l66 BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. [Hemifeies. 



Gravenhorst gives five varieties of this species, (i) Both sexes with all 

 the coxae black, sculpture of the metathorax and abdomen coarser and the 

 petiolar tubercles more prominent ; this he took on Crataegus oxyacanthus 

 in May. (2) With the extent of the red markings on the second and 

 third segments variable ; female only, occurring in September. (3) Female 

 with base of the hind coxae alone black, the third segment entirely fulvous 

 and the four apical ones pale-margined. (4) Female with the second 

 segment entirely red, basal segment sub-glabrous — he describes that of the 

 type form as smooth — and the antennae basally immaculate. (5) Female 

 with the two basal segments nearly wholly, and all the coxae, red, which 

 he knew only from Hope's captures at Netley in Shropshire. Besides 

 these, the var. viodestits has the cheeks yellow, the prothorax laterally, the 

 clypeus and all the legs red, with the wings only slightly clouded discally ; 

 and the var. ruficollis has the thorax red with a mark before the black 

 scutellum and the disc of the metathorax black, the wings slightly clouded, 

 and the two basal segments except the apex of the second testaceous-red, 

 glabrous or indistinctly punctate. I possess both sexes of a yet more 

 remarkable variety, which Thomson would probably have accorded specific 

 rank, in that the nervellus is very distinctly antefurcal (proving, I think, 

 that character to be of but little value) ; in other respects, both sexes 

 differ from the type form in having the three basal segments entirely 

 glabrous, with the hind tibiae fiavous and nigrescent at both base and 

 apex ; the scutellum of the $ with two apical flavous dots, of 9 either 

 black or with the sides and whole apex flavous. Mr. Bignell, too, has 

 sent me for identification a female which undoubtedly belongs to this 

 species, with the mesonotum anteriorly red ; it is perfectly normal in the 

 conformation of the antennae, head, abdomen and legs ; but differs in 

 having only the smallest traces of wings and the metathoracic costae sub- 

 obsolete and much modified in outline, clearly indicating that the propodial 

 development is in direct ratio with that of the wings. 



This species differs from H. stagnalis in having the discoidal cell with 

 its lower angle acute or hardly right-angled, not obtuse, and in emitting 

 the parallel nervure below its centre. It is rendered distinct by the strong 

 and transverse areola, vertical petiolar area, convex thorax, punctate petiole, 

 cylindrical scape and sub-opposite nervellus. 



Common in Norfolk (Bridgman) ; Huntingfield in Kent (Chitty) \ 

 captured at Exminster and Shaugh bridge in June (Bignell) ; Yorkshire, 

 Botusfleming in Cornwall, and Hertfordshire (Marshall) ; abundant at 

 Glanvilles Wootton (Dale) ; Maldon in Essex (Fitch) ; Wyre Forest 

 (Martineau). This is a very distinct and common species throughout 

 England ; Shere, Felden, Greenings in Surrey, Redland near Bristol ; 

 Benacre Broad, Finborough Park, Marlesford on Herackiim sphondyliu/n, 

 in Suffolk ; Wicken Fen and Diss ; from early June to the end of August. 

 Of my antefurcal variety, I have females taken by Capron probably at 

 Shere in Surrey and a male captured by Elliott in the Bentley Woods 

 near Ipswich, on i6th June, 1900. This species has been bred by both 

 Ratzeburg and Giraud from Chtysopa perla, from an undetermined species 

 of the same genus by Brischke, who also raised it hyperparasitically from 

 a Microgaster. The var. viodeshis has been bred by Ratzeburg from 

 Heliodines Roesel/a, Anobimii doi/iestiai/ii, Pissodes ?iotaii/s and Scolyius 

 destructor^ in Germany. 



