 385, excl. var. 1 ; Latr. Cuv. R. A ed. Masson, pi. cxi. fig. 3; 

 Ratz. Ichn. d. Forst. i. 106; Wesm. Bui. Ac. Briix. 1849, p. (531 ; Holmgr. Sv. Ak! 

 Hand!. 1858, n. 8, n. 148; Thorns. O. E, xxii. 2412, <? ? . B. voltitatorius, Zett. 

 I. L. 391, ? (nee Linn.). B. Farrani, Curt. B. E. pi. dlxxxviii, 9 . 



Head black ; of J with the external and most of genal and frontal 

 orbits broadly, scrobes, a mark on the frons, and the mandibles except 



