ffemiteles.] BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. I37 



basally deep red, with the first or first two joints fulvous beneath ; scape 

 of the S flavous heneatli. Mesonotum densely and very finely [jubescent ; 

 nietathorax closely and somewhat confluently punctate, areola distinct, 

 petiolar area discreted. Abdotvien black ; of $ with the closely punctate 

 segments two to four entirely, the apex of the first and sometimes the 

 margin of the fifth and sixth, castaneous ; of 6 with the third segment 

 basally rufescent ; basal segment broad, deplanate, laterally curved, of 9 

 closely and somewhat confluently punctate and aciculate, of S nearly 

 smooth ; second segment very finely and evenly punctulate, of ^ quadrate, 

 with very small thyridii ; the follow^ing transverse with the apical, and 

 sometimes the penultimate, white-marked ; tereljra longer than half the 

 abdomen. Legs deep red ; of 9 with the hind tarsi and apices of their 

 tibiae nigrescent ; of S with trochanters except part of the hind ones, 

 front and apices of the intermediate coxae, flavous with the hind coxae 

 part of their trochanters and apices of their tarsi, black. \Vings somewhat 

 discally clouded, but not fasciated ; tegulae fulvescent, nervellus distinctly 

 antefurcal. Length, 4-6 mm. 



The female is closely allied to that of C. ininiicus in its dull frons and 

 mesonotum, entire metathoracic areae, elongate terebra, the abdominal 

 sculpture, etc., but the antennae are brown, becoming testaceous basally, 

 the legs are stouter, the post-petiole broader and the metapleurae punctu- 

 late. I consider it greatly more probable that liridgman's male is the true 

 one of this species, since two examples were bred, together with one 

 female, from the cocoons of Trichiosoma betiileti^ by Bignell in South 

 Devon, on 13th April, 1882 ; that described by Thomson was, I have little 

 doubt, associated entirely on account of structural affinities. 



This species has only been noticed on the Continent in Sweden and 

 Germany, where it was bred by Brisclike from Clavellaria aiiierinae^ 

 Lflphyriis pi ni {or L. si//u7/sj, and from a species of Chrysflpa. In l>ritain 

 it has been bred by Sang from Exaereiia Allisella (Entom. 18S1, p. 139), 

 and has been recorded from the Hastings district, Earlham near Norwich, 

 Bickleigh, in Devon, and Armagh (Irish Nat. 1904, p. 256). I possess 

 specimens taken by Butler at Abinger Hammer, Capron about Shere, 

 Piffard at Felden, and by myself at Lyndhurst in the New Forest early 

 in August. 



In one of the four cocoons of Zyi^aena filip€7idulae, containing larvae 

 of ATesostenus obnoxius (q.v. post), sent me by Prideaux, from Reigate in 

 February, 1901, was a hyperparasite's cocoon. The Mesos/enus cocoon 

 was quite perfect and contained its larva, which had evidently not been 

 long dead, since it was quite soft and only beginning to turn black, but 

 the whole surface had become very finely and distinctly transaciculate 

 through shrinkage ; on its skin were two or three membraneous bodies, 

 probably drawn from its interior organs with the emergence of the para- 

 sitic larva, as well as a few black spots. No trace of further parasites was 

 found upon opening the dead larva, which was less than half consumed. 

 Within the Mesostenus cocoon, affixed to one side of it and occupying 

 rather less than half its lateral area, was the cocoon of the hyjierparasite, 

 composed of white strands where it was affixed, though centrally trans- 

 lucent and showing the yellow colour of the larva within it. It is of the 

 consistency of gold-beater's skin, ovate-cylindrical, much depressed and 

 composed of three or four unconnected layers. 



