34 " BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. {Microcryptus. 



8. graminicola, Grav. 



Crypt us hrevicoruis, Gr. I. E. ii. 511' ; Ste. 111. M. vii. 283, i. C. peregrinator, 

 var, I, Cr. ///' cit. 606,9. Phygadeuon graiiii)iiiola, dr. lib. cit. 673 ; Tasch. Zeits. 

 Ges. N.-it. 1865, p. 41,9. iMicronyptus graminicola, Tlioms. O. E. ix. 852,(5 ?. 

 Var C. hiimilis, Gr. I. E. ii. 604, f, . 



Both sexe.s are black and shining, with the head nearly triangular an- 

 teriorly, the vertex declived behind the eyes, scrobes not deeply impressed, 

 clypeus sub-discreted, epistoma somewhat convex, cheeks not buccate and 

 the post-annellus shorter than the scape ; the mesopleurae are shining and 

 not rugulose, but sparsely and somewhat finely punctate ; the areola is 

 incomplete basally, with no costulae ; the basal segment is smooth, in 9 

 entirely and in $ with the post-petiole red ; calcaria somewhat elongate ; 

 tegulae black, radix dark. Length, 6--8 mm. 



9 . Head with clypeus discreted, frons sparsely punctulate ; epistoma 

 intumescent and sometimes red. Antennae somewhat strongly incrassate 

 beyond their centre and apically attenuate, with the four central joints 

 white, the basal flagellar joints (at least beneath) and sometimes the scape, 

 red. Metanotum smooth and deplanate ; spiracles circular and compara- 

 tively large. Scutellum black, with its apex and the post-scutellum some- 

 times rufescent. Abdomen pale red, with the four apical segments black, 

 and the last two obsoletely white-margined ; post petiole laterally curved 

 and abruptly explanate ; terebra longer than half the abdomen, with the 

 spicula acuminate and not obliquely truncate apically. Legs red ; anterior 

 femora more or less black basally above ; the hind ones, except at their 

 base, the apices of their tibiae and their tarsi, black. 



$. Antennae short, stout, setaceous, a little longer than half the length 

 of the body ; scutellum and post-scutellum (in the type form) white. 

 Abdomen red, with base of the first and the four apical segments black, 

 the last two dorsally white-margined ; petiolar carinae obsolete. Legs red, 

 with the coxae, trochanters, the centrally white posterior or hind tarsi, 

 apices of the hind femora and of their tibiae always, black, together with 

 the base of the latter and sometimes of the anterior femora ; the anterior 

 tibiae usually stramineous in front. 



The male variety huDiilis, which has been found early in September on 

 Vaccinium Myrtillus on the Continent, differs in having the scutellum and 

 post-scutellum black, with the legs darker and the central segments discally 

 infuscate. 



This species is by no means uncommon here and abroad. Stephens 

 records it from Hereford in July, 1835,^ and about London ; Bridgman 

 from Brundall and Lakenham, in Norfolk ; Bignell from Bickleigh at the 

 end of August ; and Marshall from Yorkshire. It is said to be parasitic 

 upon Zygaena trifolii (Schm.), and I have found it in Holbon Marsh, in 

 Suffolk, where this moth is abundant, on 25th August, 1898. Dr. Capron 

 appears to have taken it commonly at Shere, in Surrey, since both sexes 

 are well represented in his collection ; and Rev. E. N. Bloom field has 

 sent me the male from Guestling, near Hastings. 



1 It appears advisable to retain Thomson's name for this species, since dr^wicofHis, which sliould 

 stand in strict priority, might clash with Cubocephalus brevicornis, Tasch ; and C. humilis is a variety. 



2 Stephens' ? ? , however, which are still in situ in the British Museum, belong to the Tryphonid 

 genus Polyblastus I 



