Microcryptus.] BRITISH ICMN K I IMONS. 37 



petiole smooth, glabrous and gradually explaiiatcly curved laterally ; lercbra 

 shorter than half the abdomen Legs black, with the spinulose anterior 

 tibiae, tarsi and apices of their femora, together with the base of the hind 

 tibiae, red ; hind femora incrassate, closely punctate, black. ^Vings sub- 

 hyaline ; radix stramineous, tegulae dull red, of S sometimes white. 

 Length, 5-8 mm. 



Thomson says this species may easily be recognized by its continuous 

 costa, white $ frontal orbits, often concolorous vertical dots, and centrally 

 produced clypeus. The niales assigned to it by both (iravenhorst and 

 Taschenberg are quite distinct from the above, as will be seen by its 

 synonymy given in the footnote. Kriechbaumer thought Thomson's c^ 

 referable to P. jejunator, var. 2, Grav., with orbits partly pale and clypeus 

 immaculate ; this is, however, ascribed to Microcryptus hrachypterus. 



This is an abundant palaearclic species, and is found commonly in 

 Britain on the undergrowth in woods, the herbage in grassy lanes and 

 upon the flower tables of Heracleum sphondyliiiiii and Chaerophylluin syl- 

 vestrc in ]\Lay and June ; but I have heard of no occasion upon which it 

 had been bred until I myself had the satisfaction of finding that a male 

 had emerged on the 14th April, 1902, from the puparium of a small 

 Tachinid fly (probably Digotwchaeta spinipennis, Mg.), collected in the 

 New Forest during the previous August; it was dead when discovered, 

 leading one to the conclusion that during life it must have hidden away in 

 a most effective manner, since I had looked into its box daily. We have 

 records of this species from the Hastings district, Maldon in Essex, Bick- 

 leigh in Devon, in the middle of June and the beginning of August, and as 

 common in Norfolk, at Eaton, etc. I possess specimens from Tostock, in 

 Suffolk (Tuck), Cromer (Elliott), several from Shere, in Surrey (Capron), 

 Felden, in Herts. (Piffard), Shifnal, in June (Beaumont), Cannock Chase 

 (Tomlin), New Forest (Chawner), ^Lablethorpe, in Lines, and South 

 Leverton, in Notts. (Thornley), Greenings, in Surrey (Wilson Saunders), 

 Guestling, in Sussex (Bloomfield), King's Cross, in Arran, Crookston, 

 Cramvas and Darr, in Ayrshire, in June, July and August (Dalglish). 

 Personally I have only taken one male in August : they have always 

 occurred to me in May and June, at Bentley Woods, Orwell Park, Tudden- 

 ham Fen, Burgh Castle and Wherstead, in Suffolk, and Wicken Fen, in 

 Cambs. The female I have invariably caught in June, the dates ranging 

 from the 14th to the 17th only, by beating oak and birch in Stanstead 

 Wood, Staverton Thicks, Bentley and Moulton, in Suffolk. I also have 

 males taken in May, at Rossbeigh, in Co. Kerry, Freshford, near Bath, 

 Oulton and Barnby Broads, and at Brandon ; and Chitty has several 

 times captured it at Huntingfield, in Kent. 



12. errator, Marsh. 



Phygadction cria/or, Marsli. E. M.M. v. 154, ?. 



Head black, with frontal orbits and palpi red ; vertex with a broad and 

 shining fovea behind the antennae. Antennae dark ferrugineous, filiform 

 and moderately stout, with joints seven to twelve white. Thorax immacu- 

 late ; metathorax pubescent and rugulosc, witii the s[)iracular and pleural 

 areae alone distinct ; the pctiolar area basally entire ; apophyses wanting, 

 spiracles orbicular. Scutellum black. Abdomen elongate, glabrous and 



