32 BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. [Microcryptus. 



beyond the centre, broad. and discreted ; areola entire and not transverse, 

 apophyses obtuse ; spiracles large and circular-oval. Scutellum black. 

 Abdomen smooth and red, with the a{)ical half black and the anus of the 

 $ whitish ; basal segment somewliat broad, i)etiole explanate and some- 

 times infuscate ; post-petiole of S quadrate, parallel sided, canaliculate 

 and, together with the second segment, closely and confluently punctate ; 

 terebra one fourth of the length of the abdomen. Legs red, with the 

 coxae, trochanters, hind tarsi and apices of their tibiae and femora, black ; 

 of S slender, with all the tarsi, especially the hind pair, centrally white. 

 Wings normal, somewhat clouded ; radix and tegulae of $ white, of $ in- 

 fuscate. Length, 9-1 1 mm. 



\n its facies and conformation the female resembles Spilocryptiis in- 

 cubitor, than which it has the terebra shorter and the antennae thicker ; it 

 resembles the Crypti in its elongate and sub-setaceous antennae, but differs 

 distinctly in its complete metapleural costae and carinate petiole. The 

 large size, elongate petiolar area, small peristomium, apically truncate and 

 sub-reflexed clypeus, the dense and very fine puncturation of the whole 

 body, and the coloration of the male head, thorax and tarsi will render it 

 abundantly distinct in the present genus. 



It may be that C. longipes, Ratz., should also be admitted as synony- 

 mous with this species. Ratzeburg says C. pu?ictafjis is extraordinarily 

 like it in colour, but differs in many specimens (the difference is not 

 always apparent) in the distinctly punctate abdomen and mesothorax, the 

 stronger metathoracic costae and immaculate scutellum ; on the other 

 hand, the tegulae and callosity at their base are always white. Later (iii. 

 138) he maintains the distinction. His C. abcissjis appears to be more 

 strongly punctate than C. pimctatus, but is separated entirely on account 

 of its coloration. " I do not dare to place it ' among punctatits,' because 

 it has no white on head, tegulae and scutellum," he writes. 



This does not appear to be a species of unusual rarity in northern and 

 central Europe, but I can find no British records since Stephens said it 

 was very rare near London in June ; and consequently confirmatory 

 evidence of it as indigenous was very necessary. Gravenhorst took the 

 male in meadows in June and the female in October ; Brischke has bred 

 it from Lophyriis phii and L. simi/is in Prussia. The only specimens I 

 have seen are males, one of which I swept from long, rank grass at Matley 

 Bog, in the New Forest, on 17th August, 1901 ; the other was taken by 

 Chitty, at Dodington, in Kent. 



6. improbus, Grav. 



Phygadeuoii improbus, Gr. I. E. ii. 670, excl. i et var. 2 ; Tasch. Zeits. (^es. Nat. 

 1865, p. 36, excl. i, . Microcryptus iniprobtts, Thoins. O. E. ix. 851, cJ 9. 



Head in both sexes black ; ? with mandibles, except apically, and the 

 palpi red, the latter in $ dull testaceous ; frons convex, cheeks sub-buccate, 

 clypeus strongly discreted and apically truncate. Antennae black ; of $ 

 sub-fusiform, centrally dilated and deplanate below, with the six basal 

 joints red, at least beneath, and the five following white ; post-annellus 

 not or hardly longer than the red scape, in ^ not longer. Metathorax 

 somewhat smooth, distinctly punctate basally, with all the costae com- 

 plete ; petiolar area discreted ; mesosternal sulci obsolete or wanting ; 



