ffemiteles.'] BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. I4I 



I have noticed four varieties of this species, to which Forster would 

 doubtless have accorded siiecitic rank: (i) Flagellum of c? with nineteen, 

 of ? with seventeen, much less distinctly discrcted joints, of wliich the 

 two basal are sub-equal in length ; mesonotum nitidulous throughout and 

 not deplanate ; post-petiole more strongly aciculate with prominent 

 spiracles ; posterior coxae and often the hind femora i)lack ; and, above 

 all, the nervellus interce[)ted only just below the centre. (2) l'"lagellum of 

 both sexes with nineteen joints, of which the second is distinctly shorter 

 than the first, and the following three or four moniliform and red ; meso- 

 notum nitidulous and convex throughout ; post-petiole somewhat strongly 

 aciculate, but with no conspicuous spiracles ; hind legs with the coxae 

 basally and femora centrally piceous ; and, above all, the nervellus opposite 

 and not intercepted. (3) Antennae rather longer than the body ; flagellum 

 conformed -as in the type-form, but bearing twenty joints, of whicli the 

 second is rather shorter tlian the first ; head and mesothorax dull and 

 coriaceous ; post-petiole densely and evenly aciculate throughout ; re- 

 mainder as in the type. (4) Agreeing in every particular with the 

 type-form, excepting only that the wings are only visible under a high- 

 power lens with a consequential modification of the whole metathorax and 

 scutellum, which latter is reduced to half its normal size ; beyond this I 

 was surprised to find the eyes, which normally occupy the whole side of 

 the head, greatly reduced in size and of greater convexity, leaving a broad 

 space before the occiput. This is the form first described by Gravenhorst. 



This differs from all our other species described by Gravenhorst in its 

 distinctly incrassate antennae and exactly ovate abdomen, the colour of 

 which latter appears to be subcutaneous and is, consequently, extremely 

 variable, the whole abdomen being sometimes pale, and at others piceous 

 with only the second segment basally pale. It also rarely has the meta- 

 thorax more or less badious. 



It is doubtless very common, though I find but two records, and it has 

 not yet been bred : taken in Devon, probably at Alphington (Parfitt) ; 

 Maldon in Essex (Fitch). The typical females Tuck has sent me from 

 Bungay in October, and from Tostock and Finborough Park in Suffolk in 

 September ; Bignell from Cann Wood in Devon in July, and Exeter in 

 August ; Piffard has taken it at Felden in Herts. ; and Capron commonly 

 in Surrey. I have noticed that when alarmed it feigns death by curling 

 up its legs and wings and remaining motionless for some moments. It 

 has occurred to me on the flowers of A/i<:;e/ica sy/vfsfn's at Claydon in 

 September, by sweeping in a marshy wood at Bramford and on nettles at 

 Ipswich in October, in a bag of pine needles from W'herstead in Fel)ruary, 

 but it is commonest in A|)ril u])on thick Coniferae at Hentley Woods and 

 Foxhall, and I once found it in an Ipswich sand pit early in May, and 

 once on Angelica flowers at Matley Bog in the New Forest, in August. 



The ty]iical males have been found by Bignell at Bicklt-igh in June, 

 August and Se[)teniber ; by Marshall at (Jornworthy and Jiishopsteignton 

 in Devon ; and on Daiicus carota flowers at Westleton ; Atii^elica (lowers 

 in an Ijiswich garden ; on reeds at Covehithe Broad and flying upon 

 Southwold beach in July (all in Suffolk), by myself On the Continent it 

 a[)pears but little known, and that only in Hungary and Germany. Of my 

 first variety I possess females from Brandon, beneath i)ark of a felled log 

 full of Laemoph/oeus fcrruvitieus and Typhaea Juniata at W'herstead in 

 May, and from Wicken in June ; Butler has sent it me from Abinger 



